Van Buren, Martin. 1782-1862. US president 1837-41. Independent treasury, US neutrality. Barnburner. Called “Little Magician” for his political dexterity.

Van de Graaff, Robert. 1901-67. US physicist. Particle accelerator 1929. High voltage generator 1932.

Vanderlyn, John. 1775-1852. US Neoclassical artist. Ariadne 1812.

Vasarely, Victor. 1908-97. Hungarian/French Op art kinetic painter.

Vendôme Column. Paris. 1805. Has had statues of Napoleon as Caesar, Henry IV, a Fleur-de-lys, Napoleon in uniform, and now a copy of the original.

Verne, Jules. 1828-1905. French Science Fiction fantasy writer. Voyage to the Centre of the Earth 864. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870. Round the World in 80 Days 1873.

Veronese, Paolo. 1528-88. Venetian decorative artist. Marriage Feast 1562.

Verrocchio, Andrea del. 1435-88. Florentine artist. St Thomas and Christ 1467-83. Bartolomeo 1483-8.

Versailles, Palace. 1661-74. Built by Le Vau and Mansart on site of 1623 hunting lodge. Gardens by Le Nôtre.

Verwoerd, Hendrik. 1901-66. South African Prime Minister 1958-66. Apartheid. Left Commonwealth 1961. Assassinated.

Vestal Virgins. Chaste Roman guardians of Temple to Vesta, goddess of the hearth.

Vienna, Congress. 1814-15. Redrew map of Europe after Napoleon. Prussia gains Rhine, Westphalia. Swiss borders and neutrality confirmed. Netherlands created from Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg. Malta and Cape Colony ceded to Britain. Russia gets Poland. Austria trades Netherlands for north Italy. France reduced to 1792 borders. Metternich.

Vienna, Treaty. 1725. Spain, Austria pledge to aid Stuart restoration in England. 1738 Ends War of Polish Succession. 1809 =Schönbrunn Treaty. 1864 Denmark cedes Schleswig- Holstein to Prussia. 1866 Seven Weeks War. Austria cedes Venice to Italy.

Vivian. Wanton. Captured Merlin in Arthurian legend.

Volunteers, Departure of. 1792. Sang Marseillaise.

Vorticism. 1900-20. Art movement of mechanical forms and angles. Lewis. Gaudier-Brzeska.

Vuillard, Édouard. 1868-1940. French Nabis Intimist artist. Interiors. Woman Sweeping 1892.

Wafd. 1918-52. Egyptian nationalist party. Dissolved by Revolution.

Wagram, Battle. 1809. Napoleon defeats Austrian Archduke Charles. Znaim. Schönbrunn Treaty.

Warhol, Andy. 1925-87. US Pop artist. Campbell’s Soup Cans 200 1962. Marilyn 1967.

Warsaw. 1596 Polish capital. 1655 Sweden destroys. 1795 Prussia. 1807 Napoleon creates Duchy. 1813 Russia. 1815 Kingdom of Poland. 1939-45 Germany occupies.

Warsaw Uprising. 1830-1. Czartoryski attempt to oust Russians crushed. 1944. Polish underground army defeats Germans but Soviet delay allows German reinforcements to defeat Poles, destroying potential opposition to later Soviet control.

Watergate. 1972-4. US political scandal over burglary of Democratic headquarters. Cover up led to Nixon’s resignation.

Waterloo, Battle. 1815. Final defeat of Napoleon by Wellington and Blücher.

Watling Street. Roman road from London to NW England. Part still in use.

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