MECHLIN
1197
MEDINA
paper after the destruction of the original resolutions.
Mechlin (mek'lin) or Malines, a city of Belgium, 13 miles northeast of Brussels. It is a railroad-center, and has manufactories of woolen, linen, lace and beer. The Mechlin lace, so well-known, is made hure, but the trade is much less than formerly, and the quality of the lace is below the former standard. Malines is a picturesque city, with fine public buildings, among which are the cathedral, several large churches, the bishop's palace, widows' asylum and ,he college. In the public square or Grande Place stands a statue of Margaret of Austria, and some paintings of Rubens and Vandyke are in the churches. Population 59,372.
Medes (medz), the people of Media, the ancient name for northwestern Persia. The inhabitants, called Medes, were an Aryan race. They were followers of Zoroaster, and their priests were the Magi. They were bold and warlike, skillful in the use of the bow and noted horsemen. They were partly subject to Assyria until about 700 B. C., when they had a chief, with his capital at Ecbatana, now Hamadan. With the aid of the conquered Persians and the king of Babylon, Cyaxares the third king (or, according to some authorities the first) captured Nineveh and overthrew the Assyrian empire about 607 B. C. In 550 B. C. the Persians under Cyrus revolted and overthrew Astyages, the Median king, and the two nations became one people, and are spoken of as the Medes and Persians. Mark Antony fought a disastrous campaign against r about 36 B. C., when it seems to have had a king of its own. Media was finally again united with Persia, and its later history is that of Persia. See Five Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World by Rawlinson; Races of The Old Testament by Sayce; and Media, Babylon and Persy by Miss Ragozin in Stories of the Nations.
Med'ford, Mass., an old city of Middlesex County, on Mystic River and the Boston and Maine Railroad, five miles northwest of Boston. It is also connected with Boston by electric railway. Here is the seat of Tufts College ( Universalist). Its manufactures embrace felt boots, pressed and face brick, print and dye works, carriage-factories and crackers. The city dates from 1630, but was organized as a city only in 1892. Population 23,150.
Medici (med'e-che), a celebrated Italian family in Florence and Tuscany, who attained sovereign power in the 15th century and were great patrons of art and letters as well as noted statesmen.
Medici, Lorenzo dei, the Magnificent, was born of a wealthy Florentine family on Jan. i, 1448. He was highly educated and early showed his great abilities. On
the death of his father, Piero I, Lorenzo with his brother, Giuliano, was recognized as ruler. The great power of the Medici roused the envy of other Florentine families, and in 1478 they, in league with Pope Sixtus IV, plotted to overthrow them. Giuliano became the victim of the assassin, but Lorenzo defended himself with such courage, vigor and diplomacy as finally to put down the consDiracy, in spite of the papal bull and the aid of the king of Naples. Innocent VIII, successor of Sixtus IV, became the friend of the family, and opened to them many of the positions of power which they filled.. Lorenzo was a patron af art and literature, and himself a distinguished poet. He established a printing-press at Florence and the University of Pisa, and enlarged the library founded by his grandfather, Cosimo. He governed the state well, but made everything yield to the advancement of his family, and so left Florence weakened and ready to be the prey of her enemies. He died on April 8, 1492. See Life by Roscoe; Poetry and Poets of Europe by Longfellow; and Lives of Italian Poets by Stebbing.
Med'icine Hat, a town in the province of Alberta. Population 5,500. It is situated on the south bank of the Saskatchewan. It is noted for its natural-gas wells, which supply material for heating and lighting. An excellent country is tributary to it.
Med'icine-Man is the name commonly given to the individual in an Indian tribe who combines the offices of doctor and priest. Investigations into the character of the medicine-men among the Ojibwas, Cherokees and Apaches have shown that the powers and privileges of medicine-men vary greatly in different tribes. In some of the South American tribes the medicineman is chief as well as priest and doctor. In Guija, Brazil, and occasionally among the North American tribes organizations of cults of medicine-men exist for the purpose of communicating, transmitting and guarding their secrets. The medicine-man guards and interprets the tribal "medicine and also the personal "medicine," which is supposed to influence the life of the individual intimately. He attempts to cure sickness and turn away disaster; and presides over the initiatory ceremonies at the age of puberty and over the numerous religious and symbolic dances and celebrations held on important or periodic occasions by the tribe. Medicine-men of one type or another appear to occur in almost all so-called primitive societies.
Medi'na, Arabic for The City, is the holiest city of the Mohammedans, next to Mecca, because it was the home of Mohammed after his flight from Mecca. It is situated in western Arabia, about 270 miles north of Mecca. About half as large as Mecca, it is inclosed by a wall
