Mesozoic N.me-zo-'zo-ikV Era Second of the Earth’s three major geo¬ logic eras and the interval during which the continental landmasses as known today were separated from the supercontinents Laurasia and Gond- wana by continental drift. It lasted from c. 248 to c. 65 million years ago and includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. The Mesozoic saw the evolution of widely diversified and advanced flora and fauna, quite different from those that had developed earlier during the Paleozoic Era or that would develop later during the Cenozoic Era.
mesquite \m3-'sket\ Any of the spiny, deep-rooted shrubs or small trees that make up the genus Prosopis of the pea family (see legume). Mesquites form extensive thickets in areas from South America to the southwestern U.S. Two races occur: one of tall trees (50 ft [15 m]), the other low and far-reaching, called running mesquite. Water-seeking roots grow as deep as 70 ft (20 m). Stems bear compound olive-green to white hairy leaves, then dense, cream-coloured catkins of flowers, followed by clusters of long, narrow, pale yellow beans. In warmer parts of the U.S., mesquites are considered pests and are eradicated. Cattle eat the beans, which con¬ tain a sweet pulp. The wood, formerly used in railroad ties, now has value only for unusual furniture and trinkets and as aromatic firewood.
Mesrob Vmes-'ropV Saint or Saint Mesrop Mashtots \mash-'tots\ (b. c. 360, Hatsik, Armenia—d. Feb. 17, 440; Armenian feast day, Feb¬ ruary 19) Armenian theologian and linguist. A scholar of classical lan¬ guages, he became a monk c. 395 and eventually founded several monasteries, spreading the Gospel in remote areas of Armenia. He sys¬ tematized or invented the Armenian alphabet and sponsored the first trans¬ lation of the Bible into Armenian (c. 410). He also wrote biblical commentaries and translated other theological works, and he helped estab¬ lish Armenia’s golden age of Christian literature. See also Armenian lan¬ guage.
Messene \me-'sa-na, mo-'se-ne\ Ancient city, southwestern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located north of the modem city of the same name. Founded c. 369 bc as the site of the new capital of Messenia, Messene formed a strategic bander against Sparta, along with Megalopolis, Mantinea, and Argos. It survived several Macedonian and Spartan sieges but fell to Philip II of Macedonia in 338 bc. Nothing is known of its history after the 2nd century bc.
Messenia \m3-'se-ne-3\, Gulf of Gulf of the Ionian Sea, on the coast of the southwestern Peloponnese, Greece. On the west side of the gulf is the port of Koroni, originally settled by Argives after the First Messenian War (c. 735-715 bc) and reoccupied during the Middle Ages by refugees from the north. The French landed at the Gulf of Messenia in 1828 dur¬ ing the War of Greek Independence to drive the Turks from the Peloponnese.
Messerschmitt, Willy (b. June 26, 1898, Frankfurt am Main, Ger¬ man Empire—d. Sept. 17, 1978, Munich, W.Ger.) German aircraft designer. From 1926 he was chief designer and engineer at the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in Augsburg, Ger., which in 1938 became Messerschmitt AG. In 1939 his first military aircraft, the Messerschmitt 109 (Me 109), set a speed record of 481 mph (775 km/hr). In World War II his factory produced 35,000 Me 109’s for the German air force, as well as the Me 110 bomber, the Me 163 rocket-propelled plane, and the Me 262, the first combat jet. Under a postwar ban on aircraft production, his firm made prefab housing and sewing machines until 1958.
Messerschmitt 109 (Me 109) Fighter aircraft of Nazi Germany. Originally designed in 1934 by Willy Messerschmitt at the Bavarian Air-
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Messiaen ► metal fatigue I 1243
plane Co. (BFW), it was also known as the Bf 109. Modified after see¬ ing action in the Spanish Civil War, it became Germany’s premier fighter for much of World War II. The model used in the Battle of Britain was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane with a top speed of 350 mph (570 kph) and a ceiling of 35,000 ft (10,500 m). It was faster in a dive than the British Spitfire but was limited in range by a small fuel capacity. By 1944 improved Allied fighters such as the P-51 had outstripped it.
Messiaen \mes-'ya n \, Olivier (-Eugene-Prosper-Charles) (b.
Dec. 10, 1908, Avignon, France—d.
April 27, 1992, Clichy, near Paris)
French composer. At age 11 he entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he won five first prizes. In 1931 he became principal organist at the church of the Sainte-Trinite, where he would remain for 40 years.
He wrote his Quartet for the End of Time in a German POW camp. After the war, he taught at the Conserva¬ toire (1947-78), where his students included Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis. His main source of inspiration was his quasi-mystical devout Catholic faith.
His love of nature is evident in his many works inspired by birdsong.
He also was influenced rhythmically by his study of Indian music, and he systematically explored nontonal harmonic materials. Major works include Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jesus (1944) and Catalogue d’oiseaux (1958) for piano, La Nativite du Seig¬ neur (1935) for organ, the Turangalila-symphonie (1948), Et expecto res- urrectionem mortuorum (1964), and the opera Saint Frangois d’Assise
(1983).
messiah In Judaism, the expected king of the line of David who will deliver the Jews from foreign bondage and restore Israel’s golden age. The term used for the messiah in the Greek New Testament, christos, was applied to Jesus, who is accepted by Christians as the promised redeemer. Messiah figures also appear in various other religions and cultures; Shiite Muslims, for example, look for a restorer of the faith known as the mahdi, and Maitreya is a redeeming figure in Buddhism.
Messier \mas-'ya,\ English \'me-se-,a\ catalog List of about 109 star clusters, NEBULAe, and galaxies compiled by the French astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817), who discovered many of them. Still a valuable guide to amateur astronomers, it was superseded by the New General Catalogue (NGC); both NGC and M reference numbers remain in com¬ mon use.
Messina ancient Zankle City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 236,621), north¬ eastern Sicily, Italy. Founded by Greeks in the 8th century bc, it was destroyed by Carthaginians in 397 bc. The Romans took the rebuilt city in 264 bc, precipitating the First Punic War. After the war it became a free city allied with Rome. It was taken successively by the Goths, Byzan¬ tines, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards, and finally (in 1860) Italians. Heavily bombed during World War II, it was rebuilt. It is now an important Ital¬ ian port. Sites of interest include the cathedral and the university (founded
1548).
Messina, Antonello da See Antonello da Messina
Messina, Strait of ancient Fretum Siculum Channel between southern Italy and northeastern Sicily. It is 2 to 10 mi (3 to 16 km) wide. The city of Messina lies on its bank in Sicily, opposite Reggio di Calabria. Ferry service across the strait links Messina with the Italian mainland.
Mesta River See Nestos River
mestizo \mes-'te-zo\ Any person of mixed blood. In Spanish America the term denotes a person of combined Indian and European extraction. In some countries, such as Ecuador, it has acquired social and cultural connotations: a pure-blooded Indian who has adopted European dress and customs is called a mestizo (or cholo ). In Mexico the term’s meaning has varied so greatly that it has been abandoned in census reports. In the Phil¬ ippines it denotes a person of mixed foreign (e.g., Chinese) and native ancestry. See also ladino.