An American mission despatched to France in 1797. Attempts were made to
bribe them, the agents employed using, in their correspondence, the
initials X, Y, Z.
Y
Yandabo, Treaty of.
A treaty between Great Britain and Burmah, signed in 1826, at the end of
the Burmah War of 1824, whereby Great Britain acquired Arrakan and
Tenasserim.
Yangtse Agreement.
_See_ Anglo-German Agreement.
Yankee.
The name first applied to the colonists in the New England States by the
British soldiers during the American War of Independence. It is supposed
to be derived from an Indian corruption of English--“Yengies,” or
“Yanghies.”
Year of Corbie.
This name was given by the French during the Thirty Years’ War to the
year 1636, when the Imperial troops penetrated into France to Corbie,
within fifty miles of Paris, and apparently had the capital at their
mercy. They preferred, however, to retire, loaded with booty, but the
imminent danger was long an unpleasant memory to the Parisians.
Young Cub.
Charles James Fox (1749-1806) was so called.
Young Czechs.
The Radical section of the Czech or National Party in Bohemia.
Young England.
The party of young Tories who strongly opposed the repeal of the Corn
Laws from 1839 to 1846, and favoured a return to the manners and customs
of an earlier day. Among its leaders was Lord John Manners.
Young Ireland Party.
A party formed in Ireland in 1847, as a rival association to the
Repealers who followed O’Connell. Their leaders were Smith O’Brien,
Meagher and Mitchel, and they were in favour of physical force rather
than of constitutional agitation. An abortive attempt at a rising under
their auspices in 1848 was easily suppressed, and the society came to an
end immediately afterwards.
Young Italy.
A secret society founded by Mazzini about 1830, to work for the
emancipation of Italy.
Young Pretender.
Charles Edward Stuart, son of James Edward, and grandson of James II,
was so called by the supporters of the Hanoverian succession.
Young Turks.
The Turkish reform party. For obvious reasons they are for the most part
resident beyond the limits of the Turkish Empire.
Z
Zanzibar, Treaty of.
A treaty between Germany and Zanzibar, signed in 1885. The Sultan of
Zanzibar thereby recognized Germany’s rights over Chagga and
Kilimanjaro, and accorded certain trade facilities to the German East
Africa Company.
Zaporovian Commonwealth.
A community of Free Cossacks on the Dnieper. They were not finally
deprived of their independence till the reign of Catherine II, circ.
1780.
Zehngerichtenbund.
_See_ Ten Jurisdictions.
Zelanti.
A body of Cardinals, headed by Cardinal Orsini, who had great influence
in Rome circ. 1700, and whose efforts were directed towards stricter
discipline in the Church.
Zemindars.
Under the Mohammedan rulers of India, the Zemindars were officers who
were charged with the collection of taxes over a certain district. In
1793 these officers were, in Bengal, converted by Lord Cornwallis into
landowners, each in his own district, who alone paid land-tax to the
Government, and recouped themselves by rents received from the peasants
or ryots. This system is known as the Zemindari System.
Zemstvo.
The Russian provincial and district assemblies are so called. The
Zemstvo is elected, in certain fixed proportions, by the landowners, the
village communes and the municipalities. It meets at least once a year,
but has a permanent bureau, always in session, chosen from among its
members for executive purposes. It is charged with the maintenance of
roads and bridges and other public works, and the supervision of
education, sanitation and agriculture. It also elects the local justices
of the peace.
Zollverein.
A union of the German States for commercial purposes, entered into under
the auspices of Prussia in 1833. It provided for free internal trade,
and a uniform system of customs duties for the whole union.
Zurich, Compromise of.
An attempt by Calvin and Farel, in 1549, to amalgamate the different
doctrines of Calvin and Zwingli. It met with little acceptance on the
part of the Protestant Cantons.
Zurich, Treaty of.
A treaty signed in 1859 confirming the Treaty of Villafranca, which
provided for the cession by Austria of Lombardy, to be transferred by
France to Sardinia.