Chapter I: D. B (7)

A treaty between the Orange Free State and Moshesh, signed in 1866, after the Basuto war of 1865-6. Moshesh surrendered the greater portion of his country to the Free State, and undertook to withdraw all his subjects from the ceded territory. He not only failed to carry out the terms, but in the following years sent large bodies of warriors into these districts, and prevented their settlement by Europeans.

Theatins.

A monastic order, founded by John Caraffa, Bishop of Theate (afterwards Paul IV), and authorised by Clement V in 1524. The Theatins were strong supporters of the movement for the reform of the Papacy which arose within the Church about the middle of the sixteenth century.

Thegns.

In Saxon times the thegns were originally the King’s servants. Later, enriched by grants of land, they superseded the old nobility, and became eventually the Barons.

Thelusson’s Act.

An Act passed in 1800, by which it was made illegal to devise property to accumulate for a longer period than twenty-one years. It arose from the will of Peter Thelusson, a wealthy merchant, who left £800,000 to accumulate until his grandson’s grandson reached the age of twenty-one. The will led to protracted litigation, and the resulting accumulation was consequently much less than had been anticipated.

Theological Controversy.

An assembly of Catholic and Protestant divines, held at Westminster in 1559, to discuss certain points of dogma and ritual. The questions set for discussion were: the use of prayer in a tongue not understood by the people, the right of individual congregations to alter their ritual to suit their needs, and the propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead in the celebration of the Mass. No decision was arrived at on any point.

Theows.

In Saxon times the slaves of the feudal lords, reduced to the servile condition either as prisoners of war, or through debt.

Thermidoriens.

The party who voted the decree of accusation against Robespierre and his followers in July (Thermidor) 1794. During the Directoire they still showed themselves advanced Republicans, being in favour of maintaining the decrees against the clergy, the noblesse and the emigrés.

Thing.

Amongst the Norsemen, the assembly of freemen. The Things were of varying importance, and bore different names, according to the purpose for which they were convoked. Thus, the Althing was the general assembly of the nation, held annually; the Konungs-thing, a meeting specially summoned by the King; and so on down to the Husthing, a meeting of his own men summoned by any petty chief.

Thingamen.

Another name for the Housekarls of King Knut.

Third Section.

A section of the Russian secret police, specially established to watch all political movements. It was formed by Nicholas I in 1865.

Thirteen Cantons, Confederation of.

The Confederation formed by the admission, between 1481 and 1513, of the Cantons of Fribourg, Soleure, Basle, Schaffhausen and Appenzell, into the Perpetual League.

Thirteen States.

The thirteen American colonies forming the original thirteen States of the Union were Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts. New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia.

Thirty, Battle of the.

A combat between the followers of Simon de Montfort and those of Charles of Blois, fought at Ploermel in Brittany in 1350. The combatants were limited to thirty on each side, and the English were defeated.

Thirty Years War.

A war between Ferdinand II and the Protestant Princes of Germany, which broke out on the accession of Ferdinand to the Austrian throne in 1619. The Protestant Princes had elected to the Imperial Throne Frederic V, the Elector Palatine, and took up arms in his support. Sweden under Gustavus Adolphus, and later France, were drawn into the conflict, and the war did not terminate till 1648, when Ferdinand III signed the Treaty of Westphalia.

Thirty-nine Articles.

The articles of faith of the Church of England, consisting of thirty-nine of the original forty-two articles issued in 1552. By an Act of Elizabeth passed in 1571, the acceptance of these was made incumbent on all the clergy of the Established Church.

Thirty-six, Council of.

A council appointed in 1357 to carry on the Government of France during the captivity of John. They had power to levy taxes, to appoint the chief officers of State, and generally to exercise all executive functions.

Thirty-three Articles.

A code of laws drawn up by the Volksraad of Potchefstroom in 1844, and adopted in 1849 by all the communities established to the north of the Vaal river.

Thistle, Order of the.

An order of knighthood instituted, according to tradition, by Archaicus, King of the Scots in 809. Though thus older than the Garter in its origin, it has been several times in abeyance, having been revived by James V of Scotland, by James II of England, and finally by Queen Anne, who placed it on its present footing.

Thorn, Conference of.

A conference summoned by Ladislaus IV of Poland in 1645, in an endeavour to unite the Protestants to the Catholic Church. It lasted about four months, and was entirely without result.

Thorough.

The Policy of Thorough is the phrase used by Strafford and Laud to express their determination to carry through their schemes for the public advantage, regardless of the obstacles thrown in their way by interested parties.

Thralls.

Among the Norse nations slaves were so called. They were generally captives taken in war.

“Three Acres and a Cow.”

A phrase used by Mr. Jesse Collings, in the election campaign of 1885, expressive of the plank in his programme of free allotments of land for all agricultural labourers.

Three Emperors, Battle of the.

The battle of Austerlitz, December 2, 1805, is so called, because Napoleon and the Emperors of Austria and Russia were all present.

Three F’s.

The ostensible programme of the Irish Land League in 1880: Fixity of Tenure, Fair Rent, Free Sale.

Three Kings, Alliance of the.

An alliance formed in 1849 between the Kings of Prussia, Hanover, and Saxony, to take joint measures for the suppression of the disorders rife in their States at that time.

Thresher, Captain.

The pseudonym of the leader of a band of lawless Irishmen, who in 1806 attacked the collectors of tithes.

Throgmorton’s Conspiracy.

A conspiracy of certain Jesuits and English Catholics in 1583, to rise against Queen Elizabeth, in conjunction with an invasion of French and Spanish troops. Suspicion was aroused by Throgmorton’s constant visits to the Spanish Ambassador. He was arrested, and under torture revealed the details of the plot, and the names of the principal conspirators.

Thugs.

A quasi-religious sect of robbers and murderers in India, who despatched their victims by strangling. They were put down by Lord Dalhousie about 1856.

Thunderbolt of Italy.

The sobriquet of Gaston de Foix, Duc de Nemours (1489-1512), given him on account of his brilliant campaign in Italy.

Thurn and Taxis.

A princely house of Germany, with large estates in Austria, Bavaria, Würtemberg, and elsewhere, who established the earliest postal system in Germany in 1460. In 1595 a member of the house was appointed hereditary grand master of the posts of the Empire, and though the privileges of the office were gradually infringed by the larger German States, the monopoly was not finally abolished till 1867.

Tiberine Republic.

A republic with Rome as its capital, established by Napoleon in Central Italy in 1797.

Tichborne Case.

_See_ Claimant.

Tientsin, Treaty of, 1858.

A treaty between Great Britain, France and China, at the close of the war of 1857, providing for the establishment of Chinese Legations in London and Paris, and French and English Legations in Pekin, the toleration of Christianity in China, and access to the interior of China and to the navigable rivers for British and French subjects. In 1860 the envoys proceeding to Pekin to exchange ratifications were not permitted to proceed. Further hostilities ensued, and certain European prisoners were barbarously tortured by the Chinese, in revenge for which the Allies destroyed the Summer Palace of Pekin.

Tientsin, Treaty of, 1885.

A treaty between France and China, by which China withdrew her claim to exercise a protectorate over Annam.

Tiepoli, Conspiracy of.

A conspiracy of Venetian nobles, headed by Tiepoli and the family of the Querini, against Gradenigo, the Doge of Venice, in 1310. The conspirators enlisted the aid of the Paduans, and formed a plan to seize the Doge in the Ducal Palace by means of their own armed retainers, holding the Square of St. Mark till the arrival of the Paduans. The plan miscarried, owing to the vigilance of the Doge, who was prepared for the attack, and the conspiracy failed. Many of the leaders were killed in the fighting, and others were executed, but Tiepoli escaped.

Tiers Etat.

The third estate of the Realm, or Commoners, in France. It is held that they were first consulted by Louis IX, who summoned twelve citizens from the principal towns of France, to advise him on the national coinage.

Tiers Parti.

A moderate party formed in the French Assembly in 1832, in the reign of Louis Philippe. In 1834 they formed a ministry under the Duc de Bassano, but the Chamber refused to support it, and it resigned in three days. In 1836, however, it formed a more durable administration under Thiers.

Tilsit, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1807 between France, Prussia and France all her provinces on the left bank of the Elbe, to form the kingdom of Westphalia for the benefit of Jerome Buonaparte. In addition, recognition was accorded to Louis Buonaparte as King of Holland, to Joseph as King of Spain, and to the Confederation of the Rhine. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw was created out of the Duchies of Warsaw and Posen, and given to the King of Saxony. There were certain secret clauses in the treaty between France and Russia, by which Russia agreed to aid France against England and to coerce Portugal, Sweden and Denmark to take the same course, while France undertook to aid Russia against the Turks if the Porte declined to accept his mediation.

Tio Porsupuesto, El.

The nickname of Bolivar, the Liberator of South America, from his habit of beginning an argument with the words “Por supuesto,” “Let us suppose.”

Tithe Commutation Act.

An Act passed in 1836, commuting the tithe into a permanent rent charge upon the land, annually adjusted upon the price of corn, and redeemable at twenty-five years’ purchase of the average amount.

Tithe Commutation Act (Ireland).

An Act passed in 1838, commuting the tithe into an annual rent charge, with a reduction of 25 per cent. At the same time the loan of one million sterling made in 1833 in aid of the destitute Irish Clergy, was converted into a gift.

Tithe Riots.

A series of disturbances in Montgomeryshire and elsewhere in North Wales in protest against the payment of tithes in 1887. Riots were caused by sales under distraint in various parts of Wales, and for some time such sales could only be carried out under military protection.

Togakuto.

The Society of Oriental Learning, a party in Korea violently opposed to Western ideas, and anxious to exclude all foreigners. In 1893 some 200,000 members gathered in Seoul, with the object of coercing the King, who had refused their preposterous demands.

Toisée.

An order issued by Emery, finance minister of Louis XIV, in 1644, to the effect that houses built in the Paris suburbs in contravention of an edict issued a hundred years before, but never enforced, should be redeemed by payment of a heavy fine. This order caused great discontent, and was eventually withdrawn.

Tököli’s Rebellion.

A rising of the Magyars against Austrian domination in 1678, headed by Tököli, who, aided by the Turks, succeeded in driving the Austrian troops out of Hungary. He maintained his position until 1683, when he was defeated, and the Turks being at the same time repulsed from Vienna, the rising came to an end, and Tököli was forced to flee the country.

Toledo, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1538 after Russia. Prussia abandoned to Francis’ invasion of Piedmont, by Charles V and Francis I, by which Francis obtained possession of Bresse, Savoy, and half of Piedmont, Charles taking the remainder of Piedmont and the Milanese. The Pays de Vaud was left to Berne, and the independence of Geneva guaranteed.

Tolentino, Treaty of.

A treaty between France and the Papal See, signed in 1797. By this treaty the Pope surrendered the Legations and Ancona, and agreed to the final inclusion of Avignon in France. He also consented to pay a heavy sum in coin and jewels and to permit the removal to France of certain specified works of art. In return France recognized the Pope’s power to control the religious communities in Rome.

Toleration Acts.

An Act passed on the accession of William and Mary in 1689, giving Protestant Dissenters the right to hold services in their own chapels, provided such chapels were registered. A further Act applying to Scotland was passed in 1712 for the toleration of all episcopal clergymen who were willing to take the Oath of Abjuration established by the Act of 1702.

Tonkinois, Le.

A nickname of Jules Ferry, referring to his responsibility for the unpopular Tongking expedition of 1883.

Tonnage and Poundage.

A tax levied on all merchandise other than the staple commodities, whether exported or imported. It varied from 1s. 6d. to 3s. on every tun of wine or beer, and from 6d. to 1s. on every pound of merchandise. It was first levied in the reign of Edward III.

Toom Tabard.

Empty Jacket, the nickname of John Baliol, King of Scotland (1292-1314), because he had the semblance but not the reality of royal power.

Tordesillas, Treaty of.

A treaty between Spain and Portugal, signed in 1494. Portugal being dissatisfied with the terms of the Papal Bull of Demarcation, Spain agreed to the dividing line between the two spheres of colonisation being drawn 370 leagues west of Cape Verde. Under the terms of this treaty Portugal subsequently claimed Brazil.

Torgau, League of.

A league formed at Torgau in 1526 by the Protestant Princes of Germany, headed by the Landgrave of Hesse and the Elector of Saxony, as a counter move to the reported combination of Duke George of Saxony, the Elector of Brandenburg, the Archbishop of Mentz and other Catholic Princes to oppose the Reformation.

Torres Vedras, Lines of.

The strongly intrenched position in front of Lisbon, occupied by Wellington during the winter of 1810-11, after the fall of Ciudad Rodrigo.

Tory.

The name given to the Loyalist Party in the reign of Charles II. It is taken from the name applied to the Irish outlaws. The word now implies extreme Conservatism.

Tory Democracy.

The political creed of Lord Randolph Churchill and his followers. He maintained that Toryism was not necessarily the creed of an exclusive class, but was as democratic in its aims as Radicalism.

Toshachs.

In the earliest days of Scottish history, an inferior grade of chieftain in the Highlands.

Tourkmantchai, Treaty of.

A treaty between Russia and Persia, signed in 1828, by which Persia ceded Erivan and Nakitchevan, and accorded exceptional commercial facilities to Russian subjects.

Tours, Edict of.

An edict issued by Henri IV in 1591, repealing the edicts of his predecessor with respect to the Huguenots, and re-establishing the Concordat between the two religions contained in the Edict of January.

Tractarian Movement.

_See_ Oxford Movement.

Trade Unions.

Combinations of workmen in a particular trade, formed for mutual protection against rapacious employers, and also as benefit societies. They are mostly the growth of the nineteenth century, but have their origin in the trade guilds of the earlier times.

Trafalgar Square Riots.

A series of disturbances in London in 1887. Meetings, nominally of unemployed, were held in Trafalgar Square, and addressed by well-known Socialist leaders, among others John Burns and Cunningham-Grahame. As these meetings led to disorder and obstruction of the traffic, they were prohibited by Sir Charles Warren, the Chief Commissioner of Police. The Socialists insisted on their right to hold the meetings, and the disturbances culminated on Sunday, November 13th, when a number of processions on their way to the Square were broken up by the police, and their leaders arrested, severe fighting taking place at several points. This, however, ended the rioting, as no further attempts were made to hold the prohibited meetings.

Trails-bâtons.

Outlaws who in 1305 infested the country districts of England, hiring themselves out for the execution of private vengeance. Stringent measures were taken against them under the Statute of Winchester.

Train-bands.

Properly the Trained Bands, a force in the nature of a militia, established by James I in 1604, to replace the Fyrd. They numbered 160,000.

Transplantation, Irish.

By an Act of Parliament passed in 1653, the whole of Ireland, excepting Connaught and the county of Clare, was opened for settlement by adventurers and the soldiers of the Commonwealth. The whole of the Irish population was transplanted to the province and county named above.

Transvaal National Union.

An association of the Uitlanders in the South African Republic, formed in Johannesburg in 1892, with the object of securing the franchise and reforms in general for foreigners settled in the country. In December 1895 it took the name of the Reform Committee, and was largely instrumental in bringing about the Jameson Raid, which took place at the end of that month, though it seems evident that the actual moment chosen for the Raid did not accord with its plans. After Jameson’s defeat the leaders of the Committee were arrested and tried for treason, four of them being sentenced to death, though they were afterwards reprieved.

Treason, Statute of.

A Statute of Edward III, in 1352, which defines high treason as plotting the death of the King or Queen, or their eldest son, levying war against the King, or comforting or adhering to his enemies. This Statute is still in force.

Treaties, Conventions, Alliances, etc.

_See_ Abbeville, Abo, Adam Kok, Adis Ababa, Adrianople, Aigun, Aix-la-Chapelle, Akerman, Alaska, Aliwal North, Amboise, American-Japanese, American-Spanish, Amiens, Anglo-Chinese, Anglo-Dutch, Anglo-French, Anglo-German, Anglo-Italian, Anglo-Japanese, Anglo-Portuguese, Anglo-Russian, Arras, Ashburton, Association, Barcelona, Bardo, Barrier, Barwalde, Basle, Bassein, Bekcagsog, Belgian, Berlin, Berwick, Black Sea, Bloemfontein, Bond-Blaine, Breda, Breslau, Brétigny, Brigham, Brömsebro, Brunnen, Brussels, Bucharest, Budchaz, Cadan, Caen, Campo-Formio, Cappel, Carlowitz, Cassini, Câteau Cambrésis, Chartres, Chaumont, Christian, Cintra, Clair-on-Epte, Clayton-Bulwer, Closter Seven, Commercial, Confederation, Conflans, Constance, Cretan, Crown, Cyprus, Dardanelles, Deogam, Dover, Dreikaiserbund, Dual, Edinburgh, Evora, Falczi, Falaise, Family, Ferdinand, Field, Fisheries, Folenbray, Fommanah, Fontainebleau, Franco-American, Franco-Annamese, Franco-Siamese, Frankfort, Frederickshamm, Gandamak, Gastein, Geneva, Ghent, Gisors, Grand Alliance, Great Intercourse, Guadeloupe-Hidalgo, Gulistan, Hanover, Hay-Pauncefote, Holy Alliance, Hubertsberg, Hué, Iglau, Imparani, Jassy, Joinville, Jay, July, Kenilworth, Kiel, Kuldja, Kutchuk Kainardji, Lahore, Lambeth, Lodi, London, Longjumeau, Lübeck, Loo, Lunéville, Luxemburg, Madras, Madrid, Malus Intercursus, Mandeshwar, Mangalore, Mantua, Meersen, Methuen, Moldavian, Monçon, Montpelier, Nanking, Nertchinsk, Newport, Nimeguen, Northampton, Nottingham, Nystad, Olmütz, Oregon, Paix, Panama, Paris, Passau, Passarowitz, Peace, Pecquigny, Péronne, Perpetual, Pilnitz, Poland, Prague, Presburg, Pretoria, Pruth, Purandhar, Pyrenees, Quadrilateral, Quadruple, Reichenbach, Reinsurance, Roeskild, Russo-Japanese, Ryswick, St. Germains, St. Petersburg, Salbai, Samoan, San Ildefonso, San Stefano, Sand River, Santiago, Schönbrunn, Secret, September, Seringapatam, Servian, Seville, Shimonoseki, Sikkim, Sitvatorok, Smithfield, Southampton, Stockenström, Stockholm, Stolbova, Suez, Surat, Swaziland, Szatmár, Szegedin, Teplitz, Teschen, Thaba Bosigo, Three Kings, Tientsin, Tilsit, Toledo, Tolentino, Tordesillas, Tourkmantchai, Tripartite, Triple, Tri-regal, Troyes, Turin, Unkiar Skelessi, Utrecht, Uxbridge, Vaal, Verdun, Vereeniging, Versailles, Vervins, Vienna, Villefranche, Wallachia, Wallingford, Washington, Waterboer, Wedmore, Werelä, Westphalia, Worms, Yandabo, Zanzibar, Zurich.

Treaty Ports.

Ports specially set aside for trade purposes and the residence of foreigners in countries where unrestricted foreign trade is not permitted, as in China.

Treinta y Tres.

The thirty-three Uruguayan patriots who raised the standard of revolt against Brazil in 1825. Aided by Argentina, Uruguay shook off the Brazilian yoke and was proclaimed an independent republic in 1828.

Trek, Great.

The great emigration of Dutch settlers from Cape Colony in 1836 and 1837. A variety of causes, among others the emancipation of the Kaffir slaves, for which the farmers received very inadequate compensation, led to this trek, which brought about the first colonisation of the country beyond the Orange river. Other parties crossed the Drakensberg into Natal, where they established a republic in 1838.

Trek, Second.

An emigration of Boer farmers from the country between the Orange river and the Vaal, in 1844 and 1845. Their object was to escape British rule, which was about to be established in the country they were leaving, and which took shape in the Orange River Sovereignty in 1848. These trekkers founded the South African Republic.

Trent, Council of.

A council summoned by Paul III in 1545, to settle, if possible, the religious questions arising out of the Reformation. The council lasted till 1563, and in the end merely emphasised the differences between the Catholic Church and the Reformers, reasserting as essentially Catholic the doctrines of purgatory, transubstantiation, the intercession of saints, and others.

Trent Incident.

The forcible removal from an English steamer, the _Trent_, by Captain Wilkes, of the U.S. sloop _Jacinto_, of Messrs. Mason and Slidell, who were on their way to Europe as envoys of the Southern States in 1861. They were subsequently released, but not until considerable public feeling had been aroused on both sides, and the British Government had gone the length of reinforcing the Canadian garrison.

Treuga Dei.

The Truce of God, imposed upon all the vassals of the Empire who were at war amongst themselves by an edict of the Emperor Henry III, issued at the Diet of Constance in 1403. It was to be observed from Wednesday evening till Monday morning in each week.

Tribunal Révolutionnaire.

A tribunal, at first called the Tribunal Extraordinaire, established by the French Convention in March 1793, to deal with Royalist and other suspects and political prisoners. It was composed of five judges, with a standing jury, each member of which had to give his verdict audibly. There was no appeal from the decisions of this court, which sent some two thousand persons to the guillotine.

Tribune of the People.

A sobriquet of John Bright.

Tricoteuses de Robespierre.

Robespierre’s knitters were a knot of women who, during the Terror, used to sit, knitting, at the meetings of the Convention and of the Tribunal Révolutionnaire, or round the guillotine. They were also called “Les Furies de la Guillotine.”

Triennial Act.

An Act passed in 1694, limiting the duration of a Parliament to three years. It was practically repealed by the Septennial Act of 1716.

Triers.

An examining body appointed by Cromwell in 1554, to inquire into the qualifications of persons appointed to benefices. Any one, other than a Catholic, whose creed was fundamentally orthodox, and whose life was free from reproach, was permitted to retain his cure.

Trim, Remonstrance of.

A document submitted to Charles I by Ormonde in 1643, in which the Irish Catholics complained of the disabilities under which they laboured owing to the legislation of Elizabeth’s reign. At the same time they offered to place ten thousand men at the King’s disposal.

Trinoda Necessitas.

In Saxon times the obligation thrown on every inhabitant of bearing his share in (1) war service; (2) the repair of roads and bridges; and (3) the maintenance of fortifications. This obligation was continued after the Conquest.

Tripartite Treaty, 1800.

A treaty between the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and a representative of the ancient royal family of Mysore, dividing between the three signatories, the dominions of Tippu Sahib.

Tripartite Treaty, 1856.

A treaty signed by Great Britain, France and Austria, immediately after signature of the Treaty of Paris of 1856, guaranteeing the independence and territorial integrity of Turkey, and declaring that they would consider any infraction of the Treaty of Paris to be a casus belli.

Triple Alliance, 1668.

An alliance concluded in 1668 between England, Holland and Sweden, by which the contracting parties bound themselves to oppose the advance of France. Within two years, however, Charles II signed a treaty with the French king, binding himself not to interfere with the French designs on the Netherlands.

Triple Alliance, 1717.

An alliance of England, France and Holland, guaranteeing the clauses of the Treaty of Utrecht with reference to the English Protestant succession, the French succession, and the renunciation by Spain of her claim to the throne of France. It was intended as a counterpoise to the alliance of Russia, Sweden and Spain. It became the Quadruple Alliance by the adhesion of Austria in 1718.

Triple Alliance, 1883.

In 1879 Germany and Austria entered into a defensive alliance, which provided for mutual assistance against Russia, and at least a benevolent neutrality against any other Power. In 1883 it was announced that Italy was a party to this alliance, which then became known as the Triple Alliance. It has been several times renewed, the last occasion being in 1902.

Triple Alliance (India).

An alliance between the English, the Peshwa and the Nizam, concluded in 1790, by which it was agreed that the contracting parties should combine to invade the dominions of Tippoo Sahib, and that all conquests should be equally divided between them.

Triple Alliance, War of the.

The war waged by Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay against Paraguay from 1865 to 1869.

Tri-regal Alliance.

An alliance between the kings of Prussia, Saxony and Hanover in 1849, with the object of bringing about a union of the German States, to the exclusion of Austria. It was broken up by the Humiliation of Olmütz in 1850.

Trismegistus, The German.

Rudolph II of Germany was so called.

Triumvirate, The.

Grenville’s Ministry in 1763 was so called, because the Secretaries of State, Lords Egremont and Halifax, were regarded as holding the direction of affairs jointly with Grenville.

Triumvirate, The Catholic.

The league between the Duc de Guise, the Maréchal de St. André, and the Constable of France in the reign of Charles IX was so called.

Triumvirate, The (Russia).

This title was given to Adam Czartoryski, Novossiltsof and Strogonof, the three principal advisers of Alexander I of Russia on his accession.

Troppau, Congress of.

A meeting of the Russian, Austrian and Prussian sovereigns in 1820, to consider the questions raised by the Neapolitan revolution, and to confirm the Holy Alliance.

Trott of Turriff.

An attack by the Gordons under Robert Johnston on the Covenanters at Turriff in 1639, the Covenanters being driven out.

Troubles, Council of.

_See_ Blood Council.

Trough, Race of the.

_See_ Farquharsons.

Troyes, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1420 by Henry V of England and Philip, Count of Charolais, on behalf of the Burgundian Party, by which it was provided that Henry should marry Catherine of France, and succeed to the French Crown on the death of Charles VI. It only resulted in a fresh effort on the part of the patriotic party, the Armagnacs, and the defeat of the English at Beaugé, while Henry, hastening back to France to re-establish his position, died there in 1422.

Truck Act.

An Act passed in 1831, and extended in 1887, forbidding the payment of wages, either wholly or in part, in goods. It applies to all persons engaged in manual labour, except domestic servants.

Tsung-li-Yamen.

The old Board of Foreign Affairs in China. It was abolished by Imperial edict in 1901, and replaced by a new Board known as the Wai-Wupu.

Tübingen, Treaty of.

The name given to an agreement between Ulrich of Würtemberg and his subjects in 1514, by which the latter agreed to pay the Duke’s debts in return for certain concessions.

Tuchins.

Bands of revolted peasants in the Cevennes in 1381, who waged war against all who did not belong to the labouring classes.

Tugendbund.

A secret society established in Germany in 1808, to arouse the national spirit against the domination of Napoleon.

Tulchan Bishops.

The contemptuous sobriquet given to the titular bishops in Scotland, 1572, referring to their surrender to the lay patrons of practically the whole of their benefices. “Tulchan” is a calf-skin, stuffed with straw, used to induce a cow to give her milk more easily.

Turin, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1860 by France and Sardinia, providing for the cession to France of Savoy and Nice, in return for Lombardy, in accordance with the secret agreement of Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel.

Turkey Company.

A trading company incorporated in 1581, for the consolidation of the various interests trading in the Levant.

Turnip-Hoer.

A nickname of George I, who is said to have suggested planting St. James’s Park with turnips.

Turpentine State.

A popular name for the State of North Carolina, referring to its large production of turpentine.

Tuscany, League of.

A league of the Tuscan cities, formed under the auspices of Innocent III, “for the honour and aggrandizement of the Apostolic See.” Pisa alone refused to join the league.

Tweed Ring.

A ring headed by W. M. Tweed, the Tammany Boss, which robbed the city of New York of large sums. Tweed was convicted of fraud in 1873. See Tammany.

Twelve Peers of France.

A body of peers, holding direct from the Crown, who were limited to twelve during the reign of Philip Augustus (1180-1223). They were six lay peers, namely, the Dukes of Normandy, Aquitaine and Burgundy, and the Counts of Toulouse, Flanders and Champagne; and six spiritual, the Archbishop of Rheims, and the Bishops of Beauvais, Châlons, Langres, Laon, and Noyon.

Twenge’s Riots.

In 1230 a secret society formed, under the leadership of Sir Robert Twenge, to oppose the granting of benefices to foreign priests, had recourse to violent measures to advance their cause. Many foreigners were robbed and outraged, and Twenge had the audacity to justify himself before Henry III, and was allowed to go unpunished.

Two Nations, Committee of the.

A joint committee appointed by the English and Scots Parliaments in 1643, after the acceptance of the Solemn League and Covenant, to carry on the war against the King.

Tycoon.

_See_ Shôgun.

Tynwald, Court of.

The legislature of the Isle of Man. It is composed of two houses, the Council and the House of Keys.

Tything.

The ten persons united under the system of Frankpledge were called a tything.

U

Udallers.

The name given to the proprietors of allodial lands in the Orkneys.

Ukase.

A decree of the Czar of Russia is so called. The Czar being an absolute monarch, it has all the force of a legal enactment.

Ulema.

The body of professional theologians and lawyers in Turkey. They are the interpreters of the law of the Koran, and from their body are selected the pleaders and magistrates as well as the priests. The head of the Ulema is the Sheyk-ul-Islam.

Ulm, Capitulation of.

The surrender of the Austrian General Mack, with 30,000 men, to Napoleon in October 1805.

Ulster Custom.

A system of land tenure prevailing in the greater part of Ulster, by which the tenant’s property in all improvements affected by him is recognised by the landlord. This custom had practically the force of law, and was made a part of the Irish Land Laws by Mr. Gladstone’s Act of 1870.

Ulster Massacre.

The Irish rebellion of 1641 began with an attack upon the English settlers in Ulster, many of whom, living outside the towns, were murdered in cold blood. The number of victims has been put as high as 300,000, but this is doubtless a gross exaggeration. Still, some thousands unquestionably perished.

Ulster, Plantation of.

The colonisation, between 1606 and 1612, of lands forfeited from Tyrone, Tyrconel, and other rebels, by retired servants of the Crown. It was a condition of the colonisation that the Irish were to be confined to their own districts, and not allowed to settle on the forfeited lands. The City of London undertook the colonisation of Derry.

Ultimus Romanorum.

A sobriquet of Horace Walpole (1717-97).

Ultramontanes.

The name given to any party strongly supporting the Papal claim to temporal power. It was used especially in Germany, of the Catholic party, led by Dr. Windthorst during the Kulturkampf.

Umritsar, Treaty of.

A treaty between the East India Company and Ranjit Singh, concluded in 1809. It provided that the British should not seek to exercise any control in the territories north of the Sutlej, while Ranjit Singh agreed to respect the rights of the cis-Sutlej chiefs living under British protection.

Unam Sanctam, Bull of.

A Bull issued by Boniface VIII at the Council of Rome in 1302, declaring that the temporal power is inferior to the spiritual, and that the Pope has the power of appointing and deposing sovereigns. This Bull was specially directed against Philip the Fair of France.

Uncle Sam.

The popular name for the Government of the United States.

Uncrowned King.

Charles Stewart Parnell was called the Uncrowned King of Ireland.

Underground Railroad.

An organization formed in the Northern States of America, after the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850, to aid fugitive slaves to escape to British territory.

Undertakers.

A number of English gentlemen who undertook the settlement of Ulster in 1569. The forfeited lands were to be peopled by settling a family on each 240 acres, and no Irish were to be admitted as tenants. Neither of these obligations was adhered to, and little was accomplished till the Plantation of Ulster in 1606.

Undertakers.

The name given to certain members of the Addled Parliament in 1615, who undertook to control it in the interests of the King. Their plans became known, and they consequently failed to carry out their scheme.

Undertakers, Parliamentary.

Twenty-five Irish landowners who, in the unreformed Parliament, were able to control the return of 116 members out of a house of 300. They were thus enabled to make their own terms with the Government, and were consequently known by the above title.

Uniformity, Act of.

An Act passed in 1549 (Edward VI), forbidding the use in churches of any book of prayers except the Book of Common Prayer approved by the Parliament then sitting, and known as Edward VI’s First Prayer Book. Certain alterations having been made in the book, a further Act was passed in 1552, substituting the new version for the First Prayer Book. The use of this book having been abolished during Mary’s reign, it was again made obligatory by an Act of Queen Elizabeth in 1559, and made to apply to Ireland, while the same course was pursued after the Restoration in 1662, with the additional proviso that no clergyman might hold a living who was not ordained by a bishop and prepared to accept the Prayer Book.

Unigenitus, Bull.

A Bull issued by Innocent X in 1653, in condemnation of the Jansenist heresy.

Union Catholique.

A union of the League with the less bigoted Catholics of France, formed in 1588 on the virtual acceptance by Henri III of the League formulas.

Union Cellar.

An underground cellar in the High Street, Edinburgh, where the principal supporters of the union with England held secret meetings, the feeling against the union being so strong that they dared not meet openly.

Union de la France Chrétienne.

A union formed in 1891 to hinder the movement for adhesion to the Republic on the part of the Catholic party. Its leaders were M. de Chesnelong, the Comte de Mun, and the Baron de Mackau.

Union of Calmar.

By this instrument, promulgated in 1397 by Margaret of Denmark, the three northern kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark were united into one monarchy. It was renounced by Sweden in 1523.

Union Jack.

The union flag, when hoisted at the jackstaff of a man-of-war, is so called. The union flag is composed of the red cross of St. George on a white ground (England), the white saltire of St. Andrew on a blue ground (Scotland), and the red saltire of St. Patrick on a white ground (Ireland).

Union with Ireland.

The Act of Union with Ireland was finally passed in 1800. Resolutions in favour of it had been submitted to the Irish Parliament in 1799, and though supported in the main by the Irish Catholics, they were opposed by Grattan, Curran and other Irish leaders, and rejected. Pitt was determined that in the interests of both countries the union must take place, and, the Irish Parliament having been dissolved, he succeeded by unlimited bribery in securing a Parliament containing a majority pledged to vote for the union. This Parliament met in 1800, and the necessary resolution was passed by a majority of forty-six.

Union with Scotland.

The Parliamentary Union between the two kingdoms was agreed to in 1706, the terms being settled by commissioners, thirty-one on each side, appointed for the purpose. The basis of the agreement was that there should be one kingdom, one Parliament and one Successor. The national flags were to be combined, and the two countries known as the United Kingdom. The confirming Act was passed by the Scots Parliament in 1706, by the English in 1707.

United Brotherhood.

_See_ Clan-na-Gael.

United Colonies of New England.

_See_ Confederation, Treaty of.

United Diet.

A combination of the eight Provincial Assemblies of the Prussian monarchy, convened by Frederick William IV in 1847. It sat for eleven weeks only, and was replaced by the Constituent Assembly summoned to prepare a constitution in 1848.

United Irish League.

A league founded by William O’Brien in the congested districts of the west of Ireland in 1897. Its ostensible object is to secure an increase in the size of tenants’ holdings by breaking up grass farms. Its methods are not free from intimidation.

United Irishmen.

A society founded in 1789 by Wolfe Tone, in the attempt to unite, in opposition to the Government, the Irish Catholics and the Republican Protestants of Ulster.

United Provinces.

The name given to the seven provinces of the Netherlands, namely, Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Friesland, Groningen, Gelderland and Oberyssel, which formed the Union of Utrecht in 1579.

University Tests Act.

An Act passed in 1871, abolishing all religious tests for admission to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and making all graduates of the Universities eligible for fellowships, whether in Holy Orders or not.

Unkiar Skelessi, Treaty of.

A treaty between Russia and Turkey, signed in 1833, by which, regardless of the protests of France and England, Turkey agreed to open the Bosphorus to the warships of Russia, while the Dardanelles remained closed to those of every other Power.

Unlearned Parliament.

The Parliament of Henry IV, which met at Coventry in 1404, was so called because it contained no lawyers.

Unser Fritz.

Frederick, Emperor of Germany, was called Our Fritz by his subjects.

Unspeakable Turk.

A phrase applied to the Ottoman Empire. It was first used by Thomas Carlyle.

Useless Parliament.

The name given to the first Parliament of Charles I. It met in June 1625, was removed to Oxford in August, and dissolved on the 12th of that month without having transacted any business.

Uses, Statute of.

By common law, landed property could only be left to the eldest son, and it had become the custom to saddle property so left with “uses,” or charges, in favour of the younger children. This had caused inextricable confusion as to title, and a statute of Henry VIII, passed in 1535, forbade the practice. It was very soon repealed.

Uti Possidetis.

A term signifying the retention by the parties to a treaty of all such territories as they may have conquered or become possessed of up to the signature of the document.

Utraquists.

The name given to a section of the Hussites who stood firm in their demand that the Communion should be administered in both kinds.

Utrecht, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1713 between Louis XIV and the allies, England and Holland, the Emperor not being a party to the instrument, at the close of the War of the Spanish Succession. By its terms the allies recognized the Bourbon succession to the Spanish throne, with the proviso that the two crowns should never be united in one person. Louis acknowledged Anne and the Protestant Succession. England retained Gibraltar, Minorca and Newfoundland, the latter subject to the fishery rights of France. Spain again granted England the Asiento, and certain fortified towns were given to the Dutch as a barrier in the Netherlands. The Emperor signed a separate treaty at Rastadt in the following year.

Utrecht, Union of.

A union of the various provinces of the Netherlands in 1597, when they undertook to support each other in opposing the claims of the Spanish King. The free exercise of the Protestant religion was guaranteed to Holland and Zeeland. This union may be looked upon as the foundation stone of the Dutch Republic.

Uxbridge, Treaty of.

An attempt on the part of the Presbyterians in Parliament to come to terms with Charles I in 1645. Negotiations were opened at Uxbridge, the Parliamentary demands being the abolition of Episcopacy, the continuation of the war in Ireland, and the control by Parliament of the Army and Navy and of appointments to the great offices of State. The King withdrew from the negotiations, owing to the dissensions in Parliament between the Independents and Presbyterians, which he anticipated would eventually enable him to obtain better terms.

V

Vaal, Treaty of the.

A treaty between the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, signed in 1857, after President Pretorius’ abortive invasion of the Free State. The two countries mutually acknowledged each other’s independence, with the Vaal as the boundary between them. The Transvaal repudiated the acts of Pretorius in his attempt to interfere with the internal Government of the Free State, while the Free State undertook to use every endeavour to compel Schoeman and Joubert to cease hostilities, and further agreed to accord to burghers of the Transvaal the same privileges as were granted to those of Cape Colony and Natal.

Vaccination Act.

An Act passed in 1898, substituting the use of calf-lymph for the old arm-to-arm system in public vaccination, and permitting parents who had a conscientious objection, to withhold their children from vaccination, on satisfying a magistrate of the same.

Vagabonds Act.

An Act passed in 1704, empowering Justices of the Peace to hand over to the military authorities, as recruits, all able-bodied men who were without visible means of subsistence.

Valtelline, Massacre of the.

A massacre of the Grisons Protestants in the Valtelline Valley in 1620, by Robustelli, acting with the connivance of the Austrians and the Spaniards.

Vassalage.

In the Middle Ages, the condition of feudal dependence, either upon the Lord Paramount, as in the case of the great territorial nobles, or upon a vassal of the Lord Paramount.

Vassy, Massacre of.

The massacre, in 1562, of a body of Huguenots who, in accordance with their strict legal rights, were holding a service outside the town of Vassy in Champagne. The murderers were the retinue of the Duc de Guise, and the victims numbered sixty, while over two hundred were wounded. This atrocity led to the outbreak of the first Huguenot War.

Vatican Council.

The Œcumenical Council held in Rome in 1870, at which the dogma of the Infallibility of the Pope was promulgated.

Vavassors.

The name given on the Continent to the vassals of the great feudal lords.

Vehmgerichte.

Secret tribunals established in Germany during the Middle Ages, to try persons arraigned on capital charges, and to carry out the sentence in case of conviction. The most famous was that of Westphalia. Any free born German was eligible as a member, or Freischöffe, and many German Princes were initiated. The powers of the Vehmgerichte were greatly curtailed by Maximilian, the original purpose of these tribunals having been overshadowed by their employment as vehicles of private vengeance, and they gradually lost all influence, till they were finally dissolved by Jerome Buonaparte in 1811.

Veishya.

The third, or agricultural, caste among the Hindus.

Vellore, Mutiny of.

A rising of native troops in the Madras Presidency in 1806, caused by a change in the headdress of the Sepoy, to whom it was suggested by agitators that he was to be forcibly Christianized. The rising was soon suppressed.

Venezuela Boundary.

In January 1895 Venezuelan troops crossed the Cuyuni river, part of the Schomburgk line, into British Guiana, and hoisted the Venezuelan flag in territory which had been occupied by the British colonists for many years. Obtaining no redress, Lord Salisbury issued an ultimatum, whereupon Venezuela appealed to the United States to intervene, in support of the Monroe doctrine. President Cleveland and Mr. Olney took a high hand, and went the length of appointing an American Commission to examine into the boundary question. After long negotiation arbitration was agreed upon, and a treaty settling the details was signed in February 1897. The award of the arbitrators was issued in 1899, and practically confirmed the British claim to the Schomburgk line, but gave Venezuela Barima Point, at the mouth of the Orinoco, and a tract of country west of the Wenama river.

Venice, League of.

A league formed in 1495 between Spain, Austria, Milan, Venice and Rome, the signatories binding themselves to unite for the protection of any one of the contracting parties that was attacked, and especially for the preservation of the States of the Church. It is the first example in history of a coalition for mutual defence.

Venner’s Plot.

A plot of the Fifth Monarchy men in 1660, under Thomas Venner, to dethrone Charles II. The plan was to seize Whitehall during the King’s absence, when Venner, a wild fanatic, trusted to Divine help to carry out the rest of his scheme. The plot failed, and Venner and other leaders were arrested, but only after a desperate resistance.

Verdun, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 843, after a short conflict, by the three sons of Charlemagne, Charles the Bald, Louis and Lothair. The eldest son, Lothair, renounced his right to the paramountcy, and the younger sons entered into full enjoyment of their territories, the Empire being thus divided. This treaty marks the division of the Frankish nation into French and Germans.

Vereeniging Conference.

The conference of Boer leaders held at Vereeniging in May 1902, at which the terms of surrender were discussed and finally accepted. The terms provided for the immediate laying down of arms by the Boer commandos, the acknowledgment of the King as their lawful sovereign, the return of the Boer prisoners as soon as practicable, freedom of surrendered burghers from all judicial proceedings except for acts contrary to the usages of war, the use of the Dutch language in the schools, if demanded, and in the law courts when necessary, and the establishment in due course of representative government. The British Government further agreed to provide £3,000,000 as a free gift, towards the re-settlement of the country, and a loan of unstated amount, on easy terms, for the same purpose.

Vernacular Press Act.

An Act passed in India in 1878 to control native newspapers publishing seditious libels. It gave the Government power to make the editor of a native newspaper enter into a bond not to print seditious matter, and also authorized the seizure of plant in the event of non-compliance with the terms of the bond. The Act was repealed in 1882.

Verona, Congress of.

A Congress of the Powers held in 1822, to consider the situation in Spain. It resulted in the armed intervention of France in the following year.

Veronese Vespers.

A rising at Verona in 1797, during the French occupation. It was promptly put down, but not before the Veronese had murdered four hundred French sick and wounded, lying in the hospitals of the town.

Versailles, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1783 between Great Britain on the one hand, and Spain, France and the United States on the other, at the conclusion of the American War of Independence. France retained Tobago, and Spain, Florida and Minorca, but all other conquests were restored on both sides. As between Great Britain and the United States, this treaty simply confirmed the provisions of the Treaty of Peace of 1782.

Vervins, Treaty of.

A treaty signed in 1598 between Henri IV of France and Philip II of Spain, after the recovery by Henri of Amiens, which had fallen into the hands of the Spaniards. By its terms France recovered all the territory occupied by Spain during the previous ten years, her frontier being restored to that settled by the Treaty of Câteau Cambrésis.

Veto.

Under the Swiss Constitution, the right of the people to reject a law passed by the Assembly, by means of the Referendum.

Veto Act.

An Act passed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1834, at the instigation of Dr. Chalmers, declaring it to be a fundamental law of the Church that no pastor could be imposed on a congregation against their will.

Victorian Deadlocks.

These were three in number, caused by attempts to tack on to the Appropriation Bill resolutions of a controversial character. The first occurred in 1865, when the Legislative Council refused to pass the Appropriation Bill with certain tariff resolutions of a protective character appended. The Governor thereupon declined to sign warrants for payments out of the Treasury, and the business of the country was at a standstill. The Government, however, got out of the difficulty by having recourse to the banks. The second or great deadlock arose from the inclusion in the Appropriation Bill of a grant of £20,000 to Sir Charles Darling, the retiring Governor, in 1867. This was ended by the refusal of Sir Charles, in July 1868, to accept the grant. The third arose in 1877 over the question of payment of members, the council again refusing to pass the Appropriation Bill with this provision tacked on. The Government thereupon dismissed a large number of civil servants. A compromise was, however, arrived at, and the officials reinstated. The day on which the dismissals took place is known as Black Wednesday.

Vienna Congress.

A congress of the Great Powers, held in 1814-15, at which Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia and Russia were represented. It confirmed in its main features the Treaty of Paris of 1815, with the following additional provisions: one-third of the kingdom of Saxony was surrendered to Prussia; the Duchy of Posen was retained by Prussia, and part of Galicia by Austria, while Russia secured the rest of Poland; the Bourbons were restored in Naples, the Tyrol was given back to Austria, and certain arrangements made as to the minor German and Italian States. The Congress further pronounced in favour of the free navigation of rivers, and of the suppression of the slave trade.

Vienna Conference.

A conference of the four Great Powers, held in 1853, with the object of mediating between Russia and Turkey. A note was drawn up which was accepted by Russia, but refused by Turkey, the Sultan declining to admit that Russia’s championship alone maintained the Greek Church in his dominions. During the sitting of the conference Turkey declared war. It being found impossible to bring the antagonists to terms, the conference was dissolved.

Vienna, Definitive Peace of.

A treaty signed in 1738 by Austria, France, Spain and Sardinia, after the War of the Polish Succession. By its provisions Lorraine was ceded to France, the Duke of Lorraine receiving in exchange the Duchy of Tuscany. Spain retained Naples and Sicily, and Sardinia obtained Novara and Tortona, and some other frontier towns.

Vienna, Peace of.

A treaty between France and Austria, signed in 1809 after the defeat of the Austrians at Wagram, by which Austria was despoiled of further territory for the benefit of France, Russia and Bavaria. Austria also agreed to recognize Joseph Buonaparte as King of Spain, and to support the Continental Blockade.

Vienna, Treaty of, 1725.

A treaty between Spain and Austria, by which Spain accepted the Pragmatic Sanction, and agreed to open her ports to German commerce; while Austria recognized Don Carlos as the successor to the Duchies of Parma and Tuscany, and undertook to use her influence with England to obtain the restoration to Spain of Gibraltar and Minorca. There was, however, a further secret treaty, binding both countries to assist in the restoration of the Stuarts, while Austria promised aid in compelling the return of Gibraltar and Minorca, by force if necessary.

Vienna, Treaty of, 1731.

A treaty between Austria, Spain, Holland and England. The three latter powers united in guaranteeing the Pragmatic Sanction, while Austria agreed to the occupation of Parma and Tuscany by Spanish garrisons.

Vienne, Council of.

A council summoned by Pope Clement V in 1312, at which he pronounced the dissolution of the Order of Knights Templars.

Vieux Renard.

Marshal Soult (1769-1851) was so called by his soldiers.

View of Frankpledge.

The periodical revision by the Hundred Court of the Tythings, or divisions of ten men, under the system of Frankpledge.

Vigo Galleons.

The name given to an expedition under Sir George Rooke in 1702, when the English fleet forced an entrance into Vigo Bay, and destroyed the French fleet, together with the Spanish galleons, which had just arrived with treasure from America.

Világos, Surrender of.

The surrender of the Magyars at the end of the Hungarian War of Independence in 1849. It was negotiated between General Görgey and the Russian General Paskievitch, and it is said on good authority, though there is no documentary evidence to prove it, that Görgey was induced to consent to the surrender by the promise that no Hungarian officer should be given up to the Austrians, and that Russia would undertake to secure independence for the Magyars under a Russian Prince. The promise, if ever made, was certainly not kept, and the Austrians tried and executed many of the Magyar leaders.

Villafranca Treaty.

A treaty between France, Sardinia and Austria, signed in 1859, after the defeats of the latter Power at Magenta and Solferino. Austria withdrew entirely from Lombardy, which was made over to Sardinia, in accordance with the arrangement secretly arrived at between Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel.

Villeins.