Marseillaise. French national anthem, by Rouget de Lisle, 1792. Named for volunteer militia who adopted song on march to Paris.

Martin, St. c316-97. Bishop of Tours. Introduced monasticism to France. French patron saint.

Massenet, Jules. 1842-1912. French opera composer. Manon. Le Cid 1885.

Mata Hari. 1876-1917. Dutch dancer, courtesan. German spy WWI. Executed by French.

Matisse, Henri. 1869-1954. French painter in Fauvist style. Coined “cubism” 1908. Red Studio 1911.

Maupassant, Guy de. 1850-93. French short story writer: Boule de Suif 1880.

Maupeou, René. 1714-92. French chancellor dissolved Parlement 1771, creating absolute rule.

Mauriac, François. 1885-1970. French Roman Catholic author of sombre novels. Thérèse 1927.

Mauritania. Bafours. ~1C BC Sanhadja, Zenet, Teda. Ancient Ghana. 7/8C Moslem. 11C Almoravid. 13-17C Moqil invade. 15C = Shinqit. 19C «French West Africa. 1958 Autonomous. 1960 Independent.

Mauritius. 1505 Portugal discovers. 1598 Dutch settle. 1715 French. 1810 English. 1968 Independent.

Maurras, Charles. 1868-1952. French political theorist. Founded Action Française 1899.

Mazarin, Jules. 1602-61. French Cardinal, politician. Power during Louis XIV rule, regent 1643-61. Ended 30 Years war. Defeated the Fronde 1653. Supported strong monarchy.

Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. 1908-61. French philosopher blending existentialism, Marxism, phenomenology.

Mers-el-Kébir. 1940 British sink French fleet so Axis can’t seize them. French bomb Gibraltar.

Mersen, Treaty. 870. Divided Lotharingia. Charles II and Louis the German establish French/German frontier.

Messiaen, Olivier. 1908-92. Revolutionary French composer. Experimented with Indian music, bird song, complex rhythms, unusual instruments.

Métezeau, Clement. 1581-1652. French architect. Church of St-Gervais-St-Protais 1616.

Meyerbeer, Giacomo. 1791-1864. German operatic composer of French opera. Les Huguenots 1836.

Milhaud, Darius. 1892-1974. Modern French polytone composer. Creation of the World 1923. Christopher Columbus 1930. Les Six.

Military Conversations. 1906-14. English, French military staff prepare for war with Germany.

Millet, Jean-François. 1814-75. French painter of peasants. Sower 1850. Gleaners 1857.

Minden, Battle. 1759. Prussia and Britain defeat French. Seven Years War.

Mirabeau, Comte de. 1749-91. French revolutionary writer. Physiocrat. Dominated National Assembly 1789-.

Mistral, Frédéric. 1830-1914. French Provençale revival poet. Mirèi 1859. Félibrige 1878.

Modigliani, Amadeo. 1884-1920. Italian/French artist. Elongated necks and simplified figures. Head 1911-12. Recining Nude 1919.

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