Cid, El. (Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar). c1043-99. Spanish hero, who fought for Moors and Christians. Idealized in 1140 epic El Cantar de mio Cid. Conquered and ruled Valencia 1094-99.

Cierva y Cordoniu, Juan de la. 1895-1936. Spanish autogyro inventor 1923. First vertical take-off 1934.

Cincinnatus. 5C BC. Roman hero and statesman.

Cinque Ports. 1067-1608. Association of English Channel ports to defend England.

Citroën, André. 1878-1935. French Industrialist, automobile company.

Clapham Sect. 1790-1830. Wilberforce’s social reformers and missionaries.

Clarendon Code. 1661-5. Suppressed religious dissent in England. Five Mile Act.

Clarendon Constitution. 1164. Henry II limits church power in England. Opposed by Becket.

Classicism. Art and architecture in imitation of Greek and Roman styles. Neoclassical.

Clearance of Scottish Highlands. 1790-1850. Increased sheep farming displaces tenant crofters.

Cleopatra VII. 69-30BC. Queen of Egypt, lover of Caesar and Antony. Suicide.

Clinton, Henry. 1738-95. Commander 1778-81. Blamed for British defeat in American Revolution.

Clotilda, St. c475-545. Converted her husband, Clovis.

Cloud, St. (Clodoald). Grandson of Clovis I.

Clymene. Nymph. Mother of Atlas and Prometheus.

Clytemnestra. Wife and murderess of Agamemnon. Killed by her children, Orestes and Electra.

Coalition, Wars of. 1792-1815. European powers oppose France’s revolutionary ideas and expansion. French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleonic Wars. Third Coalition War.

Cobden, Treaty. 1860. Free trade between Britain and France.

Cockayne, Land of. Legendary medieval land of gluttony and idleness.

Cod War. 1972-6. Britain upset at Iceland’s unilateral expansion of fishing limits to 50 miles.

Cold War. 1946-90. Alternating crisis and detente between west and east, begun with Russia breaking Potsdam Agreement and creating communist regimes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

Columba, St. c521-597. Irish monk. Missionary to Scotland.

Columban, St. c543-615. Irish monk. Missionary to France, Switzerland, Italy.

COMECON. Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. 1949-91. USSR and satellites central planning organization.

Commonwealth. 1649-60. Government of England after Charles I executed. Cromwell.

1857 more results ...