Ikere-Ekiti, town, Ekiti state, southwestern Nigeria, on the road from Akure to Ado-Ekiti. A major collecting point for cocoa, it also serves as an agricultural trade centre (yams, cassava [manioc], rice, corn [maize], palm oil and kernels, okra, pumpkins) for the Ekiti branch of the Yoruba people.

Itami Jūzō was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He had a successful 20-year career as an actor in films such as 55 Days at Peking (1963), an American vehicle, before venturing into directing. His directorial debut, Ososhiki (1984; The Funeral), was acclaimed for its satire of social

Comet Ikeya-Seki: …by two Japanese amateur astronomers, Ikeya Kaoru and Seki Tsutomu. Moving in a highly inclined retrograde orbit, the comet made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on October 21, 1965, at a distance of 1.67 solar radius, or only 466,000 km (290,000 miles), above the Sun’s photosphere (visible surface).…

Akhenaten, was a king (c. 1353–36 bce) of ancient Egypt of the 18th dynasty, who established a new cult dedicated to the Aton, the sun’s disk (hence his assumed name, Akhenaten, meaning “beneficial to Aton”). Few scholars now agree with the contention that Amenhotep III associated his son Amenhotep

Ikhshīdids Dynasty, Muslim Turkish dynasty from Fergana in Central Asia that ruled Egypt and Syria from 935 to 969. The founder, Muḥammad ibn Ṭughj, appointed governor of Egypt in 935, two years later obtained the title ikhshīd (Persian: “prince, ruler”) from the ʿAbbāsid caliph ar-Rāḍī; he then

ikhtilāf, in Islam, differences of opinion on religious matters. Such diversity is permissible as long as the basic principles of Islam are not affected. Ikhtilāf is thus the opposite of ijmāʿ (consensus). The existence of ikhtilāf on a given issue permits Muslims to choose the interpretation of

Sredna Mountains: Westernmost is the Ikhtimanska (Ikhtiman) Sredna, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Sofia. It is an irregular, forested, hilly region with a sparse population. Its eastern limit is the Topolnitsa River. From the Topolnitsa to the Stryama River, a distance of 42 miles (68 km), lie the Sŭshtinska,…

Sredna Mountains: Westernmost is the Ikhtimanska (Ikhtiman) Sredna, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Sofia. It is an irregular, forested, hilly region with a sparse population. Its eastern limit is the Topolnitsa River. From the Topolnitsa to the Stryama River, a distance of 42 miles (68 km), lie the Sŭshtinska,…

Ikhwān, in Arabia, members of a religious and military brotherhood that figured prominently in the unification of the Arabian Peninsula under Ibn Saud (1912–30); in modern Saudi Arabia they constitute the National Guard. Ibn Saud began organizing the Ikhwān in 1912 with hopes of making them a

Muslim Brotherhood, religiopolitical organization founded in 1928 at Ismailia, Egypt, by Hassan al-Banna. Islamist in orientation, it advocated a return to the Qurʾān and the Hadith as guidelines for a healthy modern Islamic society. The Brotherhood spread rapidly throughout Egypt, Sudan, Syria,

Ikhwān aṣ-Ṣafāʾ, (Arabic: Brethren of Purity), a secret Arab confraternity, founded at Basra, Iraq, that produced a philosophical and religious encyclopaedia, Rasāʾil ikhwān aṣ-ṣafāʾ wa khillān al-wafāʾ (“Epistles of the Brethren of Purity and Loyal Friends”), sometime in the second half of the

Iki, island, north-central Nagasaki ken (prefecture), western Kyushu, Japan. It lies in the Eastern Channel, about 10 miles (16 km) off the coast of Kyushu, and occupies 52 square miles (134 square km). Most of its area is tableland; cereals, oranges, and tobacco are the important crops. The

Japan: Religious attitudes: …belief in living gods (ikigami) who could respond to the various needs and desires of the common people and who became revered as founders (kyōso) of new religious sects. Among such sects were Kurozumikyō, founded by Kurozumi Munetada, Konkōkyō of Kawate Bunjirō, and Tenrikyō of Nakayama Miki, all of…

Kurosawa Akira: Films of the 1950s: …I Live in Fear, or Record of a Living Being) is a deeply honest film portraying a Japanese foundry owner’s terror of the atomic tests conducted by the United States and the Soviet Union. Its pessimistic conclusion, however, made it a commercial failure.

Ikire, town, Osun state, southwestern Nigeria. The town lies along the road from Ibadan to Ile-Ife. A collecting point for local cash crops (cacao, palm oil and kernels), it also serves as a trade centre for yams, corn (maize), cassava (manioc), palm produce, cotton, and kola nuts. Cotton weaving

Kurosawa Akira: Films of the 1950s: Ikiru (“To Live”) is regarded by many critics as one of the finest works in the history of the cinema. It concerns a petty governmental official who learns he has only half a year until he will die from cancer. He searches for solace in…

Ikirun, town, Osun state, southwestern Nigeria. It lies along the railroad from Lagos and at the intersection of roads from Oshogbo, Inisha (Inisa), Igbajo, and Ila (Illa). Mainly inhabited by Yoruba people, the town was raided for slaves in the 19th century by Fulani warriors from Ilorin (42 miles

truss bridge: History and uses: …in the world is the Ikitsuki Bridge (1991) in Japan, with a main span of 400 metres (1,300 feet). The Astoria Bridge (1966), spanning the mouth of the Columbia River between the states of Oregon and Washington in the United States, consists of three spans reaching a total length of…

ikki, peasant uprisings in Japan beginning in the Kamakura period (1192–1333) and continuing through the Tokugawa (Edo) period (1603–1867). Though the welfare of the city dweller improved during Tokugawa times, the welfare of poor peasants worsened: excessive taxation and rising numbers of famines

al-Hamdānī: His encyclopaedia Al-Iklīl (“The Crown”; Eng. trans. of vol. 8 by N.A. Faris as The Antiquities of South Arabia) and his other writings are a major source of information on Arabia, providing a valuable anthology of South Arabian poetry as well as much genealogical, topographical, and historical…

Japan: The growth of the northern problem: …Drive Away Foreign Ships (Ikokusen uchiharairei), which also enjoined coastal authorities to arrest or kill any foreigners who came ashore. This was also known as the ninen nashi or “no second thought” law. It was never fully carried out because of opposition by a number of officials, including Matsudaira…

ceremonial object: Sacred furniture and related objects: the Eastern Orthodox iconostasis (image screen), which hides the chancel from the view of the faithful except on certain ritual occasions when it is opened to them. Hindu sanctuaries also are concealed by hangings. In Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican churches the chancel has usually been separated from…

Ikorodu, town, Lagos state, southwestern Nigeria. It lies near the Lagos Lagoon, on the Bight of Benin, 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Lagos. A traditional settlement of the Awori people (a subgroup of the Yoruba), it became important in the mid-19th century as a trading post of the Remo

Ikot Abasi, port town, Akwa Ibom state, southern Nigeria. The town lies near the mouth of the Imo (Opobo) River. Situated at a break in the mangrove swamps and rain forest of the eastern Niger River delta, it served in the 19th century as a collecting point for slaves. In 1870 Jubo Jubogha, a

Ikot Ekpene, town, Akwa Ibom state, southern Nigeria. The town lies along the coastal highway between Calabar and Aba. It is the chief trade centre (yams, cassava [manioc], taro, corn [maize], and palm produce) for a densely populated area known for its export of palm oil and kernels. It is mainly

African dance: Masquerade dancers: The Ikpelweme ancestral masqueraders of the Afemai people of Bendel State, Nigeria, wear richly coloured, close-fitting costumes with face masks and elaborate headpieces of embroidered cloth, which allow for a dance that accelerates into a climax of rapid, abrupt movement. The Nago and Akakayi ancestral masqueraders…

African dance: Rhythm: …the dance steps: in the Ikpo Okme, the performers hop from one foot to the other; for Ebenebe, a stamping pattern leads into a cartwheel; Iza requires an upright carriage with high kicks; Nkpopi is a leaping dance; Etukwa requires the torso to be inclined to the earth as the…

Iksan, city, North Jeolla do (province), western South Korea. Located about 15 miles (25 km) east of the port city of Gunsan, it lies in the northern part of the Honam Plain, the largest granary of South Korea. Iksan city was formed in 1995 through the merger of the city of Iri with Iksan county.

India: The Andhras and their successors: The Iksvakus succeeded in the Krishna-Guntur region. The Cutu dynasty in Kuntala (southern Maharashtra) had close connections with the Satavahanas. The Bodhis ruled briefly in the northwestern Deccan. The Brihatphalayanas came to power at the end of the 3rd century in the Masulipatam area. In these…

Gábor Bethlen was a Calvinist prince of Transylvania and briefly titular king of Hungary (August 1620 to December 1621), in opposition to the Catholic emperor Ferdinand II. Born into a leading Protestant family of northern Hungary, Bethlen as a young man was sent to the court of Prince Sigismund

Gábor Bethlen was a Calvinist prince of Transylvania and briefly titular king of Hungary (August 1620 to December 1621), in opposition to the Catholic emperor Ferdinand II. Born into a leading Protestant family of northern Hungary, Bethlen as a young man was sent to the court of Prince Sigismund

Ictinus was a Greek architect, one of the most celebrated of Athens, known for his work on the Parthenon on the Acropolis, the Temple of the Mysteries at Eleusis, and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae. According to Vitruvius (Ten Books on Architecture, preface to Book VII), Ictinus designed

bridge: Island bridges: …the major structures is the Ikuchi cable-stayed bridge, with a main span of 490 metres (1,610 feet). The two towers of the Ikuchi Bridge are delta-shaped, with two inclined planes of fan-arranged stays. Also on the Onomichi-Imabari route is the 1979 Ōmishima steel arch bridge, whose 297-metre (975-foot) span made…

Japanese music: Schools and genres: …of Kenjun’s koto tradition was Ikuta Kengyō, who began his Ikuta school. The term kengyō had been one of the basic ranks of musicians under the guild system and so is frequently found in professional names, but the name Ikuta remained as one of the primary sources of koto music…

Japanese music: Schools and genres: …Ikuta Kengyō, who began his Ikuta school. The term kengyō had been one of the basic ranks of musicians under the guild system and so is frequently found in professional names, but the name Ikuta remained as one of the primary sources of koto music until the creation of still…

Gweru, town, central Zimbabwe, on the Gweru River. The original Matabele settlement was named iKwelo (“The Steep Place”), after the river’s high banks. The modern town, founded in 1894 as a military outpost, developed as an agricultural centre and became a municipality in 1914. Situated along the

El, the general term for “deity” in Semitic languages as well as the name of the chief deity of the West Semites. In the ancient texts from Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit) in Syria, El was described as the titular head of the pantheon, husband of Asherah, and father of all the other gods (except for

Vittoriosa, town, eastern Malta, one of the Three Cities (the others being Cospicua and Senglea). It is situated on a small peninsula, just south of Valletta across Grand Harbour. Originally known as Il Borgo, and then Birgu, it was one of the most important towns in medieval Malta. In 1530, when

Il Penseroso, poem written in 1631 by John Milton, published in his Poems (1645). It was written in rhymed octosyllabics and has a 10-line prelude. In contrast to its companion poem, “L’Allegro,” which celebrates mirth, the beauties of rural scenery, and urban vitality, “Il Penseroso” invokes the

Il trovatore, opera in four acts by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, with additions by Leone Emanuele Bardare) that premiered at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on January 19, 1853. Verdi prepared a revised version in French, Le Trouvère, with added ballet music,

Curzio Malaparte: …Volga nasce in Europa (1943; The Volga Rises in Europe). He then acquired an international reputation with two passionately written, brilliantly realistic war novels: Kaputt (1944); and La pelle (1949; The Skin), a terrifying, surrealistically presented series of episodes showing the suffering and degradation that the war had brought to…

interleukin: IL-1 and IL-2 are primarily responsible for activating T and B lymphocytes (white blood cells integral to bringing about the acquired immune response), with IL-2 being a stimulant of T- and B-cell growth and maturation. IL-1, along with IL-6, is also a mediator of inflammation.…

history of flight: Postwar airlines: …were eventually succeeded by the Ilyushin Il-12, a trim unpressurized twin-engine transport that also featured retractable tricycle landing gear. A larger model, the Il-14, went into operation during the 1950s. Considered slow and technologically unsophisticated by modern standards, these planes played an ideological role in the Cold War by parrying…

history of flight: Postwar airlines: A larger model, the Il-14, went into operation during the 1950s. Considered slow and technologically unsophisticated by modern standards, these planes played an ideological role in the Cold War by parrying Western imports. Production took place in communist-bloc countries; the Il-12 and Il-14 series numbered into the thousands, serving…

Ilyushin Il-2, single-seat assault bomber that was a mainstay of the Soviet air force during World War II. The Il-2 is generally considered the finest ground-attack aircraft produced by any nation during World War II. It was designed by Sergey Ilyushin beginning in 1938 and went into production in

interleukin: IL-1 and IL-2 are primarily responsible for activating T and B lymphocytes (white blood cells integral to bringing about the acquired immune response), with IL-2 being a stimulant of T- and B-cell growth and maturation. IL-1, along with IL-6, is also a mediator of inflammation. IL-4 often…

Ilyushin Il-76, -76, Soviet military transport aircraft, first flown in 1971 and first produced in 1975. It was designed by the Ilyushin design bureau under G.V. Novozhilov. The Il-76 was a heavy transport plane, capable of handling a payload of more than 88,000 pounds (40,000 kilograms). It was

Il-Khanid dynasty, Mongol dynasty that ruled in Iran from 1256 to 1335. Il-khan is Persian for “subordinate khan.” Hülegü, a grandson of Genghis Khan, was given the task of capturing Iran by the paramount Mongol chieftain Möngke. Hülegü set out in about 1253 with a Mongol army of about 130,000. He

Il-Khanid dynasty, Mongol dynasty that ruled in Iran from 1256 to 1335. Il-khan is Persian for “subordinate khan.” Hülegü, a grandson of Genghis Khan, was given the task of capturing Iran by the paramount Mongol chieftain Möngke. Hülegü set out in about 1253 with a Mongol army of about 130,000. He

Il-Khanid dynasty, Mongol dynasty that ruled in Iran from 1256 to 1335. Il-khan is Persian for “subordinate khan.” Hülegü, a grandson of Genghis Khan, was given the task of capturing Iran by the paramount Mongol chieftain Möngke. Hülegü set out in about 1253 with a Mongol army of about 130,000. He

inflammatory bowel disease: …variation of a gene called IL23R (interleukin 23 receptor), particularly in persons of northern European descent, has been associated with increased risk of developing Crohn disease. Variation of a gene called NOD2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2) also has been linked to Crohn disease, and variation of a gene called…

Ila, a Bantu-speaking people inhabiting an area west of Lusaka, the national capital of Zambia. The Ila-Tonga cluster consists of about 12 dialect groups, including the Lozi, Koba, Lenje, Tonga, Totela, Ila, and others. The Ila combine agriculture with animal husbandry. Men hunt, fish, and clear

Ila, town, Osun state, southwestern Nigeria. The town lies in the Yoruba Hills and on the road from Oshogbo to Omu-Aran. One of the oldest settlements of the Yoruba people, it was founded according to tradition by the orangun (ruler) of Ila, a son of Oduduwa, the deity who is said to have spread

Ila, town, Osun state, southwestern Nigeria. The town lies in the Yoruba Hills and on the road from Oshogbo to Omu-Aran. One of the oldest settlements of the Yoruba people, it was founded according to tradition by the orangun (ruler) of Ila, a son of Oduduwa, the deity who is said to have spread

Martin Waldseemüller was a German cartographer who in 1507 published the first map with the name America for the New World. Educated at Freiburg im Breisgau, Waldseemüller moved to Saint-Dié, where in 1507 he published 1,000 copies of a woodcut world map, made with 12 blocks and compiled from the

Prayagraj, city, southern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It is situated at the confluence of the Ganges (Ganga) and Yamuna (Jumna) rivers, about 65 miles (100 km) west-northwest of Varanasi (Benares). Prayagraj stands on the site of ancient Prayag, a holy city that was comparable in fame to

Turkish literature: Sufi poetry: …of poetry, generally known as ilâhî (“divine”), was practiced by such sheikh-poets as İbrahim Gülşeni and his son Gülşenîzâde Hayali as well as Muslihiddin Merkez, Muhiddin Uftade, Seyyid Seyfullah Nizamoğlu, and Aziz Mahmud Hüdâyî. The growth during the 16th and 17th centuries of this type of poetry, which was intended…

Turkish literature: Sufi poetry: …of poetry, generally known as ilâhî (“divine”), was practiced by such sheikh-poets as İbrahim Gülşeni and his son Gülşenîzâde Hayali as well as Muslihiddin Merkez, Muhiddin Uftade, Seyyid Seyfullah Nizamoğlu, and Aziz Mahmud Hüdâyî. The growth during the 16th and 17th centuries of this type of poetry, which was intended…

chronology: Muslim: …Akbar when he established the Ilāhī era, which began on Rabīʿ II 963 (February 13, 1556), the date of his accession; the years were solar.

Ramanuja was a South Indian Brahman theologian and philosopher, the single most influential thinker of devotional Hinduism. After a long pilgrimage, Ramanuja settled in Shrirangam, where he organized temple worship and founded centres to disseminate his doctrine of devotion to the god Vishnu and

Īlām, city, capital of Īlām province, western Iran. The city is rural in appearance and is located near the Iraq-Iran border. A number of roads emanate from Īlām, linking it with the border towns of Mehrān and Dehlorān. The city’s population consists mostly of Kurds. Local industries produce

Santa Ana Volcano, mountain peak in southwestern El Salvador. The highest peak in the country, it rises to 7,749 feet (2,362 meters). The volcano has been active since the 16th century and last erupted in 2005, its first eruption in more than 100 years. It has a small sulfurous lake in its crater.

ylang-ylang, (Cananga odorata), South Asian tree of the custard apple family (Annonaceae), known for its intensely fragrant flowers. . It is the source of a penetrating but evanescent perfume. Ylang-ylang in Tagalog (a Philippine language) means “flower of flowers.” The slim smooth-barked evergreen

John Langalibalele Dube: …with the institute and on Ilanga lase Natal (“The Natal Sun”), the first Zulu newspaper (which he helped to found in 1903), made him widely known. In 1912 he was elected the first president general of the South African Native National Congress (later the African National Congress).

Sri Lanka, island country lying in the Indian Ocean and separated from peninsular India by the Palk Strait. It is located between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E and has a maximum length of 268 miles (432 km) and a maximum width of 139 miles (224 km). Proximity to the

South Asian arts: Epics: The Cilappatikāram, by Iḷaṅkō Aṭikaḷ, is in three books, set in the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms: Pukār (the Cōḻa capital), Maturai (i.e., Madurai, the Pāṇṭiya [Pāṇḍya] capital), and Vañci (the Cēra capital). The story is not about kings but about Kōvalaṉ, a young Pukār merchant, telling…

Ilaro, town, western Ogun state, southwestern Nigeria. Located on the former trade route from the towns of the empire of Oyo to the port of Porto-Novo (now the capital of Benin), 40 miles (64 km) southwest, it was established by the late 18th century as the capital and chief trade centre of the

al-Lāt, North Arabian goddess of pre-Islāmic times to whom a stone cube at aṭ-Ṭāʾif (near Mecca) was held sacred as part of her cult. Two other North Arabian goddesses, Manāt (Fate) and al-ʿUzzā (Strong), were associated with al-Lāt in the Qurʾān (Islāmic sacred scriptures). The Prophet Muḥammad

Bakhtyārī: …the Chahār Lang as his īlbeg, or deputy. For the next two years the two chiefs exchange their posts with each other.

Ilbert Bill, in the history of India, a controversial measure proposed in 1883 that sought to allow senior Indian magistrates to preside over cases involving British subjects in India. The bill, severely weakened by compromise, was enacted by the Indian Legislative Council on Jan. 25, 1884. The

arbitration: Arbitration provisions of international treaties: The UN’s International Law Commission submitted to the General Assembly in 1955 a Convention on Arbitral Procedure. Its model rules would not become binding on any UN member-state unless they were accepted by a state in an arbitration treaty or in a special arbitral agreement. However, the…

Ilchester, town (parish), South Somerset district, administrative and historic county of Somerset, southwestern England. It lies along the River Yeo. Ilchester was known as Lindinis under Roman rule and was the northern tribal capital of the Durotriges, an early British people. A royal mint was

St. Gregory VII ; canonized 1606; feast day, May 25) was one of the greatest popes of the medieval church, who lent his name to the 11th-century movement now known as the Gregorian Reform or Investiture Controversy. Gregory VII was the first pope to depose a crowned ruler, Emperor Henry IV

Eldegüzid dynasty, (1137–1225), Iranian atabeg dynasty of Turkish origin that ruled in Azerbaijan and Arrān (areas now in Iran and Azerbaijan). The founder of the dynasty was Shams ad-Dīn Eldegüz (reigned c. 1137–75), originally a Turkish slave of the Seljuq minister Kamāl al-Mulk Simīrumī. In 1137

Eldegüzid dynasty, (1137–1225), Iranian atabeg dynasty of Turkish origin that ruled in Azerbaijan and Arrān (areas now in Iran and Azerbaijan). The founder of the dynasty was Shams ad-Dīn Eldegüz (reigned c. 1137–75), originally a Turkish slave of the Seljuq minister Kamāl al-Mulk Simīrumī. In 1137

Eldegüzid dynasty, (1137–1225), Iranian atabeg dynasty of Turkish origin that ruled in Azerbaijan and Arrān (areas now in Iran and Azerbaijan). The founder of the dynasty was Shams ad-Dīn Eldegüz (reigned c. 1137–75), originally a Turkish slave of the Seljuq minister Kamāl al-Mulk Simīrumī. In 1137

Eldegüzid dynasty, (1137–1225), Iranian atabeg dynasty of Turkish origin that ruled in Azerbaijan and Arrān (areas now in Iran and Azerbaijan). The founder of the dynasty was Shams ad-Dīn Eldegüz (reigned c. 1137–75), originally a Turkish slave of the Seljuq minister Kamāl al-Mulk Simīrumī. In 1137

Erythrae: …city was located at modern Ildir, where traces of the wall circuit, theatre, and citadel are visible.

Tien Shan: Physiography: To the south the Ile Alataū (Trans-Ili) Range rises abruptly above the Ili depression to a height of 16,315 feet (4,973 metres). The successive transition of climatic zones, determined by elevation, from arid and dry steppe at lower levels to glacial at the summit, is evident on the northern…

Oléron Island, island in the Bay of Biscay, forming part of the Charente-Maritime département, Poitou-Charentes région of France. It is located off the coast of France, south of La Rochelle and north of the Gironde Estuary. Oléron is the second largest French island (after Corsica), with an area of

Ouessant Island, a rocky island, Finistère département, off the western tip of Bretagne, western France. The island, about 5 miles (8 km) long and 2 miles (3 km) wide, has an area of 6 square miles (15 square km). Its lighthouse, the Phare de Créac’h, marks the southern entrance to the English

ship: Passenger liners in the 20th century: …beginning with the French Line’s Île de France in 1927 and gaining fiercer competition when the Germans returned to the race with the launching on successive days in 1928 of the Europa and the Bremen. But by the end of 1929 the Great Depression had begun; it made transatlantic passage…

Gorée Island, small island just south of Cape Verde Peninsula, Senegal, that was the site of one of the earliest European settlements in Western Africa and long served as an outpost for slave and other trading. It is a rather barren volcanic rock of only 88 acres (36 hectares) that commands the

Tortue Island, Caribbean island off the northern coast of Haiti opposite Port-de-Paix. European adventurers settled Tortue in 1629, in conjunction with trying to establish a foothold on the neighbouring island of Hispaniola (now comprising Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Known as filibusters and

Alfred Métraux: …and L’Île de Pâques (1935; Easter Island), he argued that Easter Island’s indigenous population is Polynesian, both culturally and physically, and that the island’s well-known monolithic sculptures are native creations rather than Asian or American Indian ones.

Ré Island, island in the Bay of Biscay, Charente-Maritime département, Poitou-Charentes région of France. It is located off the west coast of France, opposite La Pallice and La Rochelle. It was for long separated from the mainland by the shallow water of Pertuis Breton, 2 miles (3.2 km) wide at the

French literature: The novel later in the century: …in L’Île des Pingouins (1908; Penguin Island) and his condemnation of fanaticism in his novel on the French Revolution, Les Dieux ont soif (1912; The Gods Are Athirst). For Anglophone readers right up to the end of World War II, he spoke for that Voltairean liberal humanism, reason, and justice…

The Mysterious Island, adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in French in three volumes as L’Île mystérieuse in 1874 and included in his popular science-fiction series Voyages extraordinaires (1863–1910). The Mysterious Island follows the adventures of a group of castaways who use their

Ili River, river in western Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, China, and southeastern Kazakhstan. It is 870 miles (1,400 km) long and drains the basin between the Tien Shan range to the south and the Borohoro (Poluokenu) Mountains to the north. Both ranges are extremely high. The drainage basin

Île-de-France, région of France encompassing the north-central départements of Val-d’Oise, Seine-et-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis, Ville-de-Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Essonne, and Yvelines. Île-de-France is bounded by the régions of Hauts-de-France to the north, Grand Est to the east,

Ile-Ife, town, Osun state, southwestern Nigeria. The town lies at the intersection of roads from Ibadan (40 miles [64 km] west), Ilesha, and Ondo. It is one of the larger centres and probably the oldest town of the Yoruba people. Considered by the Yoruba to be a holy city and the legendary

Ilebo, town, south-central Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town lies along the Kasai River near its junction with the Sankuru River. Ilebo is a river port and has rail connections with Kananga and Lubumbashi. It is an important transshipment point in the transport of copper and other minerals

ileitis, chronic inflammation of one or more sections of the intestine. In its strict sense, the term refers to an inflammation of the lower, or terminal, portion of the small intestine, known as the ileum. A specific and more serious type of inflammation involving both the small and large

Qarakhanid Dynasty, Turkic dynasty (999–1211) that ruled in Transoxania in Central Asia. The Qarakhanids, who belonged to the Qarluq tribal confederation, became prominent during the 9th century. With the disintegration of the Iranian Sāmānid dynasty, the Qarakhanids took over the Sāmānid

Ladysmith Black Mambazo: …Long Walk to Freedom (2006), Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu (2008; Grammy Award for best traditional world music album), and Live: Singing for Peace Around the World (2013; Grammy Award for best world music album).

valve: …digestive system of mammals the ileocecal valve, controlled by a sphincter muscle, prevents the return of the contents of the small intestine after they have passed into the colon.

Huesca, city, capital of Huesca provincia (province), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Aragon, northeastern Spain. It lies northeast of Zaragoza, in the region known as Hoya de Huesca, which is dominated by the Guara Mountains to the north and is watered by the Flumen River. The

ostomy: …opened to the outside wall; ileostomy, in which the ileum, the final segment of the small intestine, is connected to the outside wall; and urostomy (or ureterostomy), in which a new channel for urine and liquid wastes is created (usually using a segment of small intestine) following removal of the…

Lleida, city, capital of Lleida provincia (province) in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Catalonia, northeastern Spain. It lies on the Segre River near its confluence with the Cinca and Ebro rivers. Of Iberian origin, the town then called Ilerda was taken in 49 bc from Pompey

Campaign of Ilerda, (49 bc), the campaign leading to the victory of Julius Caesar over Pompey’s forces in Spain. In the spring of 49 bc, Caesar sent six legions from Gaul into Spain under Gaius Fabius and joined them at Ilerda (present-day Lérida) on the Sicoris (Segre) River. Five Pompeian