Gideon
a judge of Israel. He was the youngest son of Joash, of the house of Abiezer, and lived with his father at Ophrah, in Manasseh. During his youth was oppressed by the plundering incur- Israel was sunk in idolatry and sloth, and of resolute men, fell suddenly upon the Confident in the assurance of supernatural direction, he mustered the people, reduced the unwieldy host to a handful enemy in the neighborhood of Mount of resolute men, fell suddenly upon the Gilboa, and routed them with great slaughter. of Orleans. Its manufactures include ment of Loiret, France, 37 miles S. E. of Orleans. Its manufactures include has a handsome stone bridge across the Loire. Here, in 1410, 1410, a treaty was signed earthenware, serge and leather. Gièn by the young Duke d'Orleans, with the dukes of Berry, Bourbon and Brittany, against John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, to avenge the assassination of his father, Louis I.
DE (gērz), a Russian statesman; born May 21, 1820. After holding various DE (gerz), a Russian statesman; born May 21, 1820. After holding various Prince Gortchakoff, the minister of for- eign affairs, whom he succeeded in 1882. His policy in general was understood to eign affairs, whom he succeeded in 1882.
His have peaceful tendencies, and in particular opposed to Panslavistic ideas of development. In central Asia, however, M. de Giers continued the policy of adtion of positions within the Afghan frontion of positions within the Afghan frontier nearly brought about a war with Great Britain. He died in St. Petersburg, Jan. 26, 1895. GIESSEN (gēs'sen), a town of Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, at the confluence of the Wieseck and the Lahn, 40 miles N. of Frankfort-on-the-Main. It is the seat of a university, founded in 1607, which possesses well-appointed laboratories, collections, and museums, and a good library, with 72 professors, and 672 students in 1899. Pop. about 31,000.