Virginia Declaration of Rights. 1776. Model for US Bill of Rights.

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.

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.

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

Vitry, Philippe de. 1291-1361. French composer, codified rules of composition. Ars Nova 1320.

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.

Voltaire, François. 1694-1778. French philosopher vs tyranny, bigotry, cruelty. Challenged accepted beliefs. Quotations became revolutionary slogans. Lettres Philosophique 1734. Candide 1758.

Volunteers, Departure of. 1792. Sang Marseillaise.

Vosges, Place de. 1605-12. Paris’ oldest square.

Vries, Hugo de. 1848-1935. Dutch botanist. Heredity and mutation. Mutation Theory 1910.

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

Vulcan. Roman god of destruction, fire, weapons. = Hephaestos.

Wade-Davis Bill. 1864. Strict terms for US Reconstruction vetoed by Lincoln.

Wagner, Richard. 1813-83. German Romantic opera composer/librettist. Leitmotif. Unified drama and music in long and complex operas. Tannhäuser 1845. Lohengrin 1850. Nibelung Ring 1853-76. Tristan and Isolde 1857-9. Parsifal 1882.

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

Wahabi. 18-19C. Militant Moslem Arab Puritan sect. Fought Porte 1813-15. Invaded Kuwait 1919,27,28; repulsed with British help. 2001 World Trade Center. Taliban.

Wakley. Founded Lancet (British medical journal), 1823.

Waldenses. 1170-. Austere heretical Christian sect. Founded by Waldo at Lyons. Persecuted in France, Italy, England.

Waldheim, Kurt. 1918-. Austrian. UN Secretary General 1972-82. Austrian president 1986-92. German officer WWII.

Wales. Celts. 55BC Rome. 7C +England. 8C Divided. 9C Re-united. 11C Norman. 1284 English suzerainty. 1536 Union with England.

Walesa, Lech. 1943-. Polish Solidarity leader instrumental in forcing decline of Communist rule. President 1990-96.

Walker, George. 1618-90. Hero of siege of Londonderry, 1688.

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