Leo Africanus. 1485-1554. Arab/Christian traveler. Descriptions of Africa 1550.

Leopold II. 1747-92. Holy Roman Emperor 1790-. “Enlightened despot”. Liberal reforms. Declaration of Pillnitz for absolutism.

Lesseps, Ferdinand. 1805-94. French engineer. Suez Canal 1869. Corinth Canal. Designed and began Panama Canal 1881-89.

Lessing, Doris. 1919-. Iran./Rhodesian/British novelist. The Children of Violence 1964.

Lethe. Greek mythical river of forgetfulness in Hades.

Lindos. c700-408BC. Major Rhodes city. Colonized Spain and Italy.

London Gazette. 1665. Oldest publishing newspaper. Official government organ.

Louis IX. St. Louis. 1214-70. French King 1226-70. Last 2 crusades. Captured on 7th Crusade. Built Ste-Chapelle, 1243, in thanks for release.

Louis VII. The Young. 1120-80. French King 1137-. Second Crusade. Marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine annulled, consanguinity.

Louis VIII. The Lionheart. 1187-1226. French King 1223-. Invaded England 1216-7. Albigensian Crusade 1226.

Louisiana. 1643 French LaSalle claims. 1719 Mississippi Company. 1762 England cedes to Spain. 1801 France (San Ildefonso Treaty). 1803 US purchase. 1812 18th State.

Lourdes. 1858. Virgin Mary appears to Soubirous.

Louvois, Marquis de. 1639-91. Louis XIV War Minister. Reformed army. Enforced Nantes revocation. Supervised construction of Invalides, Vendôme.

Luddites. 1811-16. Workers who destroyed machines to stop the Industrial Revolution. Led by mythical Ned Ludd.

Luna. Roman moon goddess, = Selene.

MacBride, Seán. 1904-88. Irish statesman. Founded Republican Party 1946. Foreign minister 1948-1951. Founder, chairman 1961-75 Amnesty International. Assistant UN Secretary General.

Machu Picchu. c800 Inca city in Andes.

MacLennan, Hugh. 1907-90. Canadian writer of social + political conflict. Two Solitudes 1945. The Watch that Ends the Night 1959.

Madrid, Treaty. 1526. Charles V, Francis I truce in Italian Wars. 1670. Spain cedes Jamaica to Britain.

Magdeburg. 1631. German republic destroyed by Tilly in Thirty Years War.

Mahmud II. 1785-1839. Ottoman sultan 1808-. Lost Greece, Syria. Destroyed Janissaries.

Maia. Greek Pleiade. Mother of Hermes by Zeus.

Maillol, Aristide. 1861-1944. French sculptor of massive female nudes. La Mediterranée 1905.

Maimonides, Moses of Cordova. 1135-1204. Jewish philosopher. Mishneh Torah 1168. Guide for the Perplexed 1180.

Maine. 1898. US battleship destroyed at Havana. Excuse for Spanish American War.

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