Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/234

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210 AGUILAR AHAZIAH ble for its white houses and clean streets. It contains three handsome public squares and a dismantled Moorish castle. AGUILAR, Grace, an English authoress, born at Hackney, near London, June 2, 1816, died in Frankfort on-the-Main, Sept. 16, 1847. She was descended from a family of Jewish merchants in Spain, who fled from that country on account of religious persecution, and found a refuge in England. She was instructed wholly by her father and mother. At 14 she commenced the study of history, beginning with Josephns. Her first work was "The Magic Wreath," a small volume of poems, published anonymously. At a very early age she wrote a pleasing reli- gious fiction, " The Martyr, or the Vale of Ce- dars," Her other works are : " The Spirit of Judaism"; "Israel Defended," translated from the French ; " The Days of Bruce," a story from Scottish history; "Jewish Faith"; "Women of Israel " ; " Home Scenes and Heart Studies " ; " Home Influence " ; " Josephine, or the Edict and Escape"; "The Mother's Recompense"; and " Woman's Friendship." In 1835 her con- stitution received a severe shock from an attack of measles, which left her in a state of debility from which she never fully recovered. She died on a visit to the continent for the benefit of her health, and was buried in the cemetery of the Jews at Frankfort. AMI It UK. I. Jose Saenz <te, a learned Spanish Benedictine, born in Logroflo, March 24, 1630, died in Rome, Aug. 19, 1699. He was professor of theology at Salamanca, afterward secretary of the inquisition, and finally a cardinal. His princi- pal works are : Defermo Cathedra Sancti Petri, for which he received his cardinal's hat ; Sancti Awelmi Theologia (3 vols. folio) ; and Collectio Consiliorum Hispanic^ (several editions in 4 and 6 vols. folio). II. Lope dr. a Spaniard of the 16th century, notorious for his crimes. He left Spain for Peru, and accompanied the expe- dition of Orsua in quest of the imaginary El Dorado, a history of which has been written by Southey. He prompted Orsua to assume regal authority, and then killed him to usurp his place, and from this time murdered all who in any way displeased him. Being finally de- serted, he was put to death by the Spanish au- thorities in Venezuela. AU Ml Is (Port., needles), a cape and bank on the southernmost point of Africa, about 100 m. E. S. E. of the Cape of Good Hope, in lat. 34 51' S., Ion. 20 2' E. Its extreme height is 455 feet above the sea. A lighthouse was erected in 1849 upon the cape, at an elevation of 52 feet above high water. AU s 1 1 > A, known as the maid of Saragossa, died at Cueta, Spain, in June, 1857, at a very advanced age. She was an itinerant seller of cool drinks in Saragossa in her youth, and during the siege of that place by the French in 1808 and 1809 distinguished herself by her heroic participation in the severest encounters with the enemy. She was called la artillera, from having snatched the match from the hands of a dying artilleryman, and discharged the piece at the invaders. For her services during this siege she was made a sub-lieuten- ant in the Spanish army, and received several decorations. Byron has celebrated her in "Childe Harold.". A(, Y.M AM, or Agynli (Gr. d, without, and yuwfr, woman), a sect so called from their rejection of marriage. They flourished about the close of the 7th century, belonging to the later rep- resentatives of the Gnostic idea that the crea- tor of the material world was an evil being, and that therefore the true Christian life con- sists in a renunciation and mortification of all the physical appetites and passions. A II li{. son and successor of Omri, king of Israel, reigned from 918 to 897 B. C. He married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. Through her influence the intercourse between Phoenicia and Israel, which had long been only commercial, now became social and religious. She introduced the wor- ship of Baal and Astarte into the Hebrew cul- tus. The golden calves at Dan and Bethel had been guardedly worshipped for several years ; but idolatry became under Ahab a predominant element of religious life. For his idolatrous as well as tyrannical practices, Ahab was reproved by Elijah ; and as a result of the king's obsti- nacy, the prophet proposed the trial of Carmel. Benhadad, king of Syria, twice besieged Ahab's capital, but was defeated with great loss. Ahab came to his end by an arrow wound re- ceived while fighting in disguise in the battle of Ramoth-Gilead. All AM A, a narrow strip of the Gold Coast, in the kingdom of Ashantee, Africa, between Ion. 3 and 2 10' W. On the west it is bounded by a river called An cobra by the Portuguese, and Seenna by the natives. It is subdivided into three districts. Its most important town is Boosooa. Great Britain has several forts along the coast, including Axim and Dixcove, all but the latter ceded by the Dutch in 1872. Toward the close of the 17th century there was also a Fort Brandenburg, belonging to the electorate of that name. All Isl Mil S. the name of the Persian king whose actions are described in the book of Esther. (See ESTHER.) Two other kings of the same name are mentioned in Ezra iv. 6, and Dan. ix. 1, and supposed to be identical with Cambyses and Astyages (or Cyaxares) respec- tively. AHAZ, king of Judah, 741-725 B. C. See HEBREWS. AHAZIAH. I. Son and successor of Ahab, king of Israel, reigned 897-895 B. C. The most signal event of his reign was the revolt of the Moabites. Ahaziah, like his father Ahab, was controlled by the ambitious Jezebel, and walked in the ways of his father. He fell from a roof of his palace, and sent to the oracle of Baal-zebub at Ekron to inquire if he should re- cover. The prophet Elijah met the messengers on the way, and sent them back to say to the