Purge. 1936-8. Stalin’s trials to eliminate political rivals with fabricated charges. 3 million dead. Executions, forced labour, internal exile.

Puritanism. 16-17C. English Calvinist movement to purify church of Catholic and political elements. Valued hard work, education, thrift.

Pusey, Edward. 1800-82. English. Led Oxford Movement.

Pushkin, Aleksandr. 1799-1837. Russian Romantic writer. Russia’s “Shakespeare”: Boris Gudonov 1825. Eugene Onegin 1823/4. Exiled 1821~6.

Putnam. American General at Bunker Hill. “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.”

Pydna, Battle. 168BC. Romans defeat, divide Macedonia.

Pygmalion. Greek sculptor who fell in love with statue he made.

Pym, John. 1583-1643. English Puritan. Led Long Parliament. Civil War.

Pyramids. c2686-2160BC. Oldest of Seven Wonders.

Pyramids, Battle. 1798. Napoleon wins access to Cairo.

Pyramus and Thisbe. Legendary Babylonian lovers of Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Pyrenees, Treaty. 1659. Established French/Spanish border ending 24 year war.

Pyrrho. c360-270BC. Founder of Sceptics.

Pyrrhus. 319-272BC. King of Epirus. Defeated Romans at Heraclea and Ausculum at great cost (Pyrrhic Victory). Memoirs.

Pythagoras. c582-500BC. Greek philosopher: numbers are key to understanding the universe. Founded first school of higher learning at Crotona, Italy.

Pytheas. c300BC. Greek. Voyaged to Britain, Iceland.

Pythian Games. -4C. Musical and athletic contests at Delphi.

Qaddafi, Muammar. 1942-. Radical nationalist Libyan dictator 1969- after deposing Idris I. Nationalized oil industry 1973. Middle East terrorist supporter.

Qaeda, al-. 1989 Founded by Arabs in Afghanistan. 1990 Sudan. 1996 Afghan training camps. 2001 World Trade Center. Osama bin Laden.

Qatar. 18C Bahrain. 1868 Independent. 1916 British protectorate. 1971 Independent.

Quadi. -173. Nomadic German tribe in Moravia.

Quadrilateral. Austrian fortresses: Legnago, Mantua, Verona, Peschiera.

Quadrille. 18C French dance introduced to England 1818.

Quadrivium. Arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, music. Trivium.

Quadruple Alliance. 1718. Austria, France, Britain, Dutch Republic. Defeated Spain’s attack on Sicily. 1813,15. Austria, Britain, Russia, Prussia. Enforced Treaty of Paris. 1834 France, Britain, Portugal, Spain. Supported Isabella II vs Carlist claims.

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