Solvay, Ernst. 1838-1922. Belgian chemist and philanthropist.

Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. 1918-2008. Russian novelist. Expelled 1974. Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich 1962. Gulag Archipelago 1973.

Somerset. 2nd duke. c1406-1455. English general. Lost English territory in France. Quarrel with Duke of York led to War of Roses.

Somme, Battle of the. WWI. 1916. Allied victory with 1M casualties, minor gain. First use of tank. 1918. German victory.

Sonderbund. 1845-7. League of Catholic Swiss cantons defeated in civil war.

Sophocles. c495-406BC. Greek tragic poet. Introduced third actor to tragedy. Antigone 442. Oedipus Rex 427.

Sothic Cycle. -238BC. 1460 year Egyptian 365 day calendar cycle.

Soufflot, Germain. 1713-80. Protégé of Marigny. Architect of the Panthéon c1757-90.

South Africa. 1910 Britain unites possessions: Cape of Good Hope + Natal + Orange Free State + Transvaal = Union of South Africa. Constitution included white supremacy. 1920 +German South-West Africa by mandate. 1948 Apartheid. 1961 = Republic of South Africa; left Commonwealth. 1990 -Namibia 1994 ANC gains power.

South Sea Bubble. 1711-20. England sold trade monopolies to reduce National Debt. Their resale at speculative prices led to financial ruin for thousands. George I implicated. Walpole.

South West Africa. German South-West Africa. Namibia.

Southampton. 4th earl. 1606-67. Royalist adviser, treasurer 1660-7.

Sovereign. 1503-1917. English coin worth 22s6d, later 10s, 11s, £1.

Soweto. 1976 Violent riots in Black South Africa township over compulsory Afrikaans in schools. 236-600 dead.

Spain. c3000BC Iberians. c11C BC Phoenicians. c10C Celts. 6C Basques. c5C Carthage. 3C BC Rome. 5C Vandals, Visigoths. 711 Moslems. 801 Charlemagne. 10C independent kingdoms of Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre. 1031-1492 Reconquista. 1143 Portugal independent. 1479 Aragon, Castile unite. 1492 Moors final defeat. 1512 + Navarre =Spain. 1808 Napoleon. 1898 -Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico. Spanish American War. 1931 Republic. 1936 Civil War. 1939 Franco. 1975 Parliamentary Monarchy. ETA. New Spain.

Spallanzani, Lazzaro. 1729-99. Ended the belief in spontaneous generation of life. Artificial insemination 1780.

Spance, Basil. 1907-76. British architect. New Coventry Cathedral 1951.

Spanish American War. 1898. US supports Cuban rebellion vs Spain. Gains Cuba, Guam, Philippines for $20M, Puerto Rico. Roosevelt. Maine.

Spanish Armada. 1588. English support Dutch Revolt. Philip II sends 129 ships against England. Howard, Drake, Hawkins, with 197 ships, chase the armada from English Channel, thanks to a NW gale. Spain declines as naval power. Wars of Religion.

Spanish Civil War. 1936-9. Germany and Italy aid Fascist Franco’s revolt against the Republic, which surrenders after 1M die. International Brigades. A cause of WWII. Guernica.

Spanish Main. 16C. Buccaneer haven. North coast of South America.

Spanish March. 801. Charlemagne in northeast Spain.

Spanish Netherlands. 1581-1714. = Belgium, Luxembourg.

Spanish Revolt. 1868-9.Military overthrows Isabella. Prim y Prats.

Spanish Succession, War. 1701-14. Britain, Holy Roman Empire, Netherlands vs Spain, France. Opposed French Philip V succession to Spanish throne creating power imbalance. Queen Anne’s War.

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