P. 487, c. 1—“U´krane.” A former south-east province of Poland lying on both sides of the Dnieper. Now it is identical with Little Russia, having, since 1793, belonged to the Russian government. It was to this country that Charles XII. turned after his disastrous march toward Moscow in 1707-8. Within its borders his army was reduced by cold, hunger and fatigue, until at last, in the battle of Poltava, Charles was wounded, and his army defeated and scattered.
P. 487, c. 1—“Five years in Turkey.” The long delay of Charles in Turkey was justified by his hopes of arousing the Turkish government to the danger of allowing the Russians to consolidate their rising power, as well as by his plans for obtaining a powerful Turkish army which he himself should lead.
P. 487, c. 1—“Ul´ri-ka.”
P. 487, c. 2—“Vasa line.” See page 245 of The Chautauquan for February, 1883.
P. 487, c. 2—“Frederick of Hesse.” Frederick belonged to Hesse-Cassel, the elder branch of the Hesse dynasty. This electorate was incorporated with Prussia in 1866, and in 1868 became part of the province of Hesse-Nassau.
P. 487, c. 2—“Hol´stein.” A former duchy of Denmark, but now a part of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of Prussia.
P. 487, c. 2—“1771.” This year is famous as the time when Louis XIV. exiled the parliament of Paris, and for the seizure of the Crimea by the Russians. It is interesting to note, also, that the first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica was published in 1771.
P. 487, c. 2—“Catherine II.” The wife of Peter III. Her husband being very unpopular, she assisted in a conspiracy against him and became empress. Her reign was filled with conquests and schemes for improvement. Although she enlarged the kingdom, her reforms, undertaken for show, were transient. She died in 1796.
P. 487, c. 2—“Bourbon Family.” A French ducal and royal family. Different branches have held the thrones of France, Spain and Naples, and have been dukes of Parma. It derives its origin from the lords of Bourbon in Berry. In France the Bourbons succeeded the house of Valois. The first king was Henry IV., who was acknowledged in 1594. The family is now divided in two branches represented by the Count de Chambord, a descendant of Charles X., who was assassinated in 1820, and the Count de Paris, a descendant of Louis Phillipe, who lost his crown in 1848.
P. 487, c. 2—“Sodermanland.” sö´der-män-länd. A south-east laen or province of Sweden; fertile, level, and abounding in lakes. Its capital is Myköping.