Vincent of Beauvais. c1190-1264. French Dominican priest. Wrote encyclopedic Speculum majus 1259.

Vinland. ~1000. Region of northeast North America discovered by Leif Eriksson. L’Anse aux Meadows.

Violencia. 1948-62. Spain under Franco. 1946-64. Colombian repression. 200,000 dead.

Virchow, Rudolf. 1821-1902. German pathologist, anthropologist. Applied microscope to medical research. Cellular pathology 1858.

Virgil. 70-19BC Roman epic poet. Aeneid 30-19BC. Bucolics. Georgics 36BC.

Virginia. Algonkian, Sioux, Iroquoia. 1587 British settle Roanoke Colony. 1607 First successful colony. 1619 Slaves brought. 1776 Independent. USA.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. 1798,9. States protest Alien +Sedition Acts limiting freedoms. Nullification.

Virginia Company. London. 1606-24. To colonize North America. Founded Jamestown 1607.

Virginius Affair. 1873. Spain siezes US flagged Cuban ship, Virginius. Executes 53 for smuggling arms to Cuba during Ten Years War. Indemnity paid to US, Great Britain.

Viriathus. -c139BC. Lusitanian herdsman. Led successful revolt vs Rome c147-139BC.

Visconti. 1311-1450. Milanese noble family.

Viscount. 4th rank of British peerage, below earl.

Vishnu. Hindu god. Preserver of world and moral order.

Visigoths. 376-711. Western Goths. Alaric sacked Rome 410. Defeated at Vouillé by Clovis 510. Settled Spain, southern France 415-711. Destroyed by Moors 711.

Vitoria. 1813. Wellington victory, liberated Spain from France. Peninsular War.

Vitruvius. 1C BC. Roman architect, writer. De architectura 27BC.

Vivaldi, Antonio. 1678-1741. Venetian violinist, Baroque composer. Standard concerto pattern; more than 500 concertos. Four Seasons 1725.

Vivian. Wanton. Captured Merlin in Arthurian legend.

Vizier. 14-20C. Ottoman top minister of state.

Vlachs. 2C-. Latin inhabitants of Dacia.

Vladimir I, St. 956-1015. First Christian Russian ruler. Ordered people to convert.

Vo Nguyen Giap. 1912-. Viet Minh commander 1946-54, 1966-75. Minister of Defence 1954-. Tet Offensive. Defeated Japanese 1942-5, French 1946-54, US 66-76.

Volkssturm. 1944. German home defence force.

Volsci. -338BC. Italian peoples conquered by Rome.

Volta, Alessandro. 1745-1827. Italian physicist: electric battery 1800.

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