AUSTRIA, Emperor of, Ferdinand I. (1793-1875). Son of Francis II., ascended the throne in 1835. His incapacity for Government and his bad health obliged him to leave the control of affairs to a regency chiefly directed by Prince Metternich. He abdicated in 1848 in favour of his nephew Francis Joseph I.
AUSTRIA, Archduke Louis Joseph of (1784-1864). Son of the Emperor Leopold II. and of the Empress Marie Louise, daughter of Charles III. of Spain; he was Director-General of Artillery.
AUSTRIA, Archduchess Sophia of (1805-1872). Daughter of Maximilian I., King of Bavaria, married in 1824 the Archduke Francis-Charles, and was the mother of Francis Joseph I.
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BACKHOUSE, John, died in 1845. An English author and statesman. He was for some years Canning's private secretary, and was twice Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
BACOURT, Adolphe Fourrier de (1801-1865). A French Diplomatist and a Peer of France. He was sent to assist the Prince de Talleyrand while the latter was King Louis-Philippe's Ambassador in London, and was afterwards Minister at Carlsruhe and Washington, and Ambassador at Turin. He resigned in 1848.
BAILLOT, a young officer and an only son who was killed in Paris during the émeute of April 13, 1834, by a pistol shot fired at him point blank while he was carrying an order from Marshal Lobau.
BALBI, Comtesse de (1753-1839). She was the daughter of the Marquis de Caumont la Force and married the Comte de Balbi, a Genoese. She was lady-in-waiting to the Comtesse de Provence, and was honoured with the friendship of the Comte de Provence (afterwards Louis XVIII.).
BARANTE, Baron de (1782-1866). He was successively Auditor of the Conseil d'État, charged with various diplomatic missions, Prefect of La Vendée, and then of Nantes, Deputy, Peer of France and Ambassador at St. Petersburg. He was very successful as a historian and was elected to the Academy.
BARBÉ-MARBOIS, François, Marquis de (1745-1837). Before the Revolution he held several diplomatic appointments. At the Revolution he was deported to La Guyane, and did not return until after the 18th brumaire. The First Consul made him President of the Cour des Comptes, an office which he held till 1834.