U Thant. 1909-74. Burmese United Nations Secretary General 1961-7.

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

Valdemar IV. Atterdag. 1320-75. Danish king 1340-. Re-united Denmark. Opposed Hanseatic League. Sold Estonia to Teutonic Knights.

Victor-Emmanuel II. 1820-78. First king of united Italy, 1861-. Peace of Milan, 1848. Cavour.

Victoria. 1819-1901. Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, 1837-. Empress of India 1876-. Colonial expansion. Strict moralist. Lost Hanover Crown by Salic Law.

Wales. Celts. 55BC Rome. 7C +England. 8C Divided. 9C Re-united. 11C Norman. 1284 English suzerainty. 1536 Union with England.

World Bank. 1944. United Nations agency established at Bretton Woods.

World War II. 1939-45. Allies-Britain, France, US(1941-), Russia(1941-) vs Axis-Italy, Germany, Japan, Russia(-1941). Caused by German Totalitarian expansionism resulting from WWI reparations and fear of Communism. 55M dead. 35M wounded. 30M refugees. Cost $US 1500B. Led to United Nations, Soviet power, State of Israel, atomic weapons.

Abd el-Kader. 1808-83. Arab emir who fought French 1840-46; founded Algerian state.

Abraham. c2000BC. Old Testament father of Jewish, Arab peoples. Sarah. Hagar.Ishmael.

Adelard of Bath. 1090-c1150. English mathematician/translator introduced Arabic numerals.

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.

Allah. Arabic word for God; name of Islam’s God.

Apollonius of Perga. c262-190BC. Greek mathematician: named conic sections: ellipse, hyperbola, parabola.

Arab-Israeli Wars. 1948-9. Palestinians flee to Arab countries. 1956. Israel captures Sinai, UN takes over. 1967. Six Day War. Israel defeats Egypt, Syria, Jordan, gains Jerusalem, Sinai, Golan,... 1973. Egypt, Syria attack = October War.

Arab League. 1945. Non-aggression and cooperation treaty of Arab states. Collective Treaty of Defence, 1950, to defend against Israeli aggression.

Arabesque. Style characterized by entwined vines, leaves.

Arafat, Yasir. 1929-2004. Arab Fatah PLO leader. President of Palestinian Authority 1996-.

Averroës, Ibn Rushd. 1126-98. Arab philosopher: eternity of creation, universal shared consciousness.

Avicenna, Ali ibn-Sina. 980-1037. Arab physician, philosopher: Canon of Medicine.

Azerbaijan. 1828 Persia/Russia. 1918 Independent. 1922 USSR. 1936 Azerbaijan SSR. 1991 Independent. 1992-4 Karabakh War. CIS.

Ba’ath. 1943-. Pan-Arab Socialist unity party.

Bab. 1819-50. Arab founder of Babism, 1844.

Barabbas. Thief freed by crowd instead of Jesus.

Basil I. 813-886. Byzantine Emperor, 867-. Defeated Arabs. New Golden Age. Founded Macedonian dynasty.

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