Belemnon. A dart used by the ancient Grecians.
Belfry, or Beffroi. Among military writers of the Middle Ages, a movable tower, often several stories high, erected by besiegers for purposes of attack and defense.
Belgian-fuze. See [Bormann-fuze].
Belgium. Late the southern portion of the kingdom of the Netherlands, and anciently the territory of the Belgæ, who were finally conquered by Julius Cæsar, 51 B.C.; a revolution commenced at Brussels, August 25, 1830; Antwerp taken (except the citadel), December 23, 1830. The king of the Netherlands commenced war August 3, 1831, but France sent 50,000 troops to assist Belgium, which effected an armistice. Antwerp was taken by the French, December 23, 1832, and the French army returned to France immediately after. For previous history, see [Flanders].
Belgrade. An ancient city in Servia, on the right bank of the Danube. It was taken from the Greek emperor by Solomon, king of Hungary, in 1086; gallantly defended by John Huniades, against the Turks under Mahomet II., July to September, 1456, when the latter was defeated with the loss of 40,000 men; it was taken by Sultan Solyman, 1521, and retaken by the Imperialists in 1688, from whom it was again taken by the Turks, 1690; besieged in May, 1717, by Prince Eugene. On August 5, of that year, the Turkish army, 200,000 strong, approached to relieve it, and a sanguinary battle was fought at Peterwardein, in which the Turks lost 20,000 men; after this battle Belgrade surrendered. In 1739 it was ceded to the Turks, after its fine fortifications had been demolished; retaken in 1789, and restored at the peace of Reichenbach in 1790. The Servian insurgents had possession of it in 1806; in 1815, it was placed under Prince Milosch, subject to Turkey; the fortifications were restored in 1820; the fortress was surrendered by the Turks to the Servians about August, 1867.
Belier (Fr.). A battering-ram, invented by the Carthaginians about 441 B.C.; used in ancient times for siege purposes. Also a wooden machine for driving wedges under a ship’s bottom.
Bellair. In North America; this town was attacked by the British forces under Sir Peter Parker, who, after an obstinate engagement, were repulsed with considerable loss; their gallant commander was killed August 30, 1814.
Belle-Alliance. A farm-house on the field of Waterloo, Belgium; it is situated on the right side of the high-road to Brussels and about two miles from Mount-Saint-Jean. Here Napoleon marshaled his guards for their last effort at Waterloo; and here Wellington and Blücher met after the battle was gained by the allies.
Bellegarde. A hill fortress of France, in the department of the Pyrénées Orientales. Here the French under Philip III. were defeated by Peter III. of Aragon, in 1285; captured by the Spaniards in 1674, and again by the French under Marshal Schomberg, in 1675; blockaded and taken by the Spaniards under Ricardos, but was retaken by the French in the following year.
Belleisle. An isle on the southeast of Brittany, France, erected into a duchy for Marshal Belleisle in 1742, in reward of his military and diplomatic services, by Louis XV. Belleisle was taken by the British forces under Commodore Keppel and Gen. Hodgson, after a desperate resistance, June 7, 1761; restored to France in 1763.