Abyssinia-Italy War. 1894-6. Ended Italian colonialism.

Abyssinian War. 1935-6. Italy invades Ethiopia. League of Nations ineffective.

Académie Française. Assembly of 40 “immortals” founded 1635 by Richelieu to set literary standards, language.

Aetius, Flavius. -454. Roman general, defeated Attila at Catalonia, 451.

Afghanistan. c200BC Aryan. 6C BC Achaemenid. 330 Alexander...Seleucid/ Maurya. 2C BC Persia/ India/ Parthia/ Kushan. 7C Arab (NW). 750 Persia (W)/ Hindu (E). 1219 Mongol...Timurid. 1525 Mogul. 1737 Persia. 1747 Monarchy. 19 C Britain/Russia dispute 1880 British suzerainty. 1919 Independent. 1973 Marxist coup, Republic. 1978 Communist coup. 1979 Russian occupation. 1989 Mujahideen expel Russians aided by CIA. 1990s Warlords. 2001 US attack Taliban.

Alba Longa. Italian birthplace of Romulus and Remus. Oldest Latin city (1152BC).

Albania. Balkans. 3-5C Visigoth, Huns invade. 6-7C Bulgars, Serbs, Slavs invade.12-15C Bulgar, Norman, Angevin, Serb, Venice contest.15C Ottoman. 1912 Independent republic. 1928 Monarchy (Zog). 1939 Italy occupies. 1945 Communist (Hoxha). 1961 Left Warsaw Pact. 1991 Democratic Constitution.

Alberti, Leon. 1404-72. Italian Renaissance Man. Artist, poet, geographer, mathematician.

Alboin. -572. Germanic Lombard King. Allied Germanic tribes and conquered N Italy.

Alchemy. Magic art of Egyptian origin attempting to transmute metals, esp lead to gold. Based on belief that all metals are a pure base metal + impurities which the philosopher’s stone can remove.

All the Talents. 1806. English government under Grenville.

Alpini, Prospero. 1553-1616. Italian physician. Introduced coffee and bananas to Europe.

Alto Adige. German speaking Tyrol area of Italy 1919-. Granted semi-independence, 1971.

Amati. 16-17C. Italian family of violin makers-taught Stradivari.

Andersen, Hans Christian. 1805-75. Danish author of fairy tales: Little Mermaid 1832, Princess and the Pea, Ugly Duckling.

Anthony of Padua, St. 1195-1231. Franciscan teacher in S. France, Italy.

Antioch. 300BC Seleucus I founds. 64BC Rome. First reference to disciples as Christians c42. 540 Persia. 637 Moslem. 10-11C Syrian capital. 969 Byzantine. 1098 Crusader State. 1268 Egypt. 1517 Ottoman. 1920 Syria. 1939 Turkey.

Anzio, Battle. 1944. Allied landing site in Italy.

Apollinaire, Guillaume. 1880-1918. Italian/French avant-garde poet, coined term Surrealism to describe Chagall work.

Aragon. 2C BC Rome. 711 Moors. 1035 Independent kingdom. 1076 +Navarre. 1134 -Navarre. 1137 +Catalonia. 1238 +Valencia. 13C +Balearics, Murcia. 1479 +Castile =Spain. Ferdinand.

Arcadia, Academy of. 1690. 1925 =Italian Literary Academy. Originally known for poetic, pastoral style.

Arcadian. Venetian paintings with Greek gods in Italian dress.

Aretino, Pietro. 1492-1556. Italian satirical poet.

Argentina. Tehuelch, Querandi, Puelche, Inca. 1536 Spanish. 1776 Viceroyalty of La Plata. 1816 Independent United Province of La Plata. 1862 =Argentina. 1943 Peron. 1982 Falklands War. 2001 Economic collapse.

Ariosto, Ludovico. 1474-1533. Italian Renaissence poet, playwright: Orlando Furioso 1516.

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