Macrinus was a Roman emperor in 217 and 218, the first man to rule the empire without having achieved senatorial status. His skills as a lawyer helped him to rise rapidly in an equestrian career (a step below the senatorial career in status) until he became a praetorian prefect under the emperor

Otho was a Roman emperor from January to April 69. Otho was born into a family that had held the consulship under Augustus. He married Poppaea Sabina, but when the emperor Nero took Poppaea for his mistress—she later became his wife—Otho was sent from Rome to govern Lusitania (58). For 10 years he

Trajan was a Roman emperor (98–117 ce) who sought to extend the boundaries of the empire to the east (notably in Dacia, Arabia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia), undertook a vast building program, and enlarged social welfare. Marcus Ulpius Traianus was born in the Roman province of Baetica (the area

Robert Young: …classics Father Knows Best and Marcus Welby, M.D.

Harry Smith: Anthology of American Folk Music: Greil Marcus, who has written exhaustively about the collection, identifies ballads as a standard academic category made up of compositions with a beginning, a middle, and an ending; defines social music as recordings that “presuppose” a community or family; and describes “songs” as a category…

Stanley Marcus was an American retail-store executive whose publicity campaigns gave the Neiman Marcus stores a reputation for luxury and fashion. Stanley’s father, Herbert Marcus, and his uncle, Al Neiman, opened the first Neiman Marcus store in Dallas, Texas, in 1907. Their idea was to offer

Rudolph A. Marcus is a Canadian-born American chemist, winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work on the theory of electron-transfer reactions in chemical systems. The Marcus theory shed light on diverse and fundamental phenomena such as photosynthesis, cell metabolism, and simple

Saint Mark ; feast day October 7) was the pope from Jan. 18 (?) to Oct. 7, 336. He is credited with having given the bishops of Ostia the right to consecrate new popes. He may have been the founder of the present Church of San Marco, Rome, and also of another that is situated over the catacomb of

Siegfried Marcus was an inventor who built four of the world’s earliest gasoline-powered automobiles. Marcus became an apprentice machinist at the age of 12, and five years later he joined an engineering company building telegraph lines. Within three years he invented a telegraphic relay system and

Stanley Marcus was an American retail-store executive whose publicity campaigns gave the Neiman Marcus stores a reputation for luxury and fashion. Stanley’s father, Herbert Marcus, and his uncle, Al Neiman, opened the first Neiman Marcus store in Dallas, Texas, in 1907. Their idea was to offer

Herbert Marcuse was a German-born American political philosopher and prominent member of the Frankfurt School of critical social analysis. His Marxist and Freudian theories of 20th-century Western society were influential in the leftist student movements of the 1960s, especially after the 1968

Geoffrey Marcy is an American astronomer whose use of Doppler shifts to detect extrasolar planets led to the discovery of several hundred planetary bodies in multiple star systems. Marcy was raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles. When he was 14, his mother, an anthropologist, and his father, an

Geoffrey Marcy is an American astronomer whose use of Doppler shifts to detect extrasolar planets led to the discovery of several hundred planetary bodies in multiple star systems. Marcy was raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles. When he was 14, his mother, an anthropologist, and his father, an

Mount Marcy, peak in the Adirondack Mountains and the highest point in New York, U.S., reaching an elevation of 5,344 feet (1,629 metres) above sea level. It lies in west-central Essex county in the northeastern part of the state, about 12 miles (19 km) south-southeast of Lake Placid village. The

William L. Marcy was a U.S. politician, governor, and Cabinet member, remembered primarily for his remark: “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” From 1823 to 1829 Marcy was comptroller of New York state and a leading member of the “Albany Regency,” a group of powerful Democrats. After

William L. Marcy was a U.S. politician, governor, and Cabinet member, remembered primarily for his remark: “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” From 1823 to 1829 Marcy was comptroller of New York state and a leading member of the “Albany Regency,” a group of powerful Democrats. After

George Pal was a Hungarian-born animator, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the science-fiction genre, especially noted for his work with special effects. He also created Puppetoons, a popular series of animated shorts. (Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film

Rani Mukerji: Critical acclaim: …gang of child traffickers in Mardaani (2014; “Masculinity”); and a teacher with Tourette syndrome in Hichki (2018; “Hiccup”).

Rani Mukerji: Critical acclaim: …best-known roles in the sequels Mardaani 2 (2019) and Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021), neither of which achieved the popularity of the originals. She had more success with the 2023 film Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, based on the true story of an Indian expatriate couple in Norway, whose two children…

Rani Mukerji: Critical acclaim: …as a police officer in Mardaani 3.

Mardaïte, member of a Christian people of northern Syria, employed as soldiers by Byzantine emperors. The Mardaïtes inhabited the Amanus (Gāvur) Mountains, in the modern Turkish province of Hatay, the 7th-century borderland between Byzantine and Muslim territory. In the period 660–680, allied with

Mardals Falls, waterfalls at the head of Eikesdalsvatnet (lake), east-southeast of Åndalsnes, Nor. The falls consisted of two cataracts in Mardøla district of Møre og Romsdal fylke (county), western Norway. The falls ranked among the highest in the world, with their total drop of 1,696 feet (517

Mardals Falls, waterfalls at the head of Eikesdalsvatnet (lake), east-southeast of Åndalsnes, Nor. The falls consisted of two cataracts in Mardøla district of Møre og Romsdal fylke (county), western Norway. The falls ranked among the highest in the world, with their total drop of 1,696 feet (517

Mardan, town and district in Peshawar division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. The town, the district headquarters, lies just north of the Kalpāni River; it is connected by road and rail with Dargai (Malakand Pass), Nowshera, and Peshawar, 30 miles (50 km) south-southwest. A growing

Finno-Ugric religion: Divine heroes: Mardan of the Yelabuga Udmurt is viewed as the progenitor of 11 villages and the one who led the dwellers therein from the north to their present habitations. There is a sacrificial ceremony in his honour every year. Also, there are signs of the worship…

Pakistan: Daily life and social customs: …have a men’s section (mardānah) at the front of the house, so that visitors do not disturb the women, who are secluded in the women’s section (zanānah) in the rear. Women’s subordinate status in Pakistan also is evident in the practice of “honor killings,” in which a woman may…

Zeyārid Dynasty: …founder of the dynasty was Mardāvīz ebn Zeyār (reigned 927–935), who took advantage of a rebellion in the Sāmānid army of Iran to seize power in northern Iran. He soon expanded his domains and captured the cities of Hamadān and Eṣfahān. Mardāvīz was murdered in 935, and Zeyārid power thereupon…

Brice Marden was an American artist whose spare and subtle paintings of the 1960s helped define minimalist painting. His seemingly more expressionist and active images of the 1980s and ’90s and beyond caused a renewed interest in his work. Marden attended Boston University (B.F.A., 1961) and Yale

vanadium: …VCl2, and the American chemists John Wesley Marden and Malcolm N. Rich obtained it 99.7 percent pure in 1925 by reduction of vanadium pentoxide, V2O5, with calcium metal.

armoured vehicle: Infantry fighting vehicles: The West German Marder and the Soviet BMP-1, which first appeared in the late 1960s, represented the most significant advances in IFVs since World War II. Both vehicles enabled mounted infantry effectively to engage even armoured opponents—a capability lacking in previous designs. The Marder weighs 29.2 tons, has…

Giovanni Mardersteig was a printer and typographer who, as head of Officina Bodoni, created books exemplifying the highest standards in the art of printing. He studied law at the universities of Bonn, Vienna, Kiel, and finally Jena, where he received his degree. After graduation he taught school

Giovanni Mardersteig was a printer and typographer who, as head of Officina Bodoni, created books exemplifying the highest standards in the art of printing. He studied law at the universities of Bonn, Vienna, Kiel, and finally Jena, where he received his degree. After graduation he taught school

Mardi, third novel by Herman Melville, originally published in two volumes as Mardi: And a Voyage Thither in 1849. Mardi is an uneven and disjointed transitional book that uses allegory to comment on contemporary ideas about nations, politics, institutions, literature, and religion. The book was a

Edmund Goulding: The 1950s: Goulding’s last film was Mardi Gras (1958), a musical starring Pat Boone. After suffering several years of declining health, Goulding died in 1959.

Mardi Gras, a Christian holiday marking the final day before the season of Lent. Often called “Fat Tuesday,” it has evolved into a major cultural celebration. Its traditions emerged in Europe within the broader pre-Lenten festival known as Carnival (or Carnaval), incorporating elements of earlier

Creedence Clearwater Revival: …demanded greater prominence, resulting in Mardi Gras (1972), which was dominated by their songs. Its critical and commercial failure led to the band’s demise later that year. Unlike many 1960s acts, Creedence never staged a reunion. Tom Fogerty pursued a solo career until his death. Cook and Clifford worked as…

Mardi, third novel by Herman Melville, originally published in two volumes as Mardi: And a Voyage Thither in 1849. Mardi is an uneven and disjointed transitional book that uses allegory to comment on contemporary ideas about nations, politics, institutions, literature, and religion. The book was a

Ebla, ancient city 33 miles (53 km) southwest of Aleppo in northwestern Syria. During the height of its power (c. 2600–2240 bce), Ebla dominated northern Syria, Lebanon, and parts of northern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and enjoyed trade and diplomatic relations with states as far away as Egypt,

Ebla, ancient city 33 miles (53 km) southwest of Aleppo in northwestern Syria. During the height of its power (c. 2600–2240 bce), Ebla dominated northern Syria, Lebanon, and parts of northern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and enjoyed trade and diplomatic relations with states as far away as Egypt,

Mardin, city, capital of Mardin il (province), southeastern Turkey. It lies on the southern slopes of a broad highland that rises to an elevation of 3,450 feet (1,052 meters) and overlooks extensive limestone plateaus. The locality receives more rainfall than the lower plains and has hot summers

Mardin: Mardin province, bordered to the south by Syria, is an agricultural area chiefly producing wheat, barley, and sesame. Angora goats are raised for mohair, and there is a small cotton- and woollen-weaving industry. In addition to Turks, the province has large populations of Arabs and…

herpesvirus: … (the causative agent of chickenpox); Mardivirus, which contains Marek’s disease viruses types 1 and 2 of chickens and turkey herpesvirus; and Iltovirus, which contains gallid herpesvirus 1. The alphaherpesviruses are distinguished from viruses of the other subfamilies by their fast rate of replication.

Freyja, (Old Norse: “Lady”), most renowned of the Norse goddesses, who was the sister and female counterpart of Freyr and was in charge of love, fertility, battle, and death. Her father was Njörd, the sea god. Pigs were sacred to her, and she rode a boar with golden bristles. A chariot drawn by

Mardonius was an Achaemenid general, a nephew of King Darius I and married to Darius’ daughter Artazostra. In 492 bc he was sent to succeed the satrap (governor) Artaphernes in Ionia, with a special commission to attack Athens and Eretria. Contrary to the usual Achaemenid policy, he abolished the

Marduk, in Mesopotamian religion, the chief god of the city of Babylon and the national god of Babylonia; as such, he was eventually called simply Bel, or Lord. Originally, he seems to have been a god of thunderstorms. A poem, known as Enuma elish and dating from the reign of Nebuchadrezzar I

Merodach-Baladan II was the king of Babylonia 721–710 and for nine months in 703, who maintained Babylonian independence in the face of Assyrian military supremacy for more than a decade. Commencing in 728 the king of Assyria also officially held the title of king of Babylonia. During that time

history of Mesopotamia: Shalmaneser III and Shamshi-Adad V of Assyria: …battles against the Babylonian kings Marduk-balassu-iqbi and Baba-aha-iddina (about 818–12) and pushed through to Chaldea. Babylonia remained independent, however.

history of Mesopotamia: Shalmaneser III and Shamshi-Adad V of Assyria: His brother Marduk-bel-usati rebelled against him, and in 851 the king was forced to ask Shalmaneser for help. Shalmaneser was only too happy to oblige; when the usurper had been finally eliminated (850), Shalmaneser went to southern Babylonia, which at that time was almost completely dominated by…

history of Mesopotamia: Babylonia under the 2nd dynasty of Isin: …which not much is known, Marduk-kabit-ahheshu (c. 1152–c. 1135) established what came to be known as the 2nd dynasty of Isin. His successors were often forced to continue the fighting. The most famous king of the dynasty was Nebuchadrezzar I (Nabu-kudurri-uṣur; c. 1119–c. 1098). He fought mainly against Elam, which…

history of Mesopotamia: Babylonia under the 2nd dynasty of Isin: …king, succeeded by his brother Marduk-nadin-ahhe (c. 1093–c. 1076). At first successful in his wars against Assyria, he later experienced heavy defeat. A famine of catastrophic proportions triggered an attack from Aramaean tribes, the ultimate blow. His successors made peace with Assyria, but the country suffered more and more from…

chronology: Babylonian chronology before 747 bc: …reign of the Babylonian king Marduk-shapik-zeri. The Assyrian’s dates are probably correct to within one year. Thus, if Marduk-shapik-zeri is dated so that equal proportions of his reign fall before and after that of Ashared-apil-Ekur, a date is obtained for the former that should not be in error more than…

history of Mesopotamia: Shalmaneser III and Shamshi-Adad V of Assyria: In Babylonia, Marduk-zakir-shumi I ascended the throne about the year 855. His brother Marduk-bel-usati rebelled against him, and in 851 the king was forced to ask Shalmaneser for help. Shalmaneser was only too happy to oblige; when the usurper had been finally eliminated (850), Shalmaneser went to…

horse: Form and function: …employed as riding horses, while mares were kept for breeding purposes only. Geldings were used for work and as ladies’ riding horses. Recently, however, geldings generally have replaced stallions as riding horses. Young horses are known as foals; male foals are called colts and females fillies.

mare, any flat, dark plain of lower elevation on the Moon. The term, which in Latin means “sea,” was erroneously applied to such features by telescopic observers of the 17th century. In actuality, maria are huge basins containing lava flows marked by craters, ridges, faults, and straight and

Adriatic Sea, arm of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between the Italian and Balkan peninsulas. The Strait of Otranto at its southeasterly limit links it with the Ionian Sea. It is about 500 miles (800 km) long with an average width of 100 miles, a maximum depth of 4,035 feet (1,324 metres), and an

George Sand: In La Mare au diable (1846), François le Champi (1848), and La Petite Fadette (1849), the familiar theme of George Sand’s work—love transcending the obstacles of convention and class—in the familiar setting of the Berry countryside, regained pride of place. These rustic tales are probably her…

John Selden: …Selden dedicated to the king Mare clausum (1635), a justification of a single nation’s rule over the high seas, in rebuttal to Hugo Grotius’ Mare liberum (1609). From 1640, having reversed his political position once more, he took part in the Commons’ proceedings against William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, and…

Moon: First robotic missions: …of Ranger 7 was named Mare Cognitum for the new knowledge gained, a major example of which was the discovery that even small lunar features have been mostly subdued from incessant meteorite impacts.

Nirgal Vallis, sinuous, branching valley located on the planet Mars north of the Argyre impact basin, at about 28° S, 42° W. It is about 400 km (250 miles) long and about 5 km (3 miles) wide. Its name derives from the Babylonian word for Mars. First seen in Mariner 9 spacecraft images, the valley

Moon: Origin and evolution: …the great Imbrium Basin, or Mare Imbrium, and its mountain ramparts. During some period over the next several hundred million years there occurred the long sequence of volcanic events that filled the near-side basins with mare lavas.

Ionian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Albania (northeast), Greece (east), Sicily (southwest), and Italy (west and northwest). Though considered by ancient authors to be part of the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea is now seen as a separate body of water. In the Ionian Sea, south of

Ionian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Albania (northeast), Greece (east), Sicily (southwest), and Italy (west and northwest). Though considered by ancient authors to be part of the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea is now seen as a separate body of water. In the Ionian Sea, south of

Maré Island, southernmost of the Loyalty Islands, a raised coralline limestone and volcanic group in the French overseas country of New Caledonia, southwestern Pacific Ocean. Maré is the highest of the group, rising to 453 feet (138 metres) above sea level, and is 22 miles (35 km) long and 18 miles

Western philosophy: Political philosophy: …and the resulting two treatises, The Freedom of the Seas (1609) and On the Law of War and Peace (1625), were the first significant codifications of international law. Their philosophical originality lay, however, in the fact that, in defending the rights of a small, militarily weak nation against the powerful…

Cailee Spaeny: A fast start in Hollywood: …Winslet) in the HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown and had her first comedic film role in How It Ends. The following year Spaeny played Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the daughter of Eleanor Roosevelt and U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the miniseries The First Lady.

Moon: Effects of impacts and volcanism: …example is Orientale Basin, or Mare Orientale, whose mountain walls can just be seen from Earth near the Moon’s limb (the apparent edge of the lunar disk) when the lunar libration is favorable. Its multi-ring ramparts are characteristic of the largest basins; they are accented by the partial lava flooding…

Apollo 11: … had touched down in the Sea of Tranquility, an area selected for its level and smooth terrain.

mare’s-tail, the aquatic plant Hippuris vulgaris or either of two other species of its genus, in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). Mare’s-tail grows from submerged, stout rootstocks along the margins of lakes and ponds in temperate regions throughout the world. It resembles the unrelated

United Kingdom: The crises of Edward’s later years: Then, under the leadership of Peter de la Mare, who may be termed the first Speaker, the Commons impeached Latimer, Alice Perrers, and a number of ministers and officials, some of whom had profited personally from the administration of the royal finances. The Commons took the role of prosecutors before…

Walter de la Mare was a British poet and novelist with an unusual power to evoke the ghostly, evanescent moments in life. De la Mare was educated at St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir School in London, and from 1890 to 1908 he worked in the London office of the Anglo-American Oil Company. From 1902,

Chaga: …however, no paramount chief until Marealle was established in that position by the German administration in 1893.

Gash River, river rising in southern Eritrea, near Asmara. After flowing southward, it turns west and forms the border between Eritrea (north) and Ethiopia (south) along its middle course. It then continues into northeastern Sudan to lose itself in the desert. In time of flood it reaches the Atbara

Grand Valley State University: The Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) and the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI), both in Muskegon, also operate under the aegis of the university. MAREC is dedicated to the research and development of alternative energy technologies, while AWRI studies freshwater resources and…

wigeon: The European wigeon (Anas, or Mareca, penelope) ranges across the Palaearctic and is occasionally found in the Nearctic regions. The American wigeon, or baldpate (A. americana), breeds in northwestern North America and winters along the U.S., Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean coasts, as well as on…

marshal: …successors converted the title to maréchal de France (“marshal of France”) and reduced the number of officers who held it. Later the title lapsed and was revived as a rare honour normally conferred only in time of war.

Affonso Reidy: …of the site, and the Marechal Hermes Theatre (1950), also in Rio de Janeiro, which had an inverted, double-slope roof and a garden designed by the Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx.

Christianity: Stages of Christian mysticism: According to the Belgian Jesuit Joseph Maréchal, Christian mysticism includes three broadly defined stages: (1) the gradual integration of the ego under the mastery of the idea of a personal God and according to a program of prayer and asceticism, (2) a transcendent revelation of God to the soul experienced…

Leopoldo Marechal was an Argentine writer and critic who was best known for his philosophical novels. In the early 1920s, Marechal was part of the literary group responsible for Martín Fierro and Proa, Ultraista journals that revolutionized Argentine letters. His first book of poems, Aguiluchos

Pierre-Sylvain Maréchal was a French poet, playwright, and publicist whose plan for a secular calendar, presented in his Almanach des honnêtes gens (1788; “Dictionary of Notables”), was subsequently the basis for the French republican calendar adopted in 1793. By profession a lawyer and librarian,

police: The French police under the monarchy: …be known collectively as the maréchaussée, as they were assigned to the various army marshals. Although effective in the countryside, the maréchaussée was not the answer to the problems afflicting France’s cities—most notably the capital, Paris. (As in England, French cities were at first policed, with little efficiency, by roving…

Dambudzo Marechera was a Zimbabwean novelist who won critical acclaim for his collection of stories entitled The House of Hunger, a powerful account of life in his country under white rule. Marechera grew up in poverty. He reacted against his upbringing and adopted an increasingly self-destructive

Wales: Political development: …close of the 10th century Maredudd ap Owain (died 999), a grandson of Hywel Dda, brought the northern and western kingdoms once more into a transitory unity. But his death opened a period of prolonged turmoil in which internal conflicts were complicated and intensified by Anglo-Saxon and Norse intervention. The…

Mareeba, town, northeastern Queensland, Australia, on the Barron River, 40 miles (65 km) west of the port of Cairns on the Coral Sea. It was the earliest European settlement on the Atherton Plateau; at its founding it was called Granite Creek and served as a stop for miners on their way to

Hans von Marées was a painter of the so-called Idealist school in Germany. In 1853 Marées went to Berlin, where he studied for two years. For the next eight years he worked chiefly in Munich, coming under the influence of the historical school, and in 1864 he went to Italy, where he lived for about

Marek’s disease, highly contagious, often fatal malignancy of chickens that affects the nerves and visceral organs and that is caused by a herpesvirus. The classic sign of the disease is lameness in one or both legs that progresses to paralysis; drooping of the wings may also be noted. In young

Marek’s disease: The disease is named for Jozef Marek, a Hungarian physician who in 1907 described signs of this disease in his backyard roosters. The specific cause of the disease was not established until 1967. Exposure of healthy chickens to airborne dust or dander from infected chicken is an effective means of…

Jo Nesbø: Harry Hole books: …work in Marekors (2003; “Pentagram”; The Devil’s Star), this time in Oslo. Hole tracks a contract killer in Frelseren (2005; “Savior”; The Redeemer) and another serial killer in Snømannen (2007; The Snowman). Panserhjerte (2009; “Armored Heart”; The Leopard) has Hole tracked down in Hong Kong and persuaded to

Lesotho: Basutoland (1871–1966): …Roman Catholic Church; and the Marema-Tlou Freedom Party (1963), which was identified with the defense of the powers of the country’s principal chiefs.

Maremma, geographic region, largely within Tuscany (Toscana) regione, central Italy, extending along the Tyrrhenian coast from south of Livorno to Rome and inland to the Apennine foothills. In Etruscan and Roman times the Maremma was well settled and known for its farms, which were drained by

Battle of Marengo, (June 14, 1800), narrow victory for Napoleon Bonaparte in the War of the Second Coalition, fought on the Marengo Plain about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Alessandria, in northern Italy, between Napoleon’s approximately 28,000 troops and some 31,000 Austrian troops under Gen.

marennes, popular edible variety of oyster

Luca Marenzio was a composer whose madrigals are considered to be among the finest examples of Italian madrigals of the late 16th century. Marenzio published a large number of madrigals and villanelles and five books of motets. He developed an individual technique and was skilled in evoking moods

Alexandria: City site: …separates the salt lake of Maryūṭ, or Mareotis—now partly drained and cultivated—from the Egyptian mainland. An hourglass-shaped promontory formed by the silting up of a mole (the Heptastadion), which was built soon after Alexandria’s founding, links the island of Pharos with the city centre on the mainland. Its two steeply…

George Stubbs: …groups of horses, such as Mares and Foals in a Landscape (c. 1760–70).

Gutzon Borglum: …sculpted a bronze group called The Mares of Diomedes, the first piece of American sculpture bought for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Versatile and prolific, he sculpted many portrait busts of American leaders, as well as of figures such as the Twelve Apostles, which he created for…

Chicago style: …Society Orchestra, including Leon Rappolo, Paul Mares, George Brunis, and others), a white New Orleans band playing at Chicago’s Friar’s Society.

marshal: …evolved from the title of marescalci (masters of the horse) of the early Frankish kings. The importance of cavalry in medieval warfare led to the marshalship being associated with a command position; this rank came to include the duties of keeping order at court and in camp and of deciding…

marshal: …of marshal of France (marescallus Franciae) was instituted under King Philip II (d. 1223), and the marshal became one of the great officers of the crown. The number of French marshals gradually increased, from two (13th century) to four (16th century) until there were as many as 20 (18th…

robotic surgery: Historical developments: …Operation, in which French physician Jacques Marescaux and Canadian-born surgeon Michel Gagner performed a remote cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) from New York City on a patient in Strasbourg, France. Despite the breakthrough, telesurgery failed to gain widespread popularity for multiple reasons, including time delays between the control end and the operating…

Hugues-Bernard Maret, duke de Bassano was a French diplomat and statesman of the Napoleonic period. A journalist in the early stages of the French Revolution, Maret entered the diplomatic service in 1792. After the coup d’état of 18 Brumaire (Nov. 9, 1799), Napoleon appointed him secretary of state