Sully \sie-'le\, Maximilien de Bethune, duke de (b. Dec. 13, 1560, Mantes, France—d. Dec. 22, 1641, Villebon) French statesman. Son of a French Huguenot noble, he was sent to the court of Henry of Navarra (later Henry IV). He fought in the Wars of Religion and helped negotiate the Peace of Savoy (1601). As superintendent of finances from 1598, he instituted reforms in taxation and administration. A trusted agent to the king, he was rewarded with royal offices and created duke de Sully in 1606. He promoted a system of national improvements, encouraged agri¬ culture, and strengthened the military. His political role ended with Hen¬ ry’s assassination (1610), and he resigned in 1611.
Sully Prudhomme VsiE-le-prLe-'doirA orig. Rene-Francois- Armand Prudhomme (b.
March 16, 1839, Paris, France—d.
Sept. 7, 1907, Chatenay) French poet. Inspired at first by an unhappy love affair, he published fluent and melancholic verse in volumes begin¬ ning with Stances et poemes (1865), containing his well-known “Le Vase brise.” He later adopted the more objective approach of the Parnassian poets and attempted to represent philosophical concepts in verse.
Among his best-known later works are La Justice (1878) and Le Bon- heur( 1888). In 1901 he was awarded the first Nobel Prize for Literature, over such greatly admired figures as Leo Tolstoy.
sulphide mineral See sulfide min¬ eral
sulphur butterfly or sulfur butterfly Any of several species of butterflies (family Pieridae) that are found worldwide. Adults have a wing¬ span of 1.5-2.5 in. (35-60 mm). The colour and pattern of many species vary seasonally and between sexes, but they are generally bright yellow or orange. Some have two colour patterns; for example, Colias eurytheme is usually orange with black wing margins, but some females are white
Sulla, marble bust; in the Vatican Museum.
AUNARI/ART RESOURCE, NEW YORK
Sully Prudhomme.
H. ROGER-VIOLLET
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Sulu Archipelago ► sumo I 1843
with black margins. Pupae are attached to a twig by a posterior spine and a girdle of silk. The larvae feed on clover and may seriously damage crops.
Sulu Archipelago Volcanic and coral archipelago, southwestern Phil¬ ippines, between Mindanao and Borneo. A double island chain, it extends 170 mi (270 km) and includes about 400 named islands and more than 500 unnamed ones; they cover an area of 1,038 sq mi (2,688 sq km). The islanders were converted to Islam by Abu Bakr in the mid-15th century. The Spanish tried, at first unsuccessfully, to subdue the inhabitants, whom they called Moros. The islands finally became a Spanish protectorate in the 19th century, and in 1899 came under U.S. authority. The archipelago was ceded to the Philippines in 1940. The islands provide a haven for smugglers and pirates.
Sulzberger Ysslz-.bar-garV, Arthur Hays (b. Sept. 12, 1891, New York, N.Y., U.S.—d. Dec. 11, 1968, New York City) U.S. newspaper- publisher. The son-in-law of Adolph Ochs, he joined the staff of The New York Times after marrying Iphigene Ochs in 1917. He was the paper’s pub¬ lisher (1935-61), overseeing the extension of its news coverage into more specialized subject areas as well as important changes in technology and a growth in circulation. He was succeeded by his son, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger.
Sulzberger, Arthur Ochs (b. Feb. 5, 1926, New York, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. newspaper publisher. Grandson of Adolph Ochs and son of Iphigene and Arthur Hays Sulzberger, he spent a dozen years as a reporter and in other newspaper posts before becoming publisher of The New York Times in 1963. During his tenure he introduced many innovations that strength¬ ened the paper’s reputation while modernizing and streamlining the orga¬ nization of its staff, including the unification of the daily Times with the Sunday edition in 1964 and an increase in coverage of fields such as eco¬ nomics, the environment, medicine, law, and science. In 1992 he was suc¬ ceeded by his son, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. (b. 1951).
sumac Vshu-.mak, 'su-,mak\ Any of certain species of shrubs and small trees in the genus Rhus of the family Anacardiaceae (the sumac, or cashew, family), native to temperate and subtropical zones. All sumacs have a milky or resinous sap, which in some species (e.g., poison sumac) can irri¬ tate the skin. Used in the past as a source of dyes, medicines, and beverages, sumacs are now valued as ornamentals, soil binders, and cover plants. The sumacs grown for landscape use display a graceful form, spectacular fall colour, or colourful fruit clusters. The smooth, or scarlet, sumac ( R . gla¬ bra ), native to the eastern and central U.S., is the most common.
Sumatra \su-'ma-tro\ Island (pop., 2000 including adjoining islands: 43,309,707), western Indonesia. It is one of the Sunda Islands and the sec¬ ond largest island of Indonesia. It is 1,060 mi (1,706 km) long and 250 mi (400 km) wide. A chief city is Palembang. Located on the seaborne trade routes, the island had early contact with Hindu civilization. The Srivijaya empire arose in the 7th century and came to dominate much of the island. It fell under the Majapahit empire in the 14th-16th centuries. First the Portuguese, then the Dutch and English established forts there begin¬ ning in the 16th century. It was occupied by Japan in World War II and in 1950 became part of the Republic of Indonesia. Its exports include rub¬ ber, tobacco, coffee, pepper, and timber products; mineral reserves include petroleum and coal. In 2004 a large tsunami generated by a massive earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra caused widespread death and destruction in coastal areas bordering the Indian Ocean.
Sumba \'sum-ba\ English Sandalwood Island Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia. The island, 140 mi (225 km) long and up to 50 mi (80 km) wide, is mainly a high plateau with good harbours on the northern coast. Its chieftains were brought by treaty under Dutch control in 1756. Sumba became part of independent Indonesia in 1950. It is known for the Sandalwood horse and Ongole cattle, and its woven cloth is famous for its design. Corn is the main crop; copra is exported.
Sumbawa \sum-'ba-wa\ Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia. Its irregular coastline includes Bima Bay, one of the best harbours in Indo¬ nesia. The island, 175 mi (282 km) long and 55 mi (88 km) wide, is mountainous. Its highest point is volcanic Mount Tambora (9,354 ft [2,851 m]), which erupted in 1815, killing 50,000 people. Sumbawa was once part of the Majapahit empire. In 1674 the Sumbawanese nobility signed agreements that gave the Dutch East India Company some power over the island; the Dutch gained direct control in the early 20th century. Sum¬ bawa became part of independent Indonesia in 1950. Agricultural prod¬ ucts include rice, com, coffee, and copra.