Marshfield Bay See Coos Bay Marsic War See Social War
Marsilius of Padua (b. c. 1280, Padua, Kingdom of Italy—d. c. 1343, Munich) Italian political philosopher. He was consultant to the Ghibellines until condemned as a heretic (1327) after writing Defensor pads (1320- 24) and fleeing to the court of Louis IV of Bavaria. He helped declare Pope John XXII a heretic, install Nicholas V as antipope, and crown Louis emperor (1328). In his secular concept of the state, the power of the church is limited, and political power lies with the people, a theory that influ¬ enced the modern idea of the state.
Marston, John (b. Oct. 7, 1576, Oxfordshire, Eng.—d. June 25, 1634, London) English dramatist. He began his literary career as a poet in 1598 but soon turned to writing for the theatre. One of the most vigorous sati¬ rists of his era, he wrote all his plays before taking holy orders in 1609. His best-known work is the tragicomedy The Malcontent (1604), which rails at the iniquities of a lascivious court. Also notable is The Dutch Courtezan (produced 1603-04), one of the cleverest comedies of its time. Though he satirized and feuded with Ben Jonson, the two collaborated on Eastward Hoe (1605; with George Chapman) and Love’s Martyr (1607).
Marston Moor, Battle of (July 2, 1644) First major Royalist defeat in the English Civil Wars. Royalist forces under Prince Rupert relieved the siege of York and pursued the Parliamentary forces to nearby Long Mar¬ ston. A surprise counterattack by Parliamentary forces under Oliver Crom¬ well caused heavy losses to Royalist troops. With the fall of York, Charles I lost control of the north, and Cromwell emerged as the leading Parlia¬ mentary general.
marsupial \mar-'su-pe-3l\ Any mammal of the infraclass Marsupialia, characterized by premature birth and continued development outside the womb. The young remain attached to the mother’s teats for a period cor¬ responding to the late stages of fetal development of a placental mammal.
More than 170 species (e.g., bandi¬ coots, kangaroos, koalas, wombats) are found in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. About 65 species of opossum occur in the Americas and seven species of ratlike marsupials in South America. Many species have a pouch (marsupium), a fold of skin covering the nipples on the mother’s lower belly, where the young con¬ tinue their development.
Marsyas \mar-'se-9s\ Painter (fl. c. 350-325 bc, Greece) Greek painter of the late Classical period, known for two containers, both dated 340-330 bc. Both are painted in the so-called Kerch style, named for the area north of the Black Sea where many such vessels were excavated.
Characterized by slender, mannered forms, elaborate decoration, and polychrome effects, the Kerch style is thought to be the last major style of Attic RED-FIGURE POTTERY.
marten Any of several forest¬ dwelling carnivore species (genus Martes, family Mustelidae). Species differ in size and colour, but they resemble weasels in general propor¬ tions, and their fur is valuable. Their total length is 20-40 in. (50-100 cm), and they may weigh 2-5 lb (1-2.5 kg) or more. Martens hunt
"Peleus Taming Thetis," pelike by the Marsyas Painter, c. 340-330 bc; in the British Museum
COURTESY OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Stone marten (Martes foina)
REINHARD/REISER—BAVARIA-VERLAG
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Martha's Vineyard ► Martineau I 1203
alone, feeding on animals, fruit, and carrion. The fur of the American marten (M. americana) of northern North America is sometimes sold as sable. Other species include the pine, baum, or sweet marten (M. martes ) of Europe and Central Asia and the yellow-throated marten, or honey dog (M flavigula), named for its preference for sweet foods, of southern Asia. See also fisher; polecat.
Martha's Vineyard Island, Atlantic Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts, U.S. Situated across Vineyard Sound from Cape Cod, it is nearly 20 mi (32 km) long and 2-10 mi (3-16 km) wide. It was first described in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold and was named for its wild grapevines. Purchased by Thomas Mayhew in 1641, it was considered part of New York before being ceded to Massachusetts in 1692. It was once a centre of the whaling and fishing industries; it is now a popular summer resort.
Marti \mar-'te\ (y Perez), Jose Julian (b. Jan. 28, 1853, Havana, Cuba—d. May 19, 1895, Dos Rios) Cuban poet, essayist, and patriot. Involved in an 1868 revolutionary uprising, Marti was deported to Spain, where he received a law degree and continued his political activities and writing. He later lived in various countries, spending most of 1881-95 in New York City. He organized and unified the movement for Cuban inde¬ pendence and died in battle. As a writer, he is noted for his personal prose and deceptively simple verse on themes of a free and united America. His essays, such as those in Our America (1881), are often considered his great¬ est contribution to Latin American letters. He is the national hero of Cuba.
Martial Vmar-shoR Latin Marcus Valerius Martialis (b. c. ad
38/41, Bilbilis, Hispania—d. c. 103) Roman poet. Born in a Roman colony in what is now Spain, Martial went to Rome as a young man. There he associated with such figures as Seneca, Lucan, and Juvenal and enjoyed the patronage of the emperors Titus and Domitian. His early poetry, some marred by gross adulation of Titus, was undistinguished. He is renowned for his 12 books of epigrams (86-1027), a form he virtually created. Pointed and often obscene, they provide a picture of Roman society during the early empire that is remarkable both for its completeness and for its accu¬ rate portrayal of human foibles.
martial art Any of several arts of combat and self-defense that are widely practiced as sport. There are armed and unarmed varieties, most based on traditional fighting methods used in East Asia. In modem times, derivatives of armed martial arts include kendo (fencing with wooden swords) and kyudo (archery). Unarmed varieties include aikido, judo, karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do. Because of the influence of Taoism and Zen Buddhism, there is a strong emphasis in all the martial arts on the practitioner’s mental and spiritual state. A hierarchy of expertise, ranging from the novice (“white belt”) to the master (“black belt”), is usually rec¬ ognized. See also Y ai chi ch'uan; jujitsu.
martial law Temporary rule of a designated area by military authori¬ ties in time of emergency when the civil authorities are deemed unable to function. Under martial law, civil rights are usually suspended, and the activities of civil courts are restricted or supplanted entirely by military tribunals. Such “acts done by necessity” are limited only by international law and the conventions of civilized warfare. Though temporary in theory, a state of martial law may in fact continue indefinitely. See also human rights; war crimes.
Martin V orig. Oddo Colonna (b. 1368, Genazzano, Papal States—d. Feb. 20, 1431, Rome) Pope (1417—31). His election at the Council of Constance marked the end of the Western Schism. He con¬ demned conciliar theory (see Conciliar movement) and any appeals of papal judgment on matters of faith. Martin rejected French efforts to persuade him to live at Avignon (see Avignon papacy). Instead he returned to Rome (1420), where he helped to rebuild the ruined city. He also tried to recover control of the Papal States. He mediated in the Hundred Years' War and organized crusades against the Hussites, and he asserted the rights of the church against the crown.
martin Any of several species of songbirds in the family Hirundinidae. In the U.S., the name refers to the purple martin (Progne subis ), at 8 in. (20 cm) long, the largest U.S. swallow. The sand martin, or bank swal¬ low (Riparia riparia ), a 5-in. (12-cm) brown-and-white bird, breeds throughout the Northern Hemisphere, nesting in sandbank burrows. The house martin (Delichon urbica ), blue-black above and white-rumped, is common in Europe. The African river martin (Pseudochelidon eurystom- ina) of the Congo is black, with red eyes and bill.