Raj Rajaratnam is an American investor who was convicted in 2011 of securities fraud and conspiracy in one of the largest prosecutions of insider trading (trading on information not available to the public) in U.S. history and the first such case to rely on evidence obtained from wiretaps (see

Purushottam Das Tandon was an Indian politician who was a prominent figure in the Indian National Congress in its early years. He was an enthusiastic campaigner for the use of Hindi as India’s national language. Tandon graduated from Muir Central College, Allahabad, in 1904 with a law degree and an

Samkhya: …and inertia; the second is rajas (“passion”), which is energy, emotion, and expansiveness; and the highest is sattva (“goodness”), which is illumination, enlightening knowledge, and lightness. To these correspond personality types: to tamas, that of the ignorant and lazy person; to rajas, that of the impulsive and passionate person; and…

Hayam Wuruk was the ruler of the Javan Hindu state of Majapahit at the time of its greatest power. Hayam Wuruk inherited the throne in 1350 at the age of 16, when the great patih (“prime minister”) Gajah Mada was at the height of his career. Under the two leaders, Majapahit extended its power

Kannada literature: …famous Kannada works is the Rājaśekharavilāsa, a fictional tale written in 1657 by Ṣaḍakṣaradeva in verse interspersed with prose. This work is a morality tale in which the divine intervention of Śiva saves a royal family from self-inflicted tragedy in their efforts to uphold the law.

Buddhism: Sri Lanka: …the 18th century, however, King Kittisiri Rajasiah (1747–81), who ruled in the upland regions, invited monks from Siam (Thailand) to reform Buddhism and restore the higher ordination lineages.

Sri Lanka: The expansion of Portuguese control: After Mayadunne’s death, his son Rajasinha continued these wars successfully on land, though, like his father, he had no way of combating Portuguese sea power.

Sri Lanka: Kandy and its struggle with European powers: …was succeeded by his son Rajasinha II. The Dutch were now firmly established in Batavia (now Jakarta) in Java and were developing their trade in southern Asia. The king sent emissaries to meet the admiral of the Dutch fleet, Adam Westerwolt, who was then blockading Goa, India. The fleet came…

Rajasthan, state of northwestern India, located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It is bounded to the north and northeast by the states of Punjab and Haryana, to the east and southeast by the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, to the southwest by the state of Gujarat,

Thar Desert: Economy: The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates a vast amount of land in the Indian portion of the Thar. The canal begins at the Harike Barrage—at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers in the Indian Punjab—and continues in a southwesterly direction for some 290 miles (470…

Indian Premier League 2026: Teams:

Rajasthan Steppe, desert in west-central Rajasthan state, northwestern India. The steppe has an area of about 54,800 square miles (142,000 square km). The region was ruled successively in ancient times by the Mauryas, Guptas, and Gurjar Pratiharas. Later it was ruled by Rajput dynasties before

Banswara: …there is affiliated with the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur. The area around Banswara is comparatively flat and fertile, drained mainly by the Mahi. Corn (maize), wheat, and gram (chickpeas) are the chief crops. Iron ore, lead, zinc, silver, and manganese deposits are worked. Pop. (2001) 85,665; (2011) 99,969.

Rājasthānī languages, group of Indo-Aryan languages and dialects spoken in the state of Rājasthān, India, and adjoining areas. There are four major groups: northeastern Mewātī, southern Mālvī, western Māṛwāṛī, and east-central Jaipurī. Māṛwāṛī is the most extensive geographically. Rājasthān is a

South Asian arts: Rajasthani: It is generally agreed that modern Rajasthani literature began with the works of Suryamal Misrama. His most important works are the Vamsa Bhaskara and the Vira satsaī. The Vamsa Bhaskara contains accounts of the Rājput princes who ruled in what was then Rājputāna (at…

Rājasthānī painting, the style of miniature painting that developed mainly in the independent Hindu states of Rājasthān in western India in the 16th–19th century. It evolved from Western Indian manuscript illustrations, though Mughal influence became evident in the later years of its development.

Rājasthānī puppet, string marionette found in the state of Rājasthān in northwestern India. It is controlled by one string that passes from the top of the puppet’s head, over the manipulator’s hand, and down to one shoulder and controls the body. The shrill voices characteristic of the Rājasthānī

Hinduism: The Brahmanas and Aranyakas: …of the royal consecration, the rajasuya, emphasized royal power and endowed the king with a divine charisma, raising him, at least for the duration of the ceremony, to the status of a god. Typical of this period was the elaborate ashvamedha, the horse sacrifice, in which a consecrated horse was…

Rajatarangini, historical chronicle of early India, written in Sanskrit verse by the Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana in 1148, that is justifiably considered to be the best and most authentic work of its kind. It covers the entire span of history in the Kashmir region from the earliest times to the date of

Rajouri, town, western Jammu and Kashmir union territory, northern India, in the Kashmir region of the Indian subcontinent. The town is situated in a deep valley of the southern flank of the Pir Panjal Range on the Tawi River. It was referred to as Rajpuri in Kalhana’s Rajatarangini (12th century

Rājāvaliya, 17th-century historical chronicle of Sri Lanka, covering the history of the island from its legendary beginnings up to the accession of King Vimaladharmasūrya II in 1687. It is the only continuous history of the island written in the Sinhalese language prior to the British period.

Abolhasan Bani-Sadr: …where—along with Mojāhedīn-e Khalq leader Massoud Rajavi—he helped establish the National Council of Resistance, a group dedicated to overthrowing the Khomeini regime. In 1984 Bani-Sadr left the coalition because of a dispute with Rajavi.

Arabic literature: Categories and forms: …the metre and genre of rajaz provided another form of the poetic (possibly emerging out of the earlier category of sajʿ, or rhyming prose). This form of poem served several functions, as is evident in, for example, camel drivers’ songs, known as al-ḥidāʾ. The urjūzah (a poem composed in rajaz)…

Mohammad Ali Rajaʾi was an Iranian politician who was prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1980 to 1981. Born into poverty, Rajaʾi enlisted in the Iranian Air Force at age 16 and later earned a teacher’s diploma from Tehrān’s Teachers’ College. In 1960 he joined the Iranian

Mohammad Ali Rajaʾi was an Iranian politician who was prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1980 to 1981. Born into poverty, Rajaʾi enlisted in the Iranian Air Force at age 16 and later earned a teacher’s diploma from Tehrān’s Teachers’ College. In 1960 he joined the Iranian

Koch, ethnic group dispersed over parts of India (mainly Assam and West Bengal states) and Bangladesh. While their original language is a Tibeto-Burman dialect, large sections of the group in the 21st century spoke Bengali or other Indo-Aryan languages. In the 16th century a Koch chief established

Burdwan: Of historic interest are the Rajbari (the maharaja’s palace and gardens), several ancient Muslim tombs, and 108 Shiva linga in a cluster of 18th-century temples. The Rajbari houses the University of Burdwan, founded in 1960, with several affiliated colleges in the city. The city was constituted a municipality in 1865.

Whirlwind: …Jay Forrester of MIT and Jan Aleksander Rajchman of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), who had come up with a new kind of memory based on magnetic cores that was fast enough to enable real-time operation.

Vasundhara Raje is an Indian politician and government official who rose to become a senior leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She was the first woman chief minister of Rajasthan state and served two terms (2003–08 and 2013–18). Raje was born into the wealthy Scindia (Sindhia) royal

Chola dynasty: His son Rajendracola Deva I (also called Rajendra I, reigned 1014–44) outdid Rajaraja’s achievements. He placed a son on the throne at Madurai, completed the conquest of Sri Lanka, overran the Deccan (c. 1021), and in 1023 sent an expedition to the north that penetrated to the…

Chola dynasty: His son Rajendracola Deva I (also called Rajendra I, reigned 1014–44) outdid Rajaraja’s achievements. He placed a son on the throne at Madurai, completed the conquest of Sri Lanka, overran the Deccan (c. 1021), and in 1023 sent an expedition to the north that penetrated to the…

Cambodia: Angkorean civilization: …abandoned for nearly 30 years—Rajendravarman II (ruled 944–968) restored the capital and set in motion a period of peace and prosperity that lasted nearly a century. During the reign of his successor, Jayavarman V (968–c. 1000), the rose-colored sandstone shrine of Banteai Srei—arguably the loveliest temple at Angkor—was built…

Rajgarh, town, northwestern Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It is situated on the Malwa Plateau between the Newaj and Parbati rivers. The town was founded about 1640 and served as the capital of Rajgarh princely state, established by Umat Rajputs (a warrior caste). It is an agricultural market

Rajgir Hills, small isolated upland region of central Bihar state, northeastern India. The hills are known for their scenic beauty and as a historical and religious centre for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. The formation, composed of massive quartzites, rises sharply from the South Bihar Plains. The

skate: …25 genera across three families—Rajidae, Arynchobatidae, and Anacanthobatidae—while others place all skates into family Rajidae.

skate, (order Rajiformes), in zoology, any of numerous flat-bodied cartilaginous fishes constituting the order Rajiformes. Skates are found in most parts of the world, from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 2,700 metres (8,900 feet). Most classifications

Rajinikanth is an Indian actor whose unique mannerisms and stylized line delivery made him one of the leading stars of Tamil cinema. With roles in more than 170 films, he also enjoyed considerable success in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada movies. Known for his charismatic screen presence and the

Rajinikanth is an Indian actor whose unique mannerisms and stylized line delivery made him one of the leading stars of Tamil cinema. With roles in more than 170 films, he also enjoyed considerable success in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada movies. Known for his charismatic screen presence and the

India: Mauryan government: …rural areas, such as the rajjukas (surveyors), combined judicial functions with assessment duties. Fines constituted the most common form of punishment, although capital punishment was imposed in extreme cases. Provinces were subdivided into districts and these again into smaller units. The village was the basic unit of administration and has…

Hungary: Political developments: …leader of this latter group, László Rajk, was executed on questionable charges in October 1949, and his chief adherents were similarly executed or imprisoned. Meanwhile, hundreds were executed or imprisoned as war criminals, many of them for no offense other than loyalty to the Horthy regime. Many thousands more were…

Rajkot, city, west-central Gujarat state, west-central India. It lies near the centre of the Kathiawar Peninsula, about 45 miles (72 km) southeast of Jamnagar. The city was the capital of the former princely state of Rajkot and of the former Western India States Agency. It is now an important

rajm, in Islam, ritual stoning as a punishment, especially as prescribed for fornication. The term also refers to the ritual casting of stones at the Devil during the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). That particular rite co-occurs with Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival commemorating Abraham’s willingness

Rajmahal, historic town, far northeastern Jharkhand state, northeastern India. It lies west of the Ganges (Ganga) River. The town is located in the Rajmahal Hills, which run in a broad northeast–southwest-trending arch for some 120 miles (190 km) from the Ganges southward almost to Dumka. They rise

Rajnandgaon, city, west-central Chhattisgarh state, east-central India. It lies in a region of fertile farmland in the western part of the Chhattisgarh Plain and is drained by several small tributaries of the Seonath River, which flows just to the south of the city. Rajnandgaon was ruled by a

biological weapon: Biological terrorism: The “Rajneeshies” took political control of the nearby town of Antelope, changing its name to Rajneesh, and in 1984 they attempted to extend their political control throughout the county by suppressing voter turnout in the more populous town of The Dalles. Leading up to the countywide…

Rajneesh movement, religious sect founded by the Indian mystic and spiritual leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known in later life as Osho. Rajneesh first initiated people into his order of neo-sannyasins in the early 1970s and set up the movement’s headquarters in Pune, India, in 1974. In 1981

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was an Indian spiritual leader who preached an eclectic doctrine of Eastern mysticism, individual devotion, and sexual freedom. As a young intellectual, Rajneesh visited with and absorbed insights from teachers of the various religious traditions active in India. He studied

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was an Indian spiritual leader who preached an eclectic doctrine of Eastern mysticism, individual devotion, and sexual freedom. As a young intellectual, Rajneesh visited with and absorbed insights from teachers of the various religious traditions active in India. He studied

biological weapon: Biological terrorism: The “Rajneeshies” took political control of the nearby town of Antelope, changing its name to Rajneesh, and in 1984 they attempted to extend their political control throughout the county by suppressing voter turnout in the more populous town of The Dalles. Leading up to the countywide…

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh: …and, the following year, incorporated Rajneeshpuram, a new city he planned to build on an abandoned ranch near Antelope, Oregon. During the next few years many of his most-trusted aides abandoned the movement, which came under investigation for multiple felonies, including arson, attempted murder, drug smuggling, and vote fraud in…

Andry Rajoelina is a Malagasy entrepreneur and politician who served as president of Madagascar from 2009 to 2014 after coming to power in a coup. He again served as president (2019–23; 2023–25) after winning the 2018 and 2023 presidential elections. In October 2025, following weeks of unrest, he

skate, (order Rajiformes), in zoology, any of numerous flat-bodied cartilaginous fishes constituting the order Rajiformes. Skates are found in most parts of the world, from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 2,700 metres (8,900 feet). Most classifications

skate, (order Rajiformes), in zoology, any of numerous flat-bodied cartilaginous fishes constituting the order Rajiformes. Skates are found in most parts of the world, from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 2,700 metres (8,900 feet). Most classifications

Rajouri, town, western Jammu and Kashmir union territory, northern India, in the Kashmir region of the Indian subcontinent. The town is situated in a deep valley of the southern flank of the Pir Panjal Range on the Tawi River. It was referred to as Rajpuri in Kalhana’s Rajatarangini (12th century

Mariano Rajoy is a Spanish politician who served as prime minister of Spain from 2011 to 2018. Rajoy was raised in the Galicia region of northern Spain. He studied law at the University of Santiago de Compostela, receiving a degree in 1978. After briefly working as a land registrar, he embarked on

Rajput, (from Sanskrit raja-putra, “son of a king”), any of about 12 million landowners organized in patrilineal clans and located mainly in central and northern India. They are especially numerous in the historic region of Rajputana (“Land of the Rajputs”) that also included portions of

Rājput painting, the art of the independent Hindu feudal states in India, as distinguished from the court art of the Mughal emperors. Whereas Mughal painting was contemporary in style, Rājput was traditional and romantic. It developed in the 16th and early 17th centuries, and its late period lasted

Rajputana, former group of princely states chiefly constituting what is now Rajasthan state, northwestern India. The name means “land of the Rajputs.” The area, 132,559 square miles (343,328 square km), consisted of two geographic divisions: the area northwest of the Aravalli Range, this being

Rajshahi, city, west-central Bangladesh. It lies just north of the upper Padma River (Ganges [Ganga] River) and of the border with West Bengal state in India. Rajshahi was selected by the Dutch in the early 18th century as the site of a factory (trading post) and was constituted a municipality

Bangladesh: Education of Bangladesh: …University of Dhaka (1921), the University of Rajshahi (1953), or the University of Chittagong (1966). Other prominent institutions include Jahangirnagar University (1970) on the outskirts of the capital, the Bangladesh Agricultural University (1961) at Mymensingh, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (1962) at Dhaka, and the Islamic University (1980)…

Rajapalayam: …city is named for its Raju inhabitants, Telugu speakers who migrated there during the Vijayanagar (1336–1565) conquest. The city grew as a centre for cotton hand-looming and weaving. It has cotton mills and a cement factory. Pop. (2001) 122,307; (2011) 130,442.

India: Central Asian rulers: …Shaka rulers of note were Rajuvala and Shodasa. Ultimately the Shakas settled in western India and Malava and came into conflict with the kingdoms of the northern Deccan and the Ganges valley—particularly during the reigns of Nahapana, Cashtana, and Rudradaman—in the first two centuries ce. Rudradaman’s fame is recorded in…

Rajputana, former group of princely states chiefly constituting what is now Rajasthan state, northwestern India. The name means “land of the Rajputs.” The area, 132,559 square miles (343,328 square km), consisted of two geographic divisions: the area northwest of the Aravalli Range, this being

Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s bicameral legislature (Parliament). The Rajya Sabha was designed by the framers of the Indian constitution as a check on the power of the Lok Sabha (“House of the People”), the legislature’s lower house. It represents the interests of the states and union

Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty: Their last important king, Rajyapala, was driven from Kannauj by Maḥmūd of Ghazna in 1018 and was later killed by the forces of the Chandela king Vidyadhara. For about a generation longer a small Pratihara principality apparently survived in the area of Allahabad.

RAK Records: For a long time, London pop was cynical, inept, or ironic. In the early 1970s a new generation of producers—heedful of Phil Spector’s description of his work as “little symphonies for the kids”—injected a new sense of market-driven buoyancy into the pop single. Mickie Most…

For a long time, London pop was cynical, inept, or ironic. In the early 1970s a new generation of producers—heedful of Phil Spector’s description of his work as “little symphonies for the kids”—injected a new sense of market-driven buoyancy into the pop single. Mickie Most was a North Londoner, but

Apichatpong Weerasethakul: …Rak ti Khon Kaen (2015; Cemetery of Splendor). He also directed a segment in Ten Years Thailand (2018).

Rakahanga Atoll, one of the northern Cook Islands, a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. It is a sparsely populated rectangular coral atoll 3 miles (5 km) long comprising eight islets. Rakahanga has also been known as Grand Duke Alexander Island,

Rakaia River, river in east-central South Island, New Zealand. It rises in the Lyell and Ramsay glaciers of the Southern Alps near Whitcombe Pass. The river flows east and southeast for 90 miles (145 km) before entering Canterbury Bight of the Pacific Ocean through a delta just west of Banks

arhat, in Buddhism, a perfected person, one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved nirvana (spiritual enlightenment). The arhat, having freed himself from the bonds of desire, will not be reborn. The state of an arhat is considered in the Theravada tradition to be

mask: Therapeutic uses: …Sri Lanka, where 19 distinct sickness demon masks have been devised. These masks are of ferocious aspect, fanged, and with fiendish eyes. Gaudily coloured and sometimes having articulating jaws, they present a dragonlike appearance.

Battle of Talikota, confrontation in the Deccan region of southern India between the forces of the Hindu raja of Vijayanagar and the four allied Muslim sultans of Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, and Golconda. The battle was fought on January 23, 1565, at a site southeast of Bijapur, in what is now

Joel Lehtonen: In Rakastunut rampa (1922; “The Amorous Cripple”), however, Lehtonen bitterly rejects the tributes to individualism and genius worship that marked his youthful phase. The main character has deluded himself into believing that he is a superman, but as circumstances assail him he becomes overwhelmed with shame…

Arabia: The Hejaz and Asir: The sand plain of Rakbah unrolls south of the Kishb Lava Field, which is southeast of Medina. Among the lava fields east of Mecca is one surrounding the mountains of Ḥaḍan (Ḥiḍn), the traditional border area between the Hejaz and Najd.

William Hogarth: Reputation and success of William Hogarth: …and held back the eight-part Rake’s Progress until a law of that nature, known as the Hogarth Act, was passed in 1735. In the following year Hogarth moved into the house in Leicester Fields that he was to occupy until his death.

Igor Stravinsky: Life and career: …on his only full-length opera, The Rake’s Progress, a Neoclassical work (with a libretto by W.H. Auden and the American writer Chester Kallman) based on a series of moralistic engravings by the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth. The Rake’s Progress is a mock-serious pastiche of late 18th-century grand opera but…

theatre: The revival of theatre building in Italy: …scaenae frons, he introduced a raked platform, slanted upward toward the rear, on which the perspective setting of a street was made up of painted canvases and three-dimensional houses. Since the perspective required that the houses rapidly diminish in size with distance, the actors were able to use only the…

Wernher von Braun: Early life: …he acquired a copy of Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen (“The Rocket into Interplanetary Space”) by a rocket pioneer, Hermann Oberth. Frustrated by his inability to understand the mathematics, he applied himself at school until he led his class.

Pakistan: Plant and animal life: Dry scrub forests, called rakhs, grow in parts of the arid plain. In the northern and northwestern foothills and plains, shrub forests, principally acacia, and wild olive are found. In the wetter parts of the northern and northwestern mountains, evergreen coniferous softwood forests, with some broad-leaved species, grow. Fir,…

Marma: …Bengal; the other group, the Rakhaing Marma, are recent immigrants, having come from Arakan toward the end of the 18th century, when their kingdom was conquered by the Burmese.

Raksha Bandhan, joyful family holiday in late summer observed predominantly but not exclusively among Hindus of north India that celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers. In a ceremony, a sister ties a string bracelet or amulet, usually of red or yellow thread, called a rakhi on the right

Raksha Bandhan, joyful family holiday in late summer observed predominantly but not exclusively among Hindus of north India that celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers. In a ceremony, a sister ties a string bracelet or amulet, usually of red or yellow thread, called a rakhi on the right

Arakanese, ethnic group centred in the Arakan coastal region of Myanmar (Burma), in the state of Rakhine. Most Arakanese speak an unusual variety of the Burmese language that includes significant differences from Burmese pronunciation and vocabulary. An independent Arakanese kingdom was probably

Rakhine Mountains, mountain arc in western Myanmar (Burma), between the Rakhine (Arakan) coast and the Irrawaddy River valley. The arc extends northward for about 600 miles (950 km) from Cape Negrais (Myanmar) to Manipur (India) and includes the Naga, Chin, Mizo (Lushai), and Patkai hills. The

Rakhine Mountains, mountain arc in western Myanmar (Burma), between the Rakhine (Arakan) coast and the Irrawaddy River valley. The arc extends northward for about 600 miles (950 km) from Cape Negrais (Myanmar) to Manipur (India) and includes the Naga, Chin, Mizo (Lushai), and Patkai hills. The

Sergey Rachmaninoff was a composer who was the last great figure of the tradition of Russian Romanticism and a leading piano virtuoso of his time. He is especially known for his piano concerti and the piece for piano and orchestra titled Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1934). Rachmaninoff was born

Michael Curtiz: Last films of Michael Curtiz: …songwriter Gus Kahn (played by Danny Thomas). The Story of Will Rogers followed in 1952.

Iranian languages: Dialects: …six groups: Eastern Hill dialects; Rākhshānī dialects including that of Mary; Sarawānī; Kechī; Loṭunī; and the coastal dialects. Of these, Rākhshānī is the most widely spoken and is used for broadcasting both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan, but the coastal dialects have the greatest prestige and the most extensive literature.…

naval warfare: The age of fighting sail: Popular aims were raking (firing a broadside the length of an enemy ship from across the bow or stern) or doubling (concentrating force by putting ships on both sides of the enemy line). The most reliable way to concentrate gunfire was to build it into ships vertically by…

Al-Raqqah, town, northern Syria, on the Euphrates River just west of its confluence with the Balīkh River. Al-Raqqah is on the site of an ancient Greek city, Nicephorium, and a later Roman fortress and market town, Callinicus. It flourished again in early Arab times when the ʿAbbāsid caliph Hārūn

Rákóczi family, Noble Magyar family prominent in 17th-century Hungary. Its members included György I (1593–1648), who as prince of Transylvania (1630–48) allied himself with Sweden against the Habsburgs and won religious freedom for Protestants in Hungary. His son György II (1621–1660), prince of

Ferenc Rákóczi, I was a scion of a noble Magyar family, and in 1670 a leader of an unsuccessful Hungarian–Croatian revolt against the Habsburgs. Rákóczi, the son of György Rákóczi II, had been designated (1652) to become prince of Transylvania, but never did reign after his father’s death (1660).

Ferenc Rákóczi, II was a prince of Transylvania who headed a nearly successful national rising of all Hungary against the Habsburg empire. He was born of an aristocratic Magyar family. Both his father and his stepfather had led insurrections against the Habsburgs, and Rákóczi grew up in an

György Rákóczi, I was a prince of Transylvania from 1630, who, as a champion of Protestantism, fought for and won religious freedom in Hungary and made his principality virtually an independent state. György was the youngest son of Zsigmond Rákóczi, prince of Transylvania (1607–08). György took a

György Rákóczi, II was the prince of Transylvania from 1648, who had the laws of the principality codified, but whose foreign policy led to the restoration of Turkish hegemony over Transylvania. György II succeeded his illustrious father György I as prince in 1648 and continued his policy of

John Amos Comenius: Social reform of John Amos Comenius: …Hungary, where the young prince Zsigmond Rákóczi wanted to establish a model pansophic school at Sárospatak. Comenius, arriving there in 1650, received a warm reception. The school opened with about 100 pupils, but it proved unsuccessful. The students were ill prepared to learn anything beyond the rudiments of reading and…

Mátyás Rákosi was the Hungarian Communist ruler of Hungary from 1945 to 1956. An adherent of Social Democracy from his youth, Rákosi returned to Hungary a Communist in 1918, after a period as prisoner of war in Russia. He served as commissar for Socialist production in the short-lived Communist

Georgi Sava Rakovski was a revolutionary leader and writer, an early and influential partisan of Bulgarian liberation from Ottoman Turkish rule. Already a national revolutionary by the age of 16, he participated in an insurrection against the Turks in 1841. Later, as an employee of the Turkish war

Khristian Georgiyevich Rakovsky was a Bulgarian revolutionary who conducted subversive activities in Romania before joining the Russian Bolshevik Party and becoming a leading political figure in Soviet Russia. The grandson of the Bulgarian revolutionary Georgi Rakovski, he became involved in