Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/286

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270 KENDEL pointed professor of Hebrew in the college do France ; but his opening lecture excited such intense opposition that his appointment was not confirmed, and he was dismissed from the chair in 1864. In connection with this subject he published a pamphlet which passed through five editions. In 1863 his Vie de Jesus ap- peared, treating the gospel narrative as little more than a legendary romance. It passed through 13 editions in five years, and was immediately translated into the different lan- guages of Europe (English translation by Charles E. Wilbour, New York, 1863). This work was intended to be the first of a series under the general title Histoire des originet du Christianisme, which he has continued in Lea apotres (1866), Saint Paul (1869), and UAnte- christ (1873), to be followed by a fifth work entitled Let derniers hommes apostoliques. He has also published fyudes d'histoire religiense (1857; revised ed., 1864); De Vorigine du Ian- gage (1858) ; Essais de morale et de critique (1859; English translation by O. B. Frothing- ham, New York, 1864); Nourelles considera- tions sur le caractere general des peuples semi- tiques (1859); Mission de Phenicie (1864 et seq.) Nouvelles observations d'epigraphie he- Iralque (1867); Rapport sur les progres de la litterature orientale (1868); La reforme intel- lectuelle et morale (1872) ; and De la part dcs peuples semitiques dans la civilisation (7th ed., 1875). RENDEL, James Meadows, an English engineer, born near Dartmoor, Devonshire, in 1799, died in London, Nov. 21, 1856. He was early em- ployed in the construction of bridges, and from 1824 to 1827 was engaged upon that across the Laira within the port of Plymouth. In 1831 he introduced a new system of cross- ing rivers by means of floating bridges and steam power. His most celebrated achieve- ments are the harbors of refuge at Holyhead and Portland. RENDSBl'RG, a town of Prussia, in the prov- ince of Schleswig-Holstein, on the Eider, 54 m. N. W. of Hamburg; pop. in 1871, 11,514. The old town stands on an island in the chan- nel of the Eider, and the now on the 8. arm of the river. Beyond the N. arm is another part of the town called Schleuskuhle or Kron- werk. During the Schleswig-Holstein war of 1848-'51 it was in the hands of the Germans. The strong fortifications were razed by the Danes in 1852. REftfe I., surnamed the Good, duke of Anjou, count of Provence, and titular king of Naples, born in Angers, Jan. 16, 1409, died in Aix, July 10, 1480. He was the second son of Louis of Anjou (crowned king of Naples in 1384) and Yolande, daughter of the king of Aragon. Louis was never able to make good his rights, although his eldest son Louis III., having been adopted by the queen Joanna II., gained pos- session of the throne. He died Nov. 15, 1484, and left Anjou and Provence, together with his claims upon Naples, Sicily, and Jerusalem, RENFREWSHIRE to his brother Rene, whom Joanna IT., dying in 1435, also appointed her heir. In 1430 Rene, as the successor of his maternal great- uncle, had become duke of Bar, and in 1431, on the death of his father-in-law, Duke Charles of Lorraine, had been confirmed by the estates in the possession of that duchy. But his claims were contested in the same year by the count of Vaudemont, nephew of Charles, by whom he was taken prisoner, and the deci- sion of the question of succession was left by the nobility of Lorraine to the emperor Sigis- inund. Ren6 was released for a year, but com- pelled to give his sons as hostages. The em- peror finally decided in his favor. Vaudemont would not submit, and Rene was compelled to return to prison. A few weeks afterward a deputation brought to him the crown of Na- ples and Sicily. Unable to obtain release, he appointed his wife Isabella regent of Anjou, Provence, Naples, and Sicily. She arrived in Italy on Oct. 18, 1435, but found herself at once in conflict with the party of King Al- fonso of Aragon. In 1437 Rene purchased his freedom and the acknowledgment of his right to Lorraine for 400,000 pieces of gold, and led an army to Naples, but was obliged to leave the kingdom to his opponent and return in 1442 to Provence. Having restored order in Lorraine, he gave it over to his eldest son, John, titular duke of Calabria, and devoted himself to letters and the arts. In 1467 the Aragonese offered him the sovereignty of their country, which he declined for himself but ac- cepted for his son, the duke of Calabria, who died soon after entering Aragon. The only companion of Reno's closing years was his exiled daughter, Queen Margaret of England, wife of Henry VI. King Ren6 was promi- nent ns a patron of letters and the arts. Many paintings and pieces of sculpture were for- merly attributed to his own hand, but have been shown to have been done only under his auspices. A considerable number of his wri- tings still remain, the chief of which were edit- ed by the count de Quatrebarbes, (Euvres du roi Rene (4 vols. 4to, Paris and Angers, 1845- '6). See also Le Roi Sene, sa tie et ses travaux, by De Lecoy de la Marcha (Paris, 1875). RENFREW, an E. county of Ontario, Canada, bounded N. E. by the Ottawa river above Ot- tawa ; area, 2,389 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 27,977, of whom 13,565 were of Irish, 6,147 of Scotch, 2,882 of French, 2,658 of English, and 2,318 of German origin or descent. It is intersected by the Bonnechere and Madawaska rivers. The surface is rough and hilly and the soil fertile. Capital, Pembroke. RENFREWSHIRE, a W. oounty of Scotland, bounded N. by the river Clyde, and W. by the frith of Clyde; area, 254 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 216,947. The chief towns are Paisley, Gree- nock, Renfrew, and Port Glasgow. The whole county is included in the basin of the Clyde, and its E. part is within the great coal district of the west of Scotland. Alum and iron are