Benedict of Nursia, St. 480-547. Italian monastic. Benedictine Rule 535.

Benedict XIII. c1328-1423. Antipope 1394-1417. Great Schism.

Benedict XIV. 1675-1758. Pope 1740-. Promoted arts, learning during Enlightenment.

Benedictines. 529-. RC monastic order. Spread Christianity. Preserved Latin culture.

Benefit of Clergy. 1170-1827. Literates and clergy exempt from trial by English civil court. 1489- Once only, branding. Jonson.

Benelux. 1948-93. Economic union of Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg. EU.

Beneš, Eduard. 1884-1948. Czech Nationalist, President, 1935-8,46-. Little Entente.

Benét, Stephen. 1898-1943. US poet, writer. Devil and Daniel Webster 1937. John Brown’s Body 1928.

Benét, William. 1886-1950. US poet. The Dust Which is God 1941.

Benevolences. 1473-1689. Forced ’loans’ to English monarchs.

Bengal. 8C Pala emp. 11C Hindu. 13C Turk. 1576 Mogul. 1757 Britain. 1947 India(W)/Pakistan(E). 1971 E =Bangladesh.

Bengal Famine. 1770. 1/3 of population died. No British aid.

Bengal Partition. 1905-11. Split for administrative ease. Creates nationalistic opposition.

Benin.1625 Abomey kingdom = Dahomey. 1892 France. 1895 French West Africa. 1959 Autonomous. 1960 Independent =Dahomey. 1975 =People’s Republic of Benin.

Benjamin. Youngest son of Jacob and Rachel. Led 1 of 10 Lost Tribes.

Bennett, Arnold. 1867-1931. English Staffordshire novelist. Meticulously detailed Naturalist. Clayhanger Series 1910.

Bennett, Richard B. 1870-1947. Canadian Conservative Prime Minister 1930-5. Advocated Empire Free Trade. Imperial Conference 1932.

Benten. Japanese god of reasoning. Patron of literature, music, femininity.

Bentham, Jeremy. 1748-1832. English Utilitarian philosopher, jurist. Principles of Morals and Legislation 1789. Fragment on Government 1776.“Greatest happiness for the greatest number”.

Bentley, Richard. 1662-1742. English classical scholar. Restored texts. Editions of Horace, Terence, Aesop.

Benz, Karl. 1844-1929. German engineer. 1885 internal combustion engine driven car.

Beowulf. 8C Hero of Old English poem set in Denmark.

Béranger, Pierre. 1780-1857. French Republican poet and singer. Roi d’Yvetot 1813.

Berbers. Caucasian North African peoples, mostly Moslem. Nomadic since 12C Arab invasions. Almohads. Almoravids. Barbary.

Berceo, Gonzalo. c1195-1264. Castilian religious poet.

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