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Franko, Ivan

(Encyclopedia)Franko, Ivan ēˈvän fränˈkō [key], 1856–1916, Ukrainian writer and nationalist. His realistic novels Boryslav Laughs (1881–82) and Boa Constrictor (1878, tr. 1961) portray the harsh existence...

Biron, Ernst Johann von

(Encyclopedia)Biron or Biren, Ernst Johann von ĕrnst yōhänˈ fən bēˈrôn, bēˈrən [key], 1690–1772, duke of Courland (1737–43, 1763–69), favorite of Czarina Anna of Russia. A Baltic nobleman, he rose ...

Mazepa, Ivan

(Encyclopedia)Mazepa, Ivan ēvänˈ məzyāˈpə [key], c.1640–1709, Cossack hetman [leader] in the Russian Ukraine. He was made hetman (1687) on the insistence of Prince Gallitzin, adviser to the Russian regent,...

Bunin, Ivan Alekseyevich

(Encyclopedia)Bunin, Ivan Alekseyevich bo͞oˈnĭn, Rus. ēvänˈ əlyĭksyāˈyəvĭch bo͞oˈnyĭn [key], 1870–1953, Russian writer. Born of a poor aristocratic family, he was encouraged in his literary precoci...

Pavlov, Ivan Petrovich

(Encyclopedia)Pavlov, Ivan Petrovich ēvänˈ pētrôˈvĭch pävˈləf [key], 1849–1936, Russian physiologist and experimental psychologist. He was professor at the military medical academy and director of the p...

Sophia Alekseyevna

(Encyclopedia)Sophia Alekseyevna sôˈfyə əlyĭksyāˈyəvnə [key], 1657–1704, regent of Russia (1682–89); daughter of Czar Alexis by his first wife and sister of Czar Feodor III. Supported by the streltsi (...

Ukrainian literature

(Encyclopedia)Ukrainian literature, literary writings in the Ukrainian language. Kievan Church Slavonic texts of the 11th cent. and W Ukrainian texts of the 13th cent. show Ukrainian linguistic features, which pred...

Kotelny Island

(Encyclopedia)Kotelny Island kōtĕlˈnē [key], largest island of the Anjou group of the New Siberian Islands, c.100 mi (160 km) long and c.60 mi (100 km) wide, off N Siberian Russia. The island was sighted in 177...

Bulgarin, Faddey Venediktovich

(Encyclopedia)Bulgarin, Faddey Venediktovich fədyāˈ vĭnyədyēkˈtəvĭch bo͝olgäˈrēn [key], 1789–1859, Russian journalist and novelist, b. Poland. Bulgarin's original name was Tadeusz Bulharyn. In 1825 h...

Elizabeth, czarina of Russia

(Encyclopedia)Elizabeth, 1709–62, czarina of Russia (1741–62), daughter of Peter I and Catherine I. She gained the throne by overthrowing the young czar, Ivan VI, and the regency of his mother, Anna Leopoldovna...
 

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