History & Biography
Storia, Storici E Biografie Varie · 3,273 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Walsh, Thomas
WALSH, THOMAS. - Bishop, b. in London in Oct. 1777, d. there on 18 Feb. 1849. Left fatherless at a tender age, his mother - who was a… -
Walsh, William Joseph
WALSH, WILLIAM JOSEPH. - Irish archbishop and primate, one of the principal advocates of the creation of a free Irish Republic, b. 30 Jan.… -
Ward, Mary
WARD, MARY. - Foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (v.), b. at Mulwith (England) on 23 Jan. 1585, d. at Hawart on 30 Jan.… -
Wars of Succession (GUERRE DI SUCCESIONE)
WARS OF SUCCESSION. - By the name of W. of S. are meant the three wars concerning Spain, Poland and Austria, which took place in the first… -
Wartenberg, Franz Wilhelm, Count of (WARTENBERG, FRANZ WILHELM, CONTE DI)
WARTENBERG, Franz Wilhelm, Count of. - Cardinal, b. 1 March 1593 in Munich, d. 1 Dec. 1661 in Regensburg. Son of Duke Ferdinand of Bavaria… -
Washington, George
WASHINGTON, GEORGE. - First president of the United States, b. at Bridges Creek (Virginia) on 22 Feb. 1732, d. at Mount Vernon (Virginia)… -
Waterworth, William
WATERWORTH, WILLIAM. - Jesuit, b. 22 June 1811 at St. Helen's (Lancashire), d. 17 March 1882 at Bournemouth. He studied at Stonyhurst… -
Watterich, Johann Baptist
WATTERICH, JOHANN BAPTIST. - Priest and historian, b. at Trier on 22 Dec. 1826, d. at Beuron on 10 Jan. 1904. After having been professor… -
Wattson, Lewis Thomas
WATTSON, LEWIS THOMAS. - Founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, b. at Millington (Maryland, U.S.A.) on 16 Jan. 1863, d. at… -
Weathers, William
WEATHERS, WILLIAM. - Bishop, b. November 12, 1814, d. at Isleworth on March 4, 1895. Converted to Catholicism after his father's death, he… -
Weil, Simone
WEIL, SIMONE. - Born in Paris in 1909, died in the sanatorium of Ashford in England in 1943, she is a singular figure of thinker and… -
Weiss, Johann Baptist
WEISS, JOHANN BAPTIST. - Priest, historian, b. at Ettenheim (Baden) on 17 June 1820, d. at Graz on 8 March 1899. From 1846 he was a… -
Weitling, Wilhelm Christian
WEITLING, WILHELM CHRISTIAN. - Propagandist, communist organizer, forerunner of communism in Germany, b. in Magdeburg on 8 Oct. 1807 and d.… -
Weizmann, Chaim (Hajjilm)
WEIZMANN, Chaim (Hajjilm). - Jewish politician, b. at Motol in the province of Minsk in 1874, d. on 9 Nov. 1952. He received his first… -
Wenceslaus IV, Emperor (VENCESLAO IV, IMPERATORE)
WENCESLAUS IV, EMPEROR. - King of Bohemia and of Germany, b. at Nuremberg on 26 Feb. 1361, d. at Prague on 9 Aug. 1419. Despite his young… -
Werminghoff, Albert
WERMINGHOFF, ALBERT. - Historian and jurist, b. 3 Aug. 1869 at Wiesbaden, d. 2 Feb. 1923 at Halle. A pupil of Scheffer-Boichorst in Berlin,… -
Wessenberg, Ignaz Heinrich von
WESSENBERG, Ignaz Heinrich von. - Enlightenment thinker and Febronian, b. in Dresden on 4 Nov. 1774, d. in Constance on 9 Aug. 1860.… -
Westenrieder, Lorenz von
WESTENRIEDER, LORENZ VON. - Priest and historian, b. in Munich on 1 Aug. 1748, d. there on 15 March 1829. Ordained a priest in 1771, he was… -
Westphalia, Peace of (WESTFALIA, PACE DI)
WESTPHALIA, PEACE OF. - A body of international treaties and internal provisions of the Kingdom of Germany (from this time generally called… -
White, Stephen
WHITE, STEPHEN. - Jesuit and historian, b. at Clonmel (Ireland) in 1573 (or 1574), d. at Galway in 1646. Having entered the Order in 1596,… -
Whitty, Robert
WHITTY, ROBERT. - Jesuit, b. at Pouldarrig on 7 Jan. 1817, d. on 1 Sept. 1895. A priest in 1840, he was one of the most active and zealous… -
Wick, Joseph Lorenz
WICK, JOSEPH LORENZ. - Priest, b. at Mellenthin (East Prussia) on 27 Aug. 1820, d. at Breslau on 9 Feb. 1903. Ordained a priest in 1845, he… -
William II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia (GUGLIELMO II, IMPERATORE DI GERMANIA E RE DI PRUSSIA)
WILLIAM II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. - B. Jan. 27, 1859 at Potsdam, d. June 4, 1941 at Doorn (Holland). Son of Frederick III… -
William II, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands (GUGLIELMO II, PRINCIPE D'ORANGE, CONTE DI NASSAU, STATOLDER DELLE PROVINCE UNITE DEI PAESI BASSI)
WILLIAM II, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, stadtholder of the United Provinces of the NETHERLANDS. - Son of Frederick Henry, b. at The… -
William II Rufus, King of England (GUGLIELMO II IL ROSSO (RUFUS), RE D'INGHILTERRA)
WILLIAM II RUFUS, KING OF ENGLAND. - Third son and successor of William the Conqueror, b. between 1056 and 1060, d. 2 Aug. 1100. In foreign… -
William I, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, known as the Silent (GUGLIELMO I, PRINCIPE DI ORANGE, CONTE DI NASSAU, DETTO IL TACITURNO)
WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, known as the Silent. - Born at Dillenburg (Nassau) on 24 April 1533, killed at Delft on 10… -
William IV of Orange-Nassau, Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands (GUGLIELMO IV D'ORANGE-NASSAU, STATOLDER DELLE PROVINCE UNITE DEI PAESI BASSI)
WILLIAM IV OF ORANGE-NASSAU, Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. - B. at Leeuwarden on 1 Sept. 1711, posthumous son of… -
William of Auvergne (GUGLIELMO D'ALVERNIA)
WILLIAM OF AUVERGNE. - Medieval theologian and philosopher, b. at Aurillac after 1180, d. at Paris in 1249. He was a master of theology in… -
William of Hothum (Hozum, Hendon) (GUGLIELMO DI HOTHUM (HOZUM, HENDON))
WILLIAM OF HOTHUM (HOZUM, HENDON). - Dominican theologian, d. at Dijon on 27 Aug. 1298. In 1269 he was lecturing on the Sentences of Peter… -
William of Malmesbury (GUGLIELMO DI MALMESBURY)
WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY. - Benedictine historian (secular name G. Somerset) of the abbey of Malmesbury in Wiltshire, where he was also… -
William of Moerbeke (GUGLIELMO DI MOERBEKE)
WILLIAM OF MOERBEKE. - Flemish Dominican, b. ca. 1215, d. 1286. His name is linked to the Latin translations of Aristotle and his… -
William of Newburgh (GUGLIELMO DI NEWBURGH)
WILLIAM OF NEWBURGH. - English ecclesiastic and chronicler, also called William parvus (little), b. in 1136 at Bridlington (county of York)… -
William of Saint-Amour (GUGLIELMO DI SAINT-AMOUR)
WILLIAM OF SAINT-AMOUR. - Philosopher and theologian, b. at the beginning of the 13th century, d. in 1271. He studied in Paris and in that… -
William of Tyre (GUGLIELMO DI TIRO)
WILLIAM OF TYRE. - He probably belonged to an Italian family, perhaps Roman, but he was born in Jerusalem around 1130-35. He completed his… -
William of Ware (GUGLIELMO DI WARE)
WILLIAM OF WARE. - English Franciscan, perhaps teacher of Duns Scotus, d. around 1300. He was probably a bachelor in theology at Oxford and… -
William V the Pious, Duke of Bavaria (GUGLIELMO V IL PIO, DUCA DI BAVIERA)
WILLIAM V THE PIOUS, Duke of Bavaria. - B. Sept. 29, 1548, to Albert V of Wittelsbach and Anna of Austria, d. at Schleissheim on Feb. 7,… -
Wilmers, Wilhelm
WILMERS, WILHELM. - Jesuit, theologian, b. at Boke (Westphalia) on 30 June 1817, d. at Roermond (Holland) on 9 May 1889. Having entered the… -
Wilson, Woodrow
WILSON, WOODROW. - President of the United States of America, b. 28 Dec. 1856 at Staunton (Virginia), d. 3 Feb. 1924 at Washington. The son… -
Windischmann, Friedrich
WINDISCHMANN, FRIEDRICH. - Sanskritist, b. 13 Dec. 1811 at Aschaffenburg, d. 23 Aug. 1861 at Munich. Son of the philosopher and physician… -
Wissowa, Georg
WISSOWA, GEORG. - Classical philologist, b. in Breslau on 11 June 1859, d. in Halle on 13 May 1931. In 1882 he was a Privatdozent in… -
Wittelsbach, Family (WITTELSBACH, FAMIGLIA)
WITTELSBACH, FAMILY. - A noble German house descended from Margrave Luitpold, a relative of Emperor Arnulf, which is recorded as holding… -
Wittmann, Patritius (WITTMANN, PATRIZIUS)
WITTMANN, PATRITIUS. - Journalist, b. in Ellwangen (Württemberg) on 4 January 1818, d. in Munich on 3 October 1883. He began his… -
Wolff, George Dering
WOLFF, GEORGE DERING. - Journalist, b. at Martinsburg (West Virginia) on 25 Aug. 1822, d. at Norristown (Pennsylvania) on 29 Jan. 1894.… -
Wolsey, Thomas
WOLSEY, THOMAS. - English cardinal and politician, b. at Ipswich probably in 1472-73, died in Leicester Abbey on 29 Nov. 1530. He studied… -
Wolter, Maurus (Rudolf)
WOLTER, MAURUS (RUDOLF). - Benedictine abbot, b. June 4, 1825 in Bonn, d. July 8, 1890 in Beuron. A priest in 1850, he was first director… -
World War I (GUERRA MONDIALE, I)
WORLD WAR I. - The formal cause of the outbreak of World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Habsburg… -
World War II (GUERRA MONDIALE, II)
WORLD WAR II - On Sept. 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland: this is the start date of the Second World War. France and England immediately… -
Wouters, G. Henry
WOUTERS, G. HENRY. - Historian, b. at Oostham (Belgian Limburg) on 3 May 1802, d. at Nijmegen on 5 Jan. 1872. At the age of twenty-seven he… -
Wüllenweber, Maria Theresia von (WULLENWEBER, MARIA THERESIA VON)
WÜLLENWEBER, Maria Theresia von. - In religion Maria degli Apostoli, co-foundress of the Sisters of the Divine Savior, b. at Myllendonk… -
Wundt, Wilhelm
WUNDT, WILHELM. - B. on Aug. 16, 1832 at Neckarau near Mannheim and d. on Aug. 31, 1920 at Leipzig. He is considered the founder of modern… -
Xavierre, Girolamo
XAVIERRE, GIROLAMO. - Master General of the Friars Preachers, cardinal, b. around 1546 at Saragossa, d. 2 September 1608 at Valladolid,… -
Xerxes I (Persian Hašajāria; Heb. Ahašavēros; Greek Ξέρξης) (SERSE I (PERSIANO HAŠAJĀRIA; EBR. AHAŠAVĒRŌS; GRECO ΞΈΡΘΗΣ))
XERXES I (Persian Hašajāria; Heb. Ahašavēros; Greek Ξέρξης). - King of the Achaemenid dynasty (v.), son of Darius I and father of… -
Ximenes De Rada, Rodrigo
XIMENES DE RADA, RODRIGO. - Cistercian, archbishop of Toledo, b. at Puente la Reina (Navarre) in 1170, d. at Toledo on 10 June 1247. After… -
Ximenes (Jiménez) de Cisneros, Francisco
XIMENES (Jiménez) de Cisneros, Francisco. - Born at Torrelaguna (Madrid) in 1436, died at Roa on 8 November 1517. After taking his degree… -
Yanychev, Ioann Leont'evich (JANYŠEV, IOANN LEONT'EVIĆ)
YANYCHEV, IOANN LEONT'EVICH. - Well-known Russian liberal theologian and moralist, b. 14 April 1826, d. 13 June 1910. Rector of the… -
Yazdegerd I, Persian Emperor (IEZDEGERD I, IMPERATORE PERSIANO)
YAZDEGERD I, PERSIAN EMPEROR. - Of the Sasanian dynasty, he became emperor in 399 and died in 420. It was I. - a kind of Constantine in… -
Yazidi (JAZĪDI)
YAZIDI. - Name of populations of Kurdish race and language, professing a religion of their own. Their overall number, progressively… -
Zaccaria, Francesco Antonio
ZACCARIA, FRANCESCO ANTONIO. - Originally, according to some, Zaccheria, a distinguished scholar and historian, b. in Venice on 27 March… -
Zaguri, Marco
ZAGURI, MARCO. - Bishop b. in Venice in 1738, d. in Vicenza on 12 Sept. 1810. After completing his studies in Bologna and Padua, he was… -
Zambianchi, Callimaco
ZAMBIANCHI, CALLIMACO. - Agitator and guerrilla fighter, b. 30 Dec. 1811 in Forlì, d. in 1860 in sight of Buenos Aires. Of a violent and… -
Zamet, Sébastien
ZAMET, SÉBASTIEN. - Bishop, b. in Paris in 1588 to the financier Sebastiano, d. at Mussy on 2 February 1655. Chaplain to Queen Marie de'… -
Zamometić, Andrea (ZAMOMETIC, ANDREA)
ZAMOMETIĆ, ANDREA. - Dominican bishop, of Slavic origin, b. in 1420, d. at Basel on 12 Nov. 1484. Entered young into the Dominicans at… -
Zamoyski, Jan
ZAMOYSKI, JAN. - Polish nobleman, b. in 1542, d. in 1605. He received a thorough intellectual formation at Padua, where in the year 1563 he… -
Zängerle, Roman Sebastian
ZÄNGERLE, ROMAN SEBASTIAN. - Bishop, b. at Oberkirchberg near Ulm (Württemberg) on 20 Jan. 1771, d. at Graz on 27 Apr. 1848. A Benedictine… -
Zápolya, John, King of Hungary (GIOVANNI ZAPOLYA, RE D'UNGHERIA)
ZÁPOLYA, John, King of Hungary. - Son of the palatine count Stephen Zapolya, b. in 1487. Family traditions and the great power of his… -
Zappi, Giovanni Battista
ZAPPI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - General, b. at Imola of a family of marquises on 2 June 1816, d. in Florence on 28 Dec. 1885. He had served… -
Zeno, Emperor of the East (ZENONE, IMPERATORE D'ORIENTE)
ZENO, EMPEROR OF THE EAST. - Born in Isauria around 426, died in Constantinople on 9 April 491. His name was Taracosidissa, and at the… -
Zeuss, Johann Kaspar
ZEUSS, JOHANN KASPAR. - Historian and philologist, b. at Vogtendorf (Franconia) on 22 July 1806, d. there on 10 Nov. 1856. After completing… -
Žižka, Jan Z Trocnova (ŽIŠKA, JAN Z TROCNOVA)
ŽIŽKA, JAN Z TROCNOVA. - First leader of the Hussites, b. ca. 1353-58 at Trocnov (southern Bohemia), d. of plague on 11 Oct. 1424 during… -
Zuccchi, Carlo (ZUCCHI, CARLO)
ZUCCCHI, CARLO. - General, b. 10 March 1777 at Reggio Emilia, d. there 31 Dec. 1863. As a youth he left his studies to fight alongside the… -
Zucchini, Gaetano
ZUCCHINI, GAETANO. - Politician, b. in Bologna on 6 Aug. 1806, d. there on 1 March 1882. Having distinguished himself through numerous… -
Zurich, Treaties of (ZURIGO, TRATTATI DI)
ZURICH, TREATIES OF. - On July 11, 1859, meeting at Villafranca, Napoleon III and Francis Joseph agreed on the cessation of the war that… -
Zurita y Castro, Jerónimo
ZURITA Y CASTRO, JERÓNIMO. - Aragonese historian, b. in Saragossa in 1512, d. there in 1580. He studied in Salamanca and in 1548 was…