King of Hungary (as John I) from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary. He was Voivode of Transylvania before his coronation. John began his public career in 1505 as a member of the Diet of Rákos. Due to John Zápolya's motion, the new Diet at Rákos passed a bill which prohibited the electi...

King of Hungary (as John I) from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary. He was Voivode of Transylvania before his coronation. John began his public career in 1505 as a member of the Diet of Rákos. Due to John Zápolya's motion, the new Diet at Rákos passed a bill which prohibited the election of a foreigner as king if Vladislaus's died without a male issue, on 13 October 1505. The bill was aimed at creating a legal basis for John's ascension to the throne after the death of Vladislaus, but the king refused to ratify it.

King of Hungary as John II from 1540 to 1551, and from 1556 to 1570, and the first Prince of Transylvania from 1570 to his death. He was the only son of John I, King of Hungary, and Isabella of Poland. John I ruled parts of the Kingdom of Hungary, with the support of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman; the remaining areas were ruled by Ferdinand I, who also claime...

King of Hungary as John II from 1540 to 1551, and from 1556 to 1570, and the first Prince of Transylvania from 1570 to his death. He was the only son of John I, King of Hungary, and Isabella of Poland. John I ruled parts of the Kingdom of Hungary, with the support of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman; the remaining areas were ruled by Ferdinand I, who also claimed Hungary. The two kings concluded a peace treaty in 1538 acknowledging Ferdinand's right to reunite Hungary after John I's death, but shortly after John Sigismund's birth, and on his deathbed, John I bequeathed his realm to his son.

a leader of a peasant revolt from Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. He served in the Ming army, and while in the army he was sentenced to death for violations of military rules, but was reprieved after an intervention by a senior officer who was impressed by his appearance. He conquered Sichuan in 1644, and named himself king of the Xi (Da-Xi) dynasty. His rule in S...

a leader of a peasant revolt from Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. He served in the Ming army, and while in the army he was sentenced to death for violations of military rules, but was reprieved after an intervention by a senior officer who was impressed by his appearance. He conquered Sichuan in 1644, and named himself king of the Xi (Da-Xi) dynasty. His rule in Sichuan was brief and he was killed by the invading Manchu army. He is commonly associated with the massacres in Sichuan that depopulated the region. However, the extent of his killings is disputed.

the 17th and last emperor of the Ming dynasty in China, reigning from 1627–1644. "Chongzhen," the era name of his reign, means "honorable and auspicious." When the Tianqi Emperor died in October 1627, Zhu Youjian, then about 16 years old, ascended the throne as the Chongzhen Emperor. His succession was helped by Empress Zhang (widow of the Tianqi Emperor),...

the 17th and last emperor of the Ming dynasty in China, reigning from 1627–1644. "Chongzhen," the era name of his reign, means "honorable and auspicious." When the Tianqi Emperor died in October 1627, Zhu Youjian, then about 16 years old, ascended the throne as the Chongzhen Emperor. His succession was helped by Empress Zhang (widow of the Tianqi Emperor), despite the manoeuvres of the chief eunuch, Wei Zhongxian, who wanted to continue to dominate the imperial court.

the fourth and last emperor of the Southern Ming dynasty of China. His era name means "Perpetual calendar." He was the son of Zhu Changying, the seventh son of the Wanli Emperor. He inherited the title Prince of Gui from his brother and lived an obscure life as a minor member of the extremely large imperial family until the fall of Beijing and the suicide of...

the fourth and last emperor of the Southern Ming dynasty of China. His era name means "Perpetual calendar." He was the son of Zhu Changying, the seventh son of the Wanli Emperor. He inherited the title Prince of Gui from his brother and lived an obscure life as a minor member of the extremely large imperial family until the fall of Beijing and the suicide of Chongzhen, the last Ming emperor, in 1644. Descendants of the Ming continued to hang on in the south, and Youlang ascended the throne as the fourth Southern Ming emperor, with the reign-title Yongli in November 1646.

a Polish nobleman of the Lubicz coat of arms, magnate and military commander of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, who took part in many campaigns of the Commonwealth and on its southern and eastern borders. He occupied a number of high-ranking posts in the administration of the Commonwealth, including castellan of Lwów (from 1590), voivod of the Kiev Vo...

a Polish nobleman of the Lubicz coat of arms, magnate and military commander of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, who took part in many campaigns of the Commonwealth and on its southern and eastern borders. He occupied a number of high-ranking posts in the administration of the Commonwealth, including castellan of Lwów (from 1590), voivod of the Kiev Voivodeship and Great Chancellor of the Crown (from 1618). From 1588 he was also a Field Crown Hetman, and in 1613 was promoted to Grand Hetman of the Crown. During his military career he won major battles against Sweden, Muscovy, the Ottoman Empire and the Tatars.

a Spanish military and political figure. In 1667 Méndez de Haro went to the Spanish Netherlands, where he became Captain General of the Cavalry in 1669. In 1670 he was appointed Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands and Captain General in the absence of Don John of Austria the Younger. In 1671, when war threatened between France and the Netherlands, Spain al...

a Spanish military and political figure. In 1667 Méndez de Haro went to the Spanish Netherlands, where he became Captain General of the Cavalry in 1669. In 1670 he was appointed Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands and Captain General in the absence of Don John of Austria the Younger. In 1671, when war threatened between France and the Netherlands, Spain allied itself to the Netherlands and Méndez de Haro became Spanish supreme commander in the North. He organised defences, fortifying the Spanish fortresses along the French border.

Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1718 until 1725. Zwaardecroon left for the East Indies as a midshipman aboard the Purmer in December 1684 and arrived in Batavia in October 1685. During the trip he had several times been employed as secretary to Commissioner-General Van Rheede, which enabled him to make quick progress in his career with...

Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1718 until 1725. Zwaardecroon left for the East Indies as a midshipman aboard the Purmer in December 1684 and arrived in Batavia in October 1685. During the trip he had several times been employed as secretary to Commissioner-General Van Rheede, which enabled him to make quick progress in his career with the Dutch East India Company (VOC). In 1686 he became Bookkeeper and subsequently Underbuyer. In 1694, he was promoted to Buyer and in 1694 to Senior Buyer. In the same year he was appointed Commander in Jafnapatham in Ceylon.