Dacoit
Daimios
Dakait
Dame Ellen Terry
Damocles
Danebrog
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Webster
Dankali
Dankalil
Dante Rossetti
Darius
Dauphin
David Cox
David Garrick
David Hume
David I
David II
David Lawrence
David Roberts
Dayak
De Witt Clinton
Dean
Deborah Harry
Decemvirs
Deemster
Defender of the Faith
Del Credere Agent
Delaware Indians
Dene
Denis Diderot
Desiderius Erasmus
Dhuleep Singh
Di Buoninsegna Duccio
Dick Turpin
Diego Rivera
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez
Diggers
Dingaan
Dinka
Diocletian
Diodorus Siculus
Diogenes
Dion Boucicault
Dion Cassius
Dionysius
Diplomat
Dmitri Mendeleyev
Dmitri Shostakovich
Doge
Domenico Cimarosa
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Scarlatti
Domenico Theotocopouli
Donald Bane
Donald I
Donald II
Donald Maclean
Donatello
Dost Mohammed Khan
Douglas Freshfield
Douglas MacArthur
Druid
Duff
Duke
Duke of Marlborough
Duncan I
Duncan II
Dunstan
Dwight Eisenhower
Dylan Thomas
Eadweard Muybridge
Eamon De Valera
Earl
Earl Godwin
Earl Marshal
Earl of Leicester
Earl of Orford
Ebenezer Elliott
Edgar
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Degas
Edgar Wallace
Edith Cavell
Edmond Rostand
Edmund
Edmund Cartwright
Edmund Kean
Edmund Spenser
Edouard Manet
Edouard Rod
Edred
Edvard Munch
Edward Acheson
Edward Clodd
Edward Cummings
Edward Eyre
Edward Fitzgerald
Edward Forster
Edward Gibbon
Edward Grey
Edward Grieg
Edward Halifax
Edward I
Edward II
Edward III
Edward IV
Edward James Muggeridge
Edward Law
Edward Lear
Edward Lytton
Edward Palmer
Edward the confessor
Edward the Elder
Edward the martyr
Edward V
Edward VI
Edward VII
Edward VIII
Edwin Muir
Edwy
Egyptian
El Grecco
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Castile
The Dacoits were Burmese guerrillas who fled to the hills and jungle after the overthrow of Burma in 1886, and waged a desultory campaign against the British for several years.
The Daimios were a class of feudal Lords in Japan. In 1871 they were deprived of their privileges and jurisdiction and made official governors for the state in districts they had previously held as feudal rulers.
Dakait is a Hindustani word for a robber.
Dame Ellen Terry was a British actress. She was born in 1848 and died in 1928. She first appeared in London at the age of 8 in 'A Winter's Tale'.
Damocles was a sycophant of the court of Dionysius. He continually flattered the monarch, calling him the happiest man in the world. In order to show him the cares of a sovereign, Dionysius caused him to sit upon a throne at a feast of unparalleled splendour. Damocles gazed in delight on the scene until, looking up he saw a sword hanging point-downwards directly over his head, suspended by only a hair. This symbol convinced him of the dangers of kingship.
Danebrog were an order of Danish knights instituted in 1219, and revived in 1693.
Daniel Defoe was an English political writer. He was born in 1660, dying in 1731. He is perhaps most famous for writing the novel Robinson Crusoe. He was imprisoned for writing the work the shortest way with dissenters.
Daniel Webster was an American politician and lawyer. He was born in 1782 and died in 1852.
see "Dankalil"
The Dankalil (singular Dankali) are (were?) a number of tribes that inhabited East Africa near the Red Sea. They were generally fishermen or cattle rearers and practised Islam.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English painter and poet. He was born at London in 1828 and died in 1882.
Darius was the name of three Persian kings. Darius the Great reigned from 521 BC until 486 BC. He was defeated by the Greeks at Marathon.
From 1370 until 1830, Dauphin was the title of the eldest son of the King of France.
David Cox was an English landscape painter. He was born in 1783, dying in 1859.
David Garrick was an English actor. He was born in 1717 at Hereford and died in 1779.
David Hume was a British philosopher. He was born in 1711 at Edinburgh and died in 1776.
David I was King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153.
David II was King of Scotland from 1329 to 1371.
David Herbert Lawrence was an English poet and novelist. He was born in 1885 at Nottinghamshire and died in 1930. Thomas Edward Lawrence was a British soldier and author. He was born in 1888 near Snowdon and died in 1935. He was known as "Lawrence of Arabia" for his exploits encouraging the Arabs to fight against the Turks during the Great War.
David Roberts was a Scottish landscape and architectural painter. He was born in 1796 and died in 1864. John Roberts was an English billiard player. He was born in 1847 and died in 1919. He first won the world championship in 1875. He was one of the greatest billiard players of the time, setting a record of a break of 597 in 1900 with bonzoline balls. He stopped competing after the rules were changed in 1898.
The Dayak are aboriginal people of Indonesian Borneo and Sarawak.
De Witt Clinton was an American politician. He was born in 1769 and died in 1828. He was three times Mayor of New York and inaugurated the "spoils system" in New York. He worked for the completion of the Erie Canal scheme, the extension of education and the abolition of slavery and of imprisonment for debt.
A Dean is the head of a Cathedral Chapter in the Church of England. He is responsible for the upkeep of the fabric, for the services, and generally for the management of business connected with the cathedral.
Deborah (Debbie) Harry was lead singer with the 70's punk band Blondie. An ex-prostitute she excited young male audiences with her silky voice and short skirts.
The Decemvirs were the 10 magistrates who had absolute authority in Ancient Rome.
A Deemster is a Judge in the Isle of Man, who, without process or any charge to the parties, decides controversies in the island.
Defender of the Faith was a title bestowed upon Henry VIII by Pope Leo X in 1521 as a reward for Henry's treatise against Luther. He was deprived of it by Paul III on his breach with the Papacy, but re-awarded the title by Parliament in 1544 and since then it has been adopted by all English monarchs.
A Del Credere Agent is an agent for the sale of goods who guarantees, for an additional commission, that the purchaser is solvent and will perform his contract.
The Delaware Indians were a North American tribe of Indians of the Algonquin family. They were so called Delaware because they lived on the Delaware river, although they called themselves Lenni Lenape.
The Dene are a North American Indian tribe found in the Northwest Territories, Canada.
Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, novelist, playwright and critic. He was born in 1713 and died in 1784.
Desiderius Erasmus was a Dutch scholar. He was born in 1466 at Rotterdam and died in 1536. He wrote much about the Greek and Latin classics.
Dhuleep Singh was a Maharajah of Lahore who led his Sikh forces in several attacks against the British. He was born in 1837 and died in 1893.
Di Buoninsegna Duccio was an Italian painter. He was born in 1255 and died in 1319. He founded the Sienese school.
Richard (Dick) Turpin was a notorious English highwayman. he was born in 1706 and died in 1739 when he was hanged.
Diego Rivera was a Mexican painter. He was born in 1886 at Guanajuato and died in 1957.
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez was Spain's most celebrated painter. He was born in 1599 at Seville and died in 1660.
The diggers were a pacifist and radical sect of 17th century England.
Dingaan was King of the Zulus. he granted the Boers, led by Pieter Retief, permission to enter Natal, but later massacred the whole community in 1838.
The Dinka are a branch of the Nilotes, race of mixed Negro and Hamitic blood, inhabiting part of the Sudan. They are exceptionally tall, often reaching 7 ft, athletic and very proud.
Diocletian was a Roman Emperor. He was born in 243 and died in 313. He was proclaimed Emperor by the troops at Chalcedon in 284.
Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian of the 1st century BC. He documented Greek history from its mythical beginnings to the Gallic War.
Diogenes was a Greek philosopher. He was born in 412 BC and died in 323 BC.
Dion Boucicault was an Irish author and actor. He was born in 1822 at Dublin and died in 1890.
Dion Cassius was a Roman historian and administrator. He was born in 155 at Nicaea and died in 230. He wrote a history of Rome from the earliest times to the first century empire in a book entitled Romaika.
Dionysius was a tyrant of Syracuse. He was born around 430 BC and died around 367 BC. He gained control of the city during the war with Carthage, in 405 BC and extended his power by defeating the Carthaginians in 397 BC. His successful campaign against Rhegium and other Greek cities in Italy between 391 BC and 386 BC further extended his power, but he was defeated by the Carthaginians soon after. Dionysius raised Syracuse to the position of a leading city and was a patron of literature.
A Diplomat is a person sent to a foreign country as one of the representatives of his country. Traditionally diplomats have spied on their host country.
Dmitri Ivanovitch Mendeleyev was a Russian scientist. He was born in 1834 at Tobolsk and died in 1907. He discovered that characteristic properties of chemical elements recur in regular cycles in a table starting with the element of lowest atomic weight and progressing consecutively in order of weight.
Dmitri Shostakovich is a Russian composer. He was born in 1906 at Leningrad. He wrote his 7th symphony in Leningrad whilst helping with the defence of the city against the Germans during the Second World War.
Doge was the title formerly given to the chief magistrate in the republics of Venice and Genoa.
Domenico Cimarosa was one of the earlier Italian operatic composers. He was born in 1749 and died in 1801 at Venice.
Domenico Ghirlandaio was a Florentine sculptor. He was born in 1449 and died in 1494.
Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer. He was born in 1685 at Naples and died in 1757.
see "El Grecco"
Donald Bane was King of Scotland during 1093.
Donald was King of Scotland from 860 to 863.
Donald II was King of Scotland from 878 to 889.
Donald Maclean was a British diplomat. He defected to the Russians with Guy Burgess in 1951.
Donatello was an Italian opera composer. He was born in 1797 and died in 1848.
Dost Mohammed Khan was amir of Afghanistan. He was born in 1793 and died in 1863. He established himself as amir in 1834, but his alliance with Russia led to the invasion of his territory by British troops in 1839.
Douglas William Freshfield was an English explorer and mountaineer. He was born in 1845. He was the first person to climb mount Kazbek.
Douglas MacArthur was an American general. He was born in 1880, dying in 1964. He defended the Philippines against the Japanese during the second world war. In 1951 he was relieved of command during the Korean war.
The druids were ancient Celtic priests. Their group still exists today in secret, despite the existence of charlatan groups claiming to be druids.
Duff was King of Scotland from 962 to 967.
Duke is the highest title in English peerage. It was a European title before its introduction into England in the 14th century.
John Churchill (Duke of Marlborough) was an English soldier. He was born in 1650 at Musbury and died in 1722. He commanded the British and Dutch forces against France in 1702.
Duncan I was King of Scotland from 1034 to 1040.
Duncan II was King of Scotland during 1093.
Archbishop Dunstan was advisor to King Edgar of England.
Dwight David Eisenhower was an American President and military leader. He was born in 1890 at Texas and died in 1969.
Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet. he was born in 1914 in Swansea and died in 1953. He wrote Under Milk Wood.
Eadweard Muybridge (born Edward James Muggeridge) was a British photographer of animal locomotion. His photographs proved for the first time that when a horse trots there are times when all its feet are off the ground. He was born in 1830 and died in 1904.
Eamon De Valera is an Irish national leader. He commanded an insurgent battalion during the uprising of Easter 1916. He established the independent state of Eire in 1937.
Earl is a British title of nobility, corresponding with the Continental title of count. In order of precedence earls come third after dukes and marquesses. An earl's wife is a countess.
Earl Godwin was Earl of the west Saxons. He died in 1053.
Earl Marshal is one of the chief British officers of State. The earl marshal is head of the Herald's College, and controls the ceremonial arrangements for coronations, royal marriages, the opening of Parliament and other State occasions. In feudal times he was judge at the Courts of Chivalry.
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was an Elizabethan courtier and English soldier. He was born in 1532 and died in 1588.
Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford was one of Britain's greatest statesmen. He was born in 1676 in Norfolk and died in 1745. He was a Whig politician who sought to bring the court and the House of Commons into working alliance.
Ebenezer Elliott was an English poet and Chartist agitator. He was born in 1781 and died in 1849. He was known for his Corn-Law Rhymes.
Edgar was King of England from 959 to 975. Edgar was King of Scotland from 1097 to 1107.
Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer. He was born in 1809 at Boston and died in 1849. He wrote a number of horror and crime novels.
Edgar Degas was a French painter. He was born in 1834 at Paris and died in 1917.
Edgar Wallace was a British novelist. He was born in 1875 and died in 1932.
Edith Louisa Cavell was an English nurse who helped allied soldiers to escape from occupied territory during the Great War. She was caught and shot by the Germans. She was born in 1865 in Norfolk and died in 1915.
Edmond Rostand was a French poet and dramatist. He was born in 1868 and died in 1918.
Edmund (the Elder) succeeded Athelstan as King of England from 940 to 946. Edmund (ironside) was a son of Ethelred and King of England in 1016.
Edmund Cartwright was an English cleric and inventor. He was born in 1743 at Marnham and died in 1823. He invented a mechanical weaving machine.
Edmund Kean was an English actor. He was born in 1789 at London and died in 1833.
Edmund Spenser was an English poet. He was born in 1552 in London and died in 1599.
Edouard Manet was a French painter. He was born in 1832 at Paris and died in 1883.
Edouard Rod was a Swiss psychological novelist. He was born in 1857 and died in 1910.
Edred succeeded Edmund as King of England from 946 to 955.
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian painter. He was born in 1863 and died in 1944.
Edward Goodrich Acheson was an American Inventor. He was born in 1856, dying in 1931. He invented carborundrum and artificially prepared graphite.
Edward Clodd was an English banker, anthropologist and agnostic. He was born in 1840 and died in 1930. He was the author of "The story of creation" published in 1888 and many other works.
Edward Estlin Cummings was an American writer and painter. He was born in 1894 and died in 1962.
Edward John Eyre was a British colonial governor. He was born in 1815 and died in 1901. He explored the north part of the newly colonised South Australia and his report resulted in the opening up of the land route between Adelaide and Western Australia. Lake Eyre in South Australia was named after him. He was Governor of St. Vincent from 1854 to 1860 and was made Governor of Jamaica in 1864. He vigorously suppressed a negro revolt in Jamaica in 1845 and was as a result suspended and retired.
Edward Fitzgerald was an Irish soldier and patriot. He was born in 1763 and died in 1798. He served in America and explored part of Canada in 1789. He was arrested for conspiring with the French for a Dublin uprising and following being wounded during his arrest died in Newgate prison.
Edward Morgan Forster was an English novelist. He was born in 1879 and died in 1970. He wrote Howard's End and A Passage To India.
Edward Gibbon was an English writer. He was born in 1737 at Putney and died in 1794. He wrote the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Edward Grey was a British statesman. He was born in 1862 and died in 1933. He was Foreign Secretary in 1905.
Edward Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer. He was born in 1843 at Bergen and died in 1907.
Edward Halifax was a British statesman. He was born in 1881 and died in 1959. He was British Ambassador to the USA from 1940 until 1944.
Edward I was King of England from 1272 to 1307.
Edward II was King of England from 1307 to 1327.
Edward III was son of Edward II and King of England from 1327 to 1377.
Edward IV was King of England from 1461 to 1483.
see "Eadweard Muybridge"
Edward Law was an English politician, and the Earl of Ellenborough. He was born in 1790 and died in 1871. In 1841 he became Governor General of India but was recalled in 1844 by the East India Company.
Edward Lear was an English painter and writer of verse. He was born in 1812 at London and died in 1888. He taught drawing to Queen Victoria, but he is remembered for his work A Book of Nonsense, published in 1846.
Edward George Bulwer Lytton was an English writer and statesman. He was born in 1803 at London and died in 1873. He wrote The Last Days Of Pompeii.
Edward Henry Palmer was a British Orientalist. He was born in 1840 and died in 1882. His works include "Oriental Mysticism" published in 1867.
Edward the confessor was a son of Ethelred and King of England from 1042 to 1066.
Edward the Elder was King of England from 901 to 924.
Edward the martyr was son of Edgar and succeeded him as King of England from 975 to 978.
Edward V was King of England in 1483.
Edward VI was King of England from 1547 to 1553.
Edward VII was King of England from 1901 to 1910.
Edward VIII was King of England in 1936.
Edwin Muir was a Scottish poet. He was born in 1887 on Orkney and died in 1959.
Edwy (son of Edmund the Elder) succeeded Edred as King of England from 955 to 959.
An Egyptian is an inhabitant of Egypt.
El Grecco (Domenico Theotocopouli) was a Spanish painter. He was born in 1541 and died in 1614.
Eleanor of Aquitaine was the wife of Louis VII and then, following her divorce, wife of Henry II. She was born in 1122 and died in 1204. Through her marriage to Henry II, England acquired Aquitane which remained in England's posession for 300 years. When Henry II deserted her, she encouraged her sons in their revolt against Henry II in France in 1173. She went on to exert great influence during the reign of Richard I.
Eleanor of Castile was the wife of Edward I whom she married in 1254, thereby giving Edward I control of Ponthieu, Montreuil and Gascony.