Buddhism. c528BC. Widely practised in Asia. Nirvana is achieved by following the 8-fold path and 4 Noble Truths. 1C BC Mahayana Sutras. 6C reaches Japan. 12C Zen Buddhism widely practiced in Japan.

Bulge, Battle. 1945. Last German offensive on the Western Front at Ardennes. WWII.

Bull, John. 1562-1628. English early keyboard composer. Often credited with God Save the Queen.

Bull Moose. 1912-16. Liberal Republicans for Roosevelt in first US Progressive Party.

Burbage, James. 1531-97. Built first English theatre 1576. Later rebuilt as Globe.

Burckhardt, Jacob. 1818-97. Swiss cultural historian. Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy 1860.

Burgundians. French political faction. Fought Armagnacs during 100 Years War. Allied with England, 1420. Treaty of Arras 1435 with Charles VII.

Burning of the Books. 213BC. Chinese censorship. To erase all history before reign of Shih Huang-ti.

Burns, Robert. 1759-96. Scottish national poet: Auld Lang Syne, Comin’ Through the Rye. Kilmarnock Edition 1786.

Cadmus. Mythical founder of Thebes. Introduced alphabet to Greeks. Europa’s brother.

Cage, John. 1912-92. Father of US avant-garde musical movement. Experiments with randomness and new sounds.

Cahenslyism. 19C European Roman Catholics in US press Pope for pastors and parishes of their nationality.

Calais. British siege 1346. Six burghers offer their lives to save town. Britain controls -1558.

Callicrates. Greek. An architect of Parthenon.

Calliope. The Greek Muse of epic poetry.

Calvin, John. 1509-64. Reformist in Switzerland and France. Predestination, truth by faith. Institutes of Christian Religion 1536, used by others to justify Protestantism. Calvinism.

Cambridge Platonists. 17C. Tried to synthesize Plato and Christianity. Christian Humanists.

Camel, Battle of the. 656. Basra. Ali victory in first Moslem Civil War.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. CND. 1958- Founded by Russell. Aldermaston Marches. The peace symbol, overlaid semaphore ND, was designed for the CND.

Campanella, Tommaso. 1568-1639. Italian monk, philosopher. City of the Sun 1602 parallels Plato’s Republic.

Canterbury Cathedral. 1070-89. First double transept.

Cape of Good Hope. Bantu. 1652 Dutch. 1814 British Cape Colony. 1910 Province, South Africa.

Capital Punishment. Abolished: 1863 Venezuela; 1870 Netherlands; 1877 Costa Rica; 1949 Germany; 1965 Britain; 1969 Vatican City; 1972 US (reinstated 1976); 1976 Canada; 1981 France; (96 countries). Retained: Iran, Iraq, N Korea, USA (95 countries).

Caravaggist School of Painting. Themes of courtesan, cheaters. e.g. George de la Tour.

Cardigan, James Brudenell, Earl of. 1797-1868. British General. Led Charge of the Light Brigade. Tennyson. Crimean War.

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