Tai
Talapoin
Tamerlane
Tamil
Tamils
Tancred
Tasaday
Tatian
Tauregs
Tauri
Tenessee Williams
Thales
Thane
Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Gericault
Theodore Roosevelt
Theophile Delcasse
Theophile Gautier
Theophrastus
Thomas Bowdich
Thomas Carew
Thomas Chatterton
Thomas Chippendale
Thomas Clarkson
Thomas Coram
Thomas Coutts
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Day
Thomas De Quincey
Thomas de Torquemada
Thomas Dekker
Thomas Edison
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Faed
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Girtin
Thomas Gray
Thomas Heywood
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Huxley
Thomas Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Kyd
Thomas Lanier
Thomas Lodge
Thomas Macaulay
Thomas Malthus
Thomas Mann
Thomas Masaryk
Thomas Middleton
Thomas Morley
Thomas Newcomen
Thomas Otway
Thomas Paine
Thomas Rowlandson
Thomas Sheraton
Thucydides
Thug
Thuringian
Tigro
Tintoretto
Titian
Tlingit
Tobias Smollett
Toltec
Toltecs
Torquato Tasso
Tory
Trajan
Troglodyte
Trouveres
Tswana
Tuareg
Tuaregs
Tukano
Tunguses
Tuscarora
Tutankhamen
Tutsi
Twa
Uigur
Umpire
Ursula Southill
Ursulines
Uzbeg
Uzbegs
Uzbek
Vaishnava
Vandals
Vasco da Gama
Vaughan Williams
Vedda
Veddahs
Vergil
Vicar
Vicente Barrantes
Viceroy
Victor Amadeus II
Victor Cousin
Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Hugo
Victoria
Victorien Sardou
Vidkun Quisling
Vikings
Vilhjalmur Stefansson
Villa
Vincent Van Gogh
Vinova Bhave
Virginia Woolf
Viscount
Visigoths
Vivaldi
Vlachs
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Pachmann
Volsci
Voltaire
W. B. Yeats
W. T. Sherman
Wahabis
Wai-Wais
Waldenses
The Tai are the groups of south east Asian peoples who speak Tai languages, all of which
belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family. There are over 60 million speakers, the majority
of whom live in Thailand. Tai peoples are also found in SW China, north west Myanmar (Burma),
Laos, and north Vietnam.
A talapoin is a Buddhist priest or monk.
Tamerlane (Timur) was King of Samarkland. He was born in 1336 and died in 1405. He extended the Mongol empire through Persia, Georgia, Armenia and Russia.
The Tamils are the majority ethnic group living in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Tamils retain a distinct culture. They possess an ancient literary tradition and have developed
their own court arts. The majority of Tamils are farmers, cultivating rice in irrigated fields. They
are also known for their handicrafts, including pottery.
The Tamils are an indigenous people of southern India and Sri Lanka.
Tancred was a hero of the first Crusade. He was born in 1078 of Marquis Odo the Good and Emma. He died in 1112 of a wound received at Antioch.
The Tasaday are an indigenous people of the rainforests of Mindanao in the Philippines.
Tatian was a heresiarch of the 2nd century. He was born in Ethiopia around 120 and died around 172. He became a disciple of Justin, after whose martyrdom he left Rome and travelled the Middle East preaching. He taught abstinence from wine, meat and marriage and disbelieved the divinity of Christ.
see "Tuareg"
The Tauri were the earliest known inhabitants of the Crimea.
Tenessee Williams (Thomas Lanier) is an American playwright. He was born in 1914. He wrote "A Street Car Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
Thales was a Greek philosopher. He was born in 636BC and died in 546 BC.
In English history, a thane was someone who was awarded land by the King or another superior as a reward for military service. Thanes ranked between ordinary freemen and hereditary nobles.
Theodore Dreiser was an American writer born in 1871. He died in 1945.
Theodore Gericault was a French painter. He was born in 1791 at Rouen and died in 1824. He introduced the idea of painting directly onto canvas.
Theodore Roosevelt was president of the USA. He was born in 1858, dying in 1919.
Theophile Delcasse was a French statesman. He was born in 1852 and died in 1923. As Foreign Minister he effected in 1904 the Franco-British Treaty regarding Morocco and Egypt, which so aroused german resentment that he was forced to resign.
Theophile Gautier was a French poet and novelist. He was born in 1811 at Tarbes and died in 1872.
Theophrastus of Lesbos was a Greek naturalist. He was born in 368BC and died in 284BC. He wrote A History of Plants.
Thomas Edward Bowdich was an African explorer. He was born in 1790 and died in 1824 of disease in the Gambia.
Thomas Carew was a British poet. He was born in 1595 and died in 1639.
Thomas Chatterton was an English poet. He was born in 1752 and died in 1770.
Thomas Chippendale was one of England's most famous furniture makers. He was born in 1718 in Yorkshire and died in 1779.
Thomas Clarkson was an English anti-slavery advocate. He was born in 1760 and died in 1846. He published a Latin essay on slavery in 1786 and organised a campaign for the abolition of slavery in Africa. In 1823 he assisted in founding the Anti-Slavery Society for the suppression of slavery in the West Indies.
Thomas Coram was a Dorset seaman. He was born in 1668 and died in 1751. He established the Foundling Hospital, which was chartered in 1739 and intended as a refuge for the numerous unwanted children of London. He spent all his money on charities, and towards the end of his life was reduced to poverty, when an annuity was raised for him by public subscription.
Thomas Coutts was a British banker. He was born in 1735 at Edinburgh and died in 1822. He founded the London banking house of Coutss and Co., becoming the sole partner on his brother's death in 1778. He acted as banker to George III.
Thomas Cranmer was archbishop of canterbury under Henry VIII. He was born in 1489, dying in 1556 when he was burnt at the stake for refusing to revert his religion under Mary.
Thomas Cromwell was Earl of Essex and an English administrator. He was born in 1485 and died in 1540. He was secretary and chief minister to Henry VIII and directed the divorce proceedings against Catherine of Aragon. He promoted the Act of Supremacy in 1534 to try to get absolute power for the King.
Thomas Day was an English author. He was born in 1748 and died in 1789. He wrote "The History of Sandford and Merton".
Thomas De Quincey was an English writer. He was born in 1785 and died in 1859.
Thomas de Torquemada was a Dominican monk and founder of the Spanish Inquisition. He was born in 1420 and died in 1498.
Thomas Dekker was an English dramatist and writer. He was born in 1570 and died in 1641. He wrote plays which provide a view of contemporary life in London.
Thomas Alva Edison was an American scientist. He was born in 1847 and died in 1931. He invented the carbon filiament electric lamp and the phonograph.
Thomas Erastus was a German-Swiss student of medicine and theology. He was born in 1524 and died in 1583. He was Professor of Medicine at Heidelberg, and he advicated the teaching of Zwingli as opposed to Calvin in 1560.
Thomas Faed was a Scottish painter. He was born in 1826 and died in 1900.
Thomas Gainsborough was an English painter. He was born in 1727 at Sudbury and died in 1788. He is remembered for his portraits and landscapes.
Thomas Girtin was an English watercolour artist. He was born in 1775 and died in 1802.
Thomas Gray was an English writer. He was born in 1716 at London and died in 1771.
Thomas Heywood was a British dramatist. He lived during the 17th century and wrote 'A Woman Killed with Kindness".
Thomas Hobbes was a British philosopher. He was born in 1588 at Malmesbury and died in 1679. He wrote Leviathan which was the first British political philosophy book.
Thomas Henry Huxley was an English biologist. He was born in 1825 at Ealing and died in 1895. He was an outspoken supporter of Darwin.
Thomas Jonathan Jackson was an American Confederate general. He was born in 1824 and died in 1863. He was nicknamed "stonewall".
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the USA. He was born in 1743 and died in 1826.
Thomas Kyd was a British dramatist. He was born in 1558 and died in 1594. He wrote "The Spanish Tragedy".
see "Tenessee William"
Thomas Lodge was a British poet. He was born in 1558 and died in 1625.
Thomas Babington Macaulay was a British historian and politician. He was born in 1800 at Leicestershire and died in 1859. He entered parliament in 1830. He became Secretary for War in 1839.
Thomas Robert Malthus was an English economist. He was born in 1766 near Guildford and died in 1834. He wrote The Essay on Population.
Thomas Mann was a German novelist. He was born in 1875 at Lubeck and died in 1955. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1929.
Thomas Garrigue Masaryk was the founder and first President of Czechoslovakia. He was born in 1850 at Moravia and died in 1937.
Thomas Middleton was an English dramatist. He was born in 1570 and died in 1627. He is know for his realistic comedies and romantic plays.
Thomas Morley was an English composer of madrigals. He was born in 1557, dying in 1603.
Thomas Newcomen was an English engineer. He was born in 1663 at Dartmouth and died in 1729. He developed the steam engine.
Thomas Otway was an English dramatist. He was born in 1652 at Trotton in Sussex and died in 1685. He is renowned for his work "Venice Preserved".
Thomas Paine was an English writer on politics and religion. He was born in 1737 in Norfolk and died in 1809.
Thomas Rowlandson was an English caricaturist. He was born in 1756 and died in 1827.
Thomas Sheraton was the last of the great English cabinet-makers of the 18th century. He was born in 1751 and died in 1806. Sheraton continued the pursuit of lightness combined with strength which had been started by Hepplewhite. The influence of the Louis XVI period is seen in his general avoidance of curves. Sheraton also used carving very sparingly and was more partial to inlay.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian. He was born in 460BC and died in 399BC. He wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.
The thugs were a Hindu sect who strangled their victims as sacrifices to Kali.
The Thuringian were an ancient tribe of central Germany. They were conquered by the Franks in the 6th century.
The Tigro are a people of north Ethiopia. The Tigro language is spoken by about 2.5 million people; it belongs
to the south east Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. Tigrinya is a closely related language
spoken slightly to the south.
Jacopo Robusti (Tintoretto) was an Italian painter. He was born in 1518 in venice and died in 1594.
Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) was an Italian painter. He was born in 1477 and died in 1576.
The Tlingit are a North American Indian people of the north west coast, living in south Alaska and north British
Columbia. They used to carve wooden poles representing their family crests, showing such
animals as the raven, whale, octopus, beaver, bear, wolf, and the mythical "thunderbird".
Their language is related to the Athabaskan languages.
Tobias Smollett was a British novelist. He was born in 1721 at Dalquhurne and died in 1771.
The Toltecs were a prehistoric people of Central America to whom the Aztecs and the Mayas ascribed all their arts and ancient monuments.
see "Toltec"
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet. He was born in 1544 at Sorrento and died in 1595.
Originally, a Tory was an Irish outlaw and robber (from the Irish word meaning to pursue for the sake of plunder). The term was applied to the Royalist party at the time of the Popish Plot but had acquired a political significance as early as 1654 when it was applied by the principal of Glasgow University to the forces maintaining the cause of Charles II, as the political counterpart of Whig. Today the term is applied to the Conservatives in Britain with ironic accuracy to the original Irish meaning, many poorer Britains would say.
Trajan was a Roman emperor. He was born in 53 and died in 117. He became emperor in 98. He was a soldier, and fought many campaigns in Dacia, Armenia, Mesopotamia and Ctesiphon.
Troglodyte is a Greek term for a cave dweller, designating certain peoples in the ancient world. The
troglodytes of south Egypt and Ethiopia were a pastoral people.
The Trouveres were the court poets of north and central France in the Middle Ages. Their invariable theme was the trials undergone by a lover at the hands of his lady, who is already married to another.
The Tswana are the majority ethnic group living in Botswana. The Tswana are divided into four subgroups: the
Bakwena, the Bamangwato, the Bangwaketse, and the Batawana. Traditionally they are rural-
dwelling farmers, though many now leave their homes to work as migrant laborers in South
African industries. The Tswana language belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo
family.
The Tuareg are a nomadic Berber people of the west and central Sahara.
The Tukano are an indigenous South American Indian people of the Vaupos region on the
Colombian-Brazilian border, numbering approximately 2,000. An estimated 12,000 speak
languages related to Tukano. The other main Tukanoan groups are Bara, Barasana, Cubeo,
Desana, and Makuna.
The Tunguses are a Mongolo-Tata people of east Siberia. They live in small groups and are primarily fishers, hunters, trappers and shepherds.
The Tuscarora are a North American indian tribe. They originated from North Carolina and are now a member of the Iroquois confederacy.
Tutankhamen (Tutenkhamon) was an Egyptian Pharaoh around 1400BC. He reigned for around 6 years and died at the age of 18. His tomb was excavated in 1922 by Howard Carter and found to be intact and containing a large store of domestic furniture and objets d'art.
The Tutsi are the minority ethnic group living in Rwanda and Burundi.
They are traditionally farmers.
The Twa are an ethnic group comprising 1% of the populations of Burundi and Rwanda. The
Twa are the aboriginal inhabitants of the region. They are a pygmoid people, and live as
nomadic hunter-gatherers in the forests.
The Uigur are a Turkic people living in north west China and Kazakhstan; they form about 80% of the population of the Chinese province of Xinjiang Uygur. There are about 5 million speakers of
Uigur, a language belonging to the Turkic branch of the Altaic family; it is the official language of the province.
An umpire is someone to whose sole decision a matter in dispute between two parties is refered.
see "Mother Shipton"
The Ursulines are a female monastic order which was formed in 1535 with the purpose of educating girls and tending for the sick and needy. It was declared a religious order under the rule of Saint Augustine.
The Uzbegs are a Turki people of Uigur stock who migrated from Kashgaria to west Turkestan in the 14th century.
see "Uzbeg"
The Uzbek are a town-dwelling Turkic people of Turkestan and Uzbekistan.
The Vaishnava are a Bhakti sect devoted to Vishnu.
The Vandals were a war-like Germanic tribe who between the 5th and 6th centuries invaded Gaul, Spain and North Africa. In 455 they sacked Rome. They were renowned for wantonly destroying art treasures and books.
Vasco Da Gama was a Portugese explorer. He discovered the sea-route from Europe to India.
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer. He was born in 1872 at Down Ampney and died in 1958.
The Vedda are the aboriginal peoples of Sri Lanka, who occupied the island before the arrival of the Aryans about 550 BC. Formerly cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers, they have now almost
died out or merged with the rest of the population. They speak a Sinhalese language, belonging to the Indo-European family.
They live mainly in the central highlands, and many practise shifting cultivation.
The Veddahs are a tribe of Sri Lanka, the last remaining remnants of the aboriginal people of Sri Lanka.
Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil) was a Roman poet. He was born in 70BC near Mantua and died in 19BC.
A vicar is a church of England priest.
Vicente Barrantes was a Spanish publicist and author. He was born in 1829 and died in 1898.
A viceroy is someone who acts as governor of a country or province by authority of the ruler.
Victor Amadeus II was Duke of Savoy and the first King of Sardinia. He was born in 1666 and died in 1732.
Victor Cousin was a French educationalist and philosopher. He was born in 1792, dying in 1867. He founded the eclectic school.
Victor Emmanuel II was King of Sardinia and of Italy. He was born in 1820 and died in 1878. Through his diplomacy he united Italy and was in 1871 crowned the first king of a united Italy.
Victor Marie Hugo was a French poet and novelist. He was born in 1802 at Besancon and died in 1885. His first poems were published in 1822.
Victoria was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India. She was born in 1819 and died in 1901. She succeeded to the throne in 1837 at the age of 18 and reigned until her death in 1901.
Victorien Sardou was a French dramatist. He was born in 1831, dying in 1908.
Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian traitor and puppet minister. He was born in 1887 and died in 1945 when he was executed following the liberation of Norway.
The Vikings were the inhabitants of Scandinavia, and more particularly Norway from about the 8th to the 11th century. They were also called Norsemen, and Danes. They were great explorers and set up colonies in Ireland, France, and England as well as reaching Iceland, Greenland and Nova Scotia. In 912 they were granted the duchy of Normandy, and these Vikings became known as Normans.
Vilhjalmur Stefansson was an Arctic explorer. He was born in 1879 in Manitoba of Icelandic parents and studied theology and anthropology at Harvard.
Francisco Villa was a Mexican revolutionary leader. He was born in 1877 and died in 1923 when he was assassinated.
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch painter. He was born in 1853 at Brabant and died in 1890 after shooting himself.
Vinova Bhave is an Indian reformer and leader of the sarvodaya movement. He was born in 1895. He was a follower of Ghandi and campaigned for help for landless peasants.
Virginia Woolf was an English novelist. She was born in 1882 and died in 1941.
A Viscount was a sheriff who acted as deputy for the count or lord-lieutenant of a county. The title was first bestowed upon John Beaumont in 1440 by Henry VI. The term later developed into a rank of nobility between earl and baron. In Jersey a Viscount is an officer of the crown similar to an English coroner.
see "Goths"
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian composer. He was born in 1680 and died in 1743.
The Vlachs are a group of Romanian peoples living mainly in the region of the lower Danube.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian revolutionary. He was born in 1870 at Simbirsk and died in 1924.
Vladimir Nabokov is a Russian-born American author. He was born in 1899. He wrote Lolita.
Vladimir Pachmann was a Russian pianist and interpreter of Chopin. He was born in 1848.
The Volsci were a people living in Italy during the period of the Roman Republic. They dwelt in the southern part of Latium and were the most persistent foes of the early Republic.
Voltaire was a French writer. He was born in 1694 in Paris and died in 1778.
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and dramatist. He was born in 1865 in Dublin and died in 1939.
W. T. Sherman was an American soldier of the American civil war. An American tank of the second world war was named after him.
The Wahabis were a Muslim sect founded in the middle of the 18th century in Nejd Arabia by Mohammed Abdul Wahab, who attempted to restore the primitive simplicity of Islam and established a militant church at issue both with the infidel and with other forms of Islam. In 1818 the temporal power of the Wahabis in Arabia was crushed.
The Wai-Wais are a South American indian tribe still found in Guyana.
The Waldenses were a religious community founded by Peter Waldo in 1170 when he renounced his possessions and wandered as a preacher of voluntary poverty. The group established themselves in the valleys of the Cottian Alps and denounced the authority of the Church of Rome. As a result they were persecuted by the Duchess of Savoy in 1475 who ordered a war of extermination against them. In 1487 the Pope announced a Crusade against them. In 1686 the Duke of Savoy exiled to Geneva those he failed to forcibly convert. Three years later a small band returned and in 1848 were granted full religious and political rights.