Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) Series of wars that ranged France against shifting alliances of European powers. Originally an attempt to maintain French strength established by the French Revolutionary Wars, they became efforts by Napoleon to affirm his supremacy in the balance of European power. A victory over Austria at the Battle of Marengo (1800) left France the dominant power on the continent. Only Britain remained strong, and its victory at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) ended Napoleon’s threat to invade England. Napoleon won major victories in the Battles of Ulm and Austerutz (1805), Jena and Auerstedt (1806), and Friedland (1807) against an alliance of Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The resulting Treaties of Tilsit (1807) and the Treaty of Schonbrunn (1809) left most of Europe from the English Channel to the Russian border either part of the French Empire, controlled by France, or allied to it by treaty. Napoleon’s suc¬ cesses resulted from a strategy of moving his army rapidly, attacking quickly, and defeating each of the disconnected enemy units. His enemies’ responding strategy was to avoid engagement while withdrawing, forcing Napoleon’s supply lines to be overextended; the strategy was successfully used against him by the duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War and by Mikhail, Prince Barclay de Tolly, in Russia. In 1813 the Quadruple Alliance formed to oppose Napoleon and amassed armies that outnumbered his. Defeated at the Battle of Leipzig, he was forced to withdraw west of the Rhine River, and after the invasion of France (1814) he abdicated. He rallied a new army to return in the Hundred Days (1815), but a revived Quadruple Alliance opposed him. His final defeat at the Battle of Water¬ loo was caused by his inability to surprise and to prevent the two armies, led by Wellington and Gebhard von Blucher, from joining forces to defeat him. With his second abdication and exile, the era of the Napoleonic Wars ended.
nappe \'nap\ In geology, a large body or sheet of rock that has been moved by faulting or folding a distance of about 1 mi (1.5 km) or more from its original position. A nappe may be the hanging wall of a low- angle thrust fault (a fracture in the rocks of the Earth’s crust caused by contraction), or it may be a large recumbent fold (i.e., an undulation in the stratified rocks that have an essentially horizontal axial plane); both processes position older rocks over younger rocks.
Naqadah or Naqada \no-'ka-d3\ Archaeological site, east-central Egypt. Located on the west bank of the Nile River north of ancient Karnak, it contains the remains of a Neolithic town and burial grounds of the pre- dynastic period (before c. 2925 bc). It was first excavated by British archaeologist Flinders Petrie in the late 19th century. A modern town at the site has pottery and silk industries.
Nara period (710-784) Period of Japanese history during which the emperor resided in Nara. The capital city was modeled on the capital of Tang-dynasty China, Chang'an, from whom the Japanese borrowed exten¬ sively in this period. Buddhism, which had entered Japan a little more than a century earlier, rose in popularity, and many temples and statues were commissioned. The Chinese writing system was introduced and modi¬ fied by the Japanese (see Japanese writing system), allowing two official histories and the earliest Japanese poetry collections to be produced. The Taiho Code, adopted officially in 701, was based on Chinese law, and the Chinese equal-field system of land distribution, though no longer rigorously enforced, continued to remain in effect. The imperial state extended its frontiers to include southern Kyushu and northern Honshu.
Narayan(swami) \n9-'ri-3n\, R(asipuram) K(rishnaswami)
(b. Oct. 10, 1906, Madras, India—d. May 13, 2001, Madras) Indian writer.
Narayan briefly worked as a teacher before devoting himself to writing. His first novel, Swami and Friends (1935), recounts the adventures of a group of schoolboys. His novels, which typically portray human relation¬ ships and the ironies of Indian daily life in which modern urban existence clashes with ancient tradition, include The English Teacher (1945), The Guide (1958), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961), The Vendor of Sweets (1967), A Tiger for Malgudi (1983), and The World of Nagaraj (1990). He also wrote short stories, memoirs, and modern prose versions of Indian epics.
Narayanan, Kocheril Raman (b. Oct. 27, 1920, Uzhavoor, India—d. Nov. 9, 2005, New Delhi) President of India (1997-2002). He was the first member of the country’s lowest social caste—the group tra¬ ditionally considered to be untouchable—to occupy the office. Raised in poverty, he attended the University of Travancore on a scholarship and graduated from the London School of Economics with top academic honours. In 1949 he became a diplomat, despite opposition from upper- caste officials, and was ambassador to several countries, including China and the U.S. After serving as a cabinet minister in parliament, he was named vice president in 1992 and president in 1997.
Narbonensis \,nar-b9-'nen-s3s\ or Gallia Narbonensis Ancient Roman province between the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Cevennes Mountains, comprising what is now southeastern France. Part of Roman Gallia (see Gaul), it was originally called Provincia (see Provence) and was renamed Gallia Narbonensis under Augustus. It became fully Romanized and was governed by a PROCONSUL. The mild climate attracted many Roman immigrants. Vineyards prospered, olive groves were cultivated, and splendid buildings were erected. The province was also famous for its culture, especially the schools at Massilia (see Marseille).
narcissism Vnar-so-.si-zomV Mental disorder characterized by extreme self-absorption, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a need for attention and admiration from others. First identified by Havelock Ellis in 1898, the disorder is named for the mythological Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. In addition to an inflated self-image and addiction to fantasy, narcissism is characterized by an unusual coolness and composure, which is shaken only when the narcissistic confidence is threatened, and by the tendency to take others for granted or to exploit them. According to Sigmund Freud, narcissism is a normal stage in chil¬ dren’s development, but it is considered a disorder when it occurs after puberty.
Narcissus \nar-'si-sos\ In Greek mythology, a beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection. He was the son of the river god Ceph- issus and the nymph Leriope. His mother was told by a seer that he would have a long life, provided he never saw his own reflection. His callous rejection of the nymph Echo or of his lover Ameinias drew upon him the gods’ vengeance: he fell in love with his own image in the waters of a spring and wasted away. The narcissus flower sprang up where he died.
narcissus \nar-'si-sos\ Any of about 40 species of bulbous, fragrant, ornamental plants that make up the genus Narcissus in the amaryllis fam¬ ily, native mainly to Europe. Popular spring garden flowers include the daffodil, or narcissus ( N ’. pseudonar¬ cissus), the jonquil ( N.jonquilla ), and poet’s narcissus ( N . poeticus ). The stem usually bears one large blos¬ som. The central crown of each yel¬ low, white, or pink flower ranges in shape from the form of a trumpet, as in the daffodil, to a ringlike cup, as in the poet’s narcissus. Rushlike or flat¬ tened leaves arise from the base of the plant. Though poisonous, the bulbs were once used in medicines.
narcolepsy Sleep disorder with sudden, uncontrollable spells of day¬ time sleep and disturbances of nighttime sleep. It usually begins in youth or early adulthood and is presumably due to dysfunction of certain brain structures. Narcoleptics can fall asleep anywhere and anytime—for instance, while talking, eating, or driving. Sleep usually lasts a moment, rarely over an hour, and the narcoleptic is easily awakened. Sleep paraly¬ sis, normal when falling asleep or waking, occurs during full conscious¬ ness in narcolepsy, with brief but complete inability to move.