Utrecht, Union of. 1579. United Provinces alliance created vs Spanish rule in Netherlands.

Valkyries. Sisters of Odin, choosers of the doomed in battle.

Veblen, Thorstein. 1857-1929. US sociologist. Theory of the Leisure Class 1899-“conspicuous consumption”.

Vega Carpio, Lope Felix de. 1562-1635. “Father” of Spanish drama. 1800 plays. Italian form to Spanish poetry.

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.

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

Viau, Théophile. 1590-1626. French pre-Classical poet, dramatist. Pyramus and Thisbe 1623.

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.

Viète, François. 1540-1603. French mathematician, algebraic notation. Equation theory.

Vinland. ~1000. Region of northeast North America discovered by Leif Eriksson. L’Anse aux Meadows.

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.

Vitalism. Bergson’s theory of evolution. Life force differentiates living things from others. Aristotle.

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

Wales, Prince of. 1301-. Title of heir apparent to the British throne.

Wallace, Alfred. 1823-1913. British naturalist. Theory of natural selection, 1838, independent of Darwin.

Wallis, John. 1616-1703. English mathematician. Calculus, cryptography. Infinitesimals 1655.

Walter the Penniless. -1097. French knight. Led Peasants’ Crusade with Peter the Hermit.

Warbeck, Perkin. 1474-99. Flemish. Posed as Richard, Duke of York, pretender to the English throne. Executed.

Warren, Robert. 1905-89. US Fugitive novelist. All the King’s Men 1946.

Warwick, Earl of. 1428-71. “The Kingmaker”-. Helped York Edward IV, then restored Lancaster Henry VI.

Watteau, Antoine. 1684-1721. French painter known for color and naturalism. Embarcation for Cythera 1717.

Weather Forecasts. 1860. First regularly issued by British Admiralty Office.

Webb, Matthew. 1848-83. English. First to swim across English Channel, 1875.

Wedmore, Treaty. 878. Alfred the Great, Danes divide England.

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