Volume 1

Universal pronouncing dictionary of biography and mythology / by Joseph Thomas.

  • Joseph Thomas
Date:
1911, ©1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Universal pronouncing dictionary of biography and mythology / by Joseph Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1406/1486 (page 1388)
    John IIL of Navarre, or Jean d’Albret, zhftN dfl'bR^', began to reign in 1494. In 1512 Ferdinand the Catholic invaded Navarre and drove John from the throne. Died in 1516. John I., King of Poland, a son of Casimir IV., was born in 1459, and succeeded his father in 1492. He waged war against the Tartars and Turks. Died in 1501. John II. of Poland. See Casimir V. John III. of Poland. See Sobieski. John [Port. J0A0 or Joam, zho-owN'j I., surnamed the Great, King of Portugal, the natural son of Peter L, was born in 1357. On the death of his brother Ferdi¬ nand, in 1385, he assumed the regal power in opposition to the rights of Ferdinand’s daughter Beatrix, who had married John I., King of Castile. This led to a war with Spain, in which the Portuguese monarch gained several important victories and firmly established his power. He subsequently carried on a successful war against the Moors of Africa. During his reign the Portuguese com¬ menced those maritime expeditions which soon after rendered them so celebrated. Under the command of his son, Prince Henry, they discovered Madeira, the Canaries, the Azores, and several places on the western coast of Africa. Died in 1433. See La Cl^dr, “ Histoire g4n£rale de Portugal;” Fernando Lopez, ‘‘Chronica del Rey J0X0 I.,” 3 vols., 1644; Manoel Mon- teiro, ‘‘Joannes Portugalia* Reges,” 1742. John (Joao) II., King of Portugal, surnamed the Perfect, son of Alfonso V., was born in 1455, and ascended the throne in 1481. At the age of sixteen years he fought against the African Moors and took Ar- rile and Tangiers, and five years later gained the battle of Toro over the Castilians. Soon after his coronation he quelled a powerful conspiracy formed against him by his nobles. He encouraged the spirit of enterprise among the Portuguese, and fitted out a squadron destined for the East Indies and the Eastern Seas. Died in 1495. See Vasconcellos, “Vida y Acciones del Rey Don Juan II.,” 1639, (translated into French, 1641;) DamiAo de Goes, “Chronica do Principe Dom JoSo Rey,” etc., 1567; “ Nouvelle Biographic GfSn^rale.” John (JoSo) III., King of Portugal, born in 1502, succeeded his father, Emanuel the Great, in 1521. In 1524 he married Catherine of Austria, to whose brother, Charles V., he gave his sister Isabella in marriage. He colonized Brazil, and sent to the Eastern Seas a fleet, by which Japan was discovered. He established the Inquisition in Portugal and its colonies. Died in 1557. John (JoJo) IV., surnamed the Fortunate, chief of the dynasty of Braganza, was born in 1604. He threw off the authority of Spain, to which Portugal had been subjected since the days of Philip II., and became king in 1640. He enacted many wise and beneficial laws, and died, greatly regretted by the nation, in 1656. See Vhrtot, “ Histoire des Revolutions de Portugal,” 1689. John (Joao) V., King of Portugal, born in 1689, suc¬ ceeded his father, Peter II., in 1707. He joined the allies against France and Spain about 1702. After the peace of Utrecht (1713) devoted his time to the encourage¬ ment of education and commerce. Died in 1750. See “Vida, Successos e Fallecimento do Rey J0S0 V.,” Lisbon, 1750; Ferdinand Denis, “ Portugal.” John (Joao) VI. of Portugal, was born in 1769, and was appointed Regent of Portugal in 1793 on account of the derangement of his mother, Maria I., who was then queen-regnant. In 1807, when the French invaded Portugal, he sailed to Brazil, where he received the title of emperor. He returned in 1821, soon after which the Brazilians revolted and declared themselves independent. Died in 1826. See “ Histoire de Jean VI, Roi de Portugal,” 1827; “ Nouvelle Biographie G£n£rale.” John, King of Scotland. See Baliol. John of Russia. See Ivan. John (Johan, yo'hln) I., King of Sweden, the'last of the dynasty of Sverker, succeeded Eric in 1216. He was very active in establishing Christianity. Died in 1222. John II. of Sweden. See John I. of Denmark. John III., King of Sweden, the second son of Gus- tavus Vasa, was born in 1537. He married Catherine Jagellon, daughter of Sigismund, King of Poland. In 1560 he visited England, to negotiate a marriage between his elder brother Eric and Queen Elizabeth, in which he was unsuccessful. In 1568 he deposed Eric and ascended the throne in his stead. Influenced by his queen, he attempted to re-establish the Catholic religion, but was effectually resisted by his brother Charles, Duke of Sudermania, at the head of the Protestants. Died in 1592. John, King, or Emperor, of Abyssinia, was known as Prince Kassai or Kasa, (Lij Kassa,) and was Under- Governor of Adowa. In 1867 the Emperor Theodore made him one of the kings of Tigre. In 1868 he as¬ sisted the English in their march against Theodore, after whose fall John received from the conquerors large amounts of military stores. Civil wars followed, but in 1872 John was crowned at Axoom. In 1876 he repelled an Egyptian invasion, and in 1879 he received the alle¬ giance of Menilek, King of Shoa. Died March 12, 1889. John (Jean) I., Duke of Bretagne, was born in 1217. Having attempted to check the papal encroachments, the pope excommunicated him, and he was obliged to go to Rome to obtain absolution. Died in 1284. John II., son of the preceding, was born in 1239. He married Beatrix, daughter of Henry III. of England, from whom he received the title of Count of Richemont. He was also made a peer of France by Philippe le Bel. He was killed at the ordination of Clement V. at Lyons by the falling of a wall. John III., Duke of Bretagne, surnamed the Good, succeeded his father, Arthur II., in 1312. He is said to have been a just and benevolent prince. Died in 1341. John IV., Duke of Bretagne, known as Jean de Montfort, half-brother of the preceding, was born in 1293. John (Jean) IIL, having no children, willed the dukedom to Charles de Blois ; but Jean de Montfort, re¬ garded by many as the legitimate heir, soon reduced all the towns and provinces to his subjection, and went to England to render homage to King Edward for his estates. On his return he was summoned before the court of peers to prove his claims to Bretagne. The peers decided against him, and he raised an army to defend his rights, but was shortly after taken prisoner by the Duke of Nor¬ mandy and confined in the tower of Louvre at Paris. In the mean time the war was carried on with energy by his duchess, Jeanne of Flanders. At the expiration of nearly four years, John escaped, disguised as a mer¬ chant. He died soon after, in 1345. See Daru, Histoire de Bretagne.” John (Jean) V., (or John IV., according to some authorities,) Duke of Bretagne, born in 1338, was a son of the preceding. He married Mary, a daughter of Edward III. of England. By a decisive victory over his competitor, Charles de Blois, at Auray, in 1364, he obtained possession of Bretagne. He afterwards fought for the English against the French, who drove him out of Bretagne about 1374; but he was soon restored. Died in 1399. See Sismondi, “ Histoire des Fran^ais.” John (Jean) VI., son of the preceding, became Duke of Bretagne in 1399, when he was ten years of age. He carried on a war against the Count of Penthievre and the Duke of Burgundy, and afterwards joined the Eng¬ lish under the Duke of Bedford against France. Died in 1443. John, surnamed the Fearless, [Fr. Jean Sans Feur, z1i6n s6n puR,] Duke of Burgundy, born at Dijon in 1371, was the eldest son of Philip the Bold. At the age of twenty-five he assisted Sigismund, King of Hungary, against the Turks, by whom he was made prisoner at the battle of Nicopolis. When taken before the Sultan Bava- zeed, (Bajazet,) he evinced so much courage that that sovereign gave him his liberty and the surname of Sans Peur, (the “ Fearless.”) After his return to France he was engaged in fighting the English and in political in¬ trigues at the French ccurt. He was appointed guardian of the dauphin of France in 1406. He caused the assas¬ sination of his rival, the Duke of Orleans, in i«;D7, and obtained almost unlimited power in the kingdom. He was murdered in 1419, at the instigation of the dauphin, son of Charles VI.