Airy, George Biddell. 1801-92. English astronomer: Greenwich Observatory.

Aix-la-Chapelle, Treaty. 1668. Ended War of Devolution between France, Spain. 1748. Ended War of Austrian Succession. Hapsburgs weakened, Prussian power recognized.

Ajax. Greek hero of Trojan Wars.

Alabama Claims. 1872. US claim damages caused by British built warships in Civil War. $15M=£3.25M awarded by arbitration.

Alamein, El, Battles of. 1942. Montgomery defeats Rommel, saving Egypt from Germans.

Alamo. 1836. 200 Texan rebels die in siege vs Mexican Santa Anna. Crockett. Bowie.

Åland Islands. Swedish- 1809 Russian. 1917 Finland. 1920 autonomous/Finnish.

Alaric I. c370-410. Visigoth chief who sacked Rome, 410.

Alaric II. -507. King of Visigoths 484-, beaten by Clovis, 507. Law code 506 for Roman subjects.

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.

Albee, Edward. 1928-. US playwright. Pulitzer-Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1962.

Albert I. 1875-1932. King of Belgians, 1909. Led army WWI. Introduced universal male suffrage.

Albertus Magnus, St. c1200-80. Swabian Dominican philosopher influenced Aquinas: independent observation of nature. Alchemist.

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.

Alcibiades. c450-404BC. Athenian egoist general, Peloponnesian War. Murdered.

Alcock, John. 1892-1919. First non-stop transatlantic flight, 1919, with Brown.

Alcott, Louisa May. 1832-88. US novelist: Little Women 1869.

Aldrich, Henry. 1647-1710. English composer/architect: Peckwater Quad, Oxford, 1707-14.

Alemanni. 3-6C. Confederation of Germanic tribes in Swabia defeated by Clovis, 496.

Alexander II. 1818-81. Russian Czar 1855-. Emancipated serfs, 1861. Established elected assemblies, Zemstvo, settled Crimean War. Assassinated by Narodniki.

Alexander VI. Pope. Demarcation Bull 1493 divided newly discovered land between Spain, Portugal. Tordesillas.

Alexandra, Feodorovna. 1872-1918. Wife of Nicholas II of Russia. Controlled Gov’t during WWI. Cause of Revolution. Executed. Rasputin.

Alexandria. Founded 332BC by Alexander the Great. Centre of Hellenistic culture. Lighthouse one of Seven Wonders. 284BC Great Library of 700,000+ volumes. Fires 47BC, 391.

Alexis. 1629-76. Russian czar 1645-. Recognized serfdom. Northern War. Peasant Revolt 1667-71.

Alfonso X (the Wise). 1221-84. King of León and Castile. Codified laws, first history of Spain.

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