The Criollo is an Argentine breed of riding horse which originated during the 16th century from Spanish horses imported by Pedro de Mendoza. The Criollo stands between 14 and 15 hands high and is mostly dun in colour, but also occurs in other colours. The Criollo is used by cowboys and has contributed to the Argentinean polopony. Research Criollo
The San Pedro Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata agalmae) is a subspecies of the Mountain Kingsnake found in California and parts of Mexico. The San Pedro Mountain Kingsnake has a stripy appearance of equal red, black and white coloured bands and grows to about 76 centimetres in length. Research San Pedro Mountain Kingsnake
Don Pedro Calderon de la Barca was a Spanish dramatist. He was born in 1600 at Madrid, 1600 and died in 1681. Educated in the Jesuits' College, Madrid, and at Salamanca. Before his fourteenth year he had written his third play. Leaving Salamanca in 1625 he entered the army and served with distinction for ten years in Italy and the Netherlands. In 1656 he was recalled by Philip IV, who gave him the direction of the court entertainments. The next year he was made knight of the order of Santiago, and he served in 1640 in the campaign in Catalonia.
In 1651 he entered the clerical profession, and in 1653 obtained a chaplain's office in the archiepiscopal church at Toledo, but as this situation removed him too far from court, he received, in 1663, another at the king's courtchapel (being still allowed to hold the former); and at the same time a pension was assigned him from the Sicilian revenue. His fame greatly increased his income, as he was solicited by the principal cities of Spain to compose their autos sacramentales, for which he was liberally paid, and on which he specially prided himself.
Besides heroic comedies and historical plays, some of which merit the name of tragedies, Galderon has left ninety-five autos sacramentales, 200 loas (preludes), and 100 saynetes (farces). He wrote his last play in the eightieth year of his age. His smaller poems are now forgotten; but his plays have maintained their place on the stage even more than those of Lope de Vega. Their number amounts to 128. He wrote, however, many more, some of which were never published. Research Don Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, was the eldest son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. He was born in 1330 and died in 1376. He first distinguished himself at the Battle of Crecy in 1346 where he commanded part of
the forces, and it was on this occasion that he adopted the motto Ich dien (I serve), used by all succeeding princes of Wales. In 1355 he commanded the army which invaded France from Gascony, and in 1356 won the Battle of Poitiers and in 1360 the peace of Bretigny was made by which the provinces of Poictou, Saintonge, Perigord, Limousin were annexed to Guienne and formed into a sovereignty for the prince under the title of the Principality of Aquitaine.. In 1367 he went to the aid of Pedro the Cruel, king of Castile and defeated Henry of Trastamare at Najera. To recoup his expenses incurred in Spain Edward levied a hearth tax on his Gascon subjects, who rebelled and appealed to the French king, Charles V. War was declared in 1369 and the English suffered disaster, Edward retreating to England. He was the first duke created, in 1337 being made duke of Cornwall. Research Edward the Black Prince
Hernandez Y Aguilar Gonsalvo de Cordova called the great captain (el gran capitan),was a Spanish soldier. He was born in 1453 at at Montilla, near Cordova and died in 1515 at Granada. He distinguished himself in the Portuguese War which began in 1475, and in the great war with the Moors, which ended with the conquest of Granada in 1492. In 1495 he was sent to assist Ferdinand II, king of Naples, against the French, who occupied the whole of that kingdom. In less than a year Gonsalvo de Cordova drove the French over the Neapolitan frontiers, and returned to Spain, where he was engaged in subjecting the Moors in the Alpujarras, when Louis XII of France renewed the war against Naples. Gonsalvo de Cordova again took the field, and by the victory near Seminara in 1502 obtained possession of both Calabrias. In 1503 he gained a still more important victory near Cerignola, in consequence of which Abruzzo and Apulia submitted, and Gonsalvo de Cordova marched into Naples. He then sat down before Gaeta. As the siege was protracted, he gave up the command to Don Pedro Navarro, and advanced to meet the enemy. He defeated the Marquis of Mantua; and on the Garigliano, with 8000 men, obtained a complete victory over 30,000 French, the consequence of which was the fall of Gaeta. The possession of Naples was now secured. He was viceroy in Italy until 1507, when, through the jealousy of the king and the calumnies of the courtiers, he was deprived of his office, and retired to Granada, where he died. Research Gonsalvo De Cordova
Inez de Castro was a Portuguese noble lady. She was a lady of noble birth, secretly married to Pedro, son of Alphonso IV, the king of Portugal, after the death of his wife Constantia in 1345. The old king Alphonso IV, fearful that this marriage would injure the interests of his grandson Ferdinand (the son of Pedro by his deceased wife), resolved to put Inez to death. Three noblemen, Diego Lopez Pacheco, Pedro Coelho, and Alvarez Gonsalvez, were his counsellors in this scheme, and carried it out themselves by stabbing Inez within the convent where she lived in 1355. Two years after King Alphonso IV died, and Pedro, inducing the king of Castile to give up to him two of the murderers, who had taken refuge there - the third, Diego Lopez, having managed to escape - put them to death with cruel tortures. The king then made public declaration of the marriage that had taken place between him and the deceased Inez; and had her corpse disinterred and placed on a throne, adorned with the diadem and royal robes, to receive the homage of the nobility. The body was then conveyed to Alcobaga and buried with great honours. The history of the unhappy Inez has furnished many poets of different nations with materials for tragedies, and her story is one of the finest episodes in the Lusiads of Camoens. Research Inez de Castro
Luigi Tansillo was an Italian poet and soldier. He was born in 1610 at Venosa and died in 1568. He served with distinction under Don Pedro de Toldeo, viceroy of Naples, against the Turks and in Charles V's expedition against the Turks. Later he became a judge at Gaeta and became famous for his lyrics and satirical writings. He was condemned by the Inquisition, and forced to make amends in order to have himself removed from the Index. Research Luigi Tansillo
Maria Evarist Miguel was a usurper to the throne of Portugal. He was born in 1802 at Lisbon and died in 1866. A son of John VI, he refused to recognise the constitution of 1822 and headed an unsuccessful insurrection. His brother, Pedro IV of Brazil, on his accession to the throne, betrothed his daughter Maria to Miguel, and in 1826 abdicated in her favour, Miguel acting as regent. In 1828, supported by the nobility and clergy, he proclaimed himself king, but after six years of civil war he was dethroned and in 1834 banished. Research Maria Miguel
Pedro Antonion de Alarcon was a Spanish poet and novelist and politician. He was born in 1833 and died in 1891. He is best known as the author of 'The Three Cornered Hat'. Research Pedro Antonion de Alarcon
Pedro Alvarez Cabral was a Portuguese explorer. He was born about 1460 and died about 1526. In 1500 he received command of a fleet bound for the East Indies, and sailed from Lisbon, but having taken a course too far to the west he was carried by the South American current to the coast of Brazil, of which he took possession in name of Portugal. Continuing his voyage, but losing half his fleet, and among others the famous navigator Bartholomew Diaz, he visited Mozambique, and at last reached India, where he made important commercial treaties with native princes, and then returned to Europe. Research Pedro Cabral
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Criollo
