Nabateans
a people of northern Arabia. They took possession of the country once occupied by the Edomites; and in the beginning of the 3d century B. C. they were one of the most powerful among the Arab tribes, warlike, with a force of 10,000 fighting men, nomadic, and busy carriers of merchandise between the East and the West. By the 1st century B. C. they had shaped their power into a kingdom; in the time of St. Paul their king Aretas, who died in A. D. 40 after a reign of 48 years, was master of Damascus and Cœle-Syria. Trajan, in 105, captured their stronghold and put an end to their kingdom. They possessed a certain measure of culture, derived from the Syrians. The language of their coins and inscriptions is Aramaic.
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Nablus
(corrupted from the Greek Neapolis), a town of Palestine, on the highest part of the pass, between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, that leads from the Mediterranean to the Jordan. In the same valley or gap are Jacob's Well, the Tree of the Sanctuary, and Joseph's grave. At first a Canaanite city, it was destroyed by Abimelech, a N son of Gideon the Judge. Here Rehoboam was crowned King of Israel. The place still is the religious center of the Samaritans. The Greek city gave birth to Justin Martyr, and suffered during the Crusades.
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Nabob
an East Indian term from the Hindu, signifying a deputy governor. In the history of the Mogul Empire, the viceroys or governors of provinces are known as nabobs. These deputies had opportunity to oppress and to plunder. "As rich as a nabob" became a proverbial saying. By degrees the term was transferred to persons, particularly Anglo-Indian officials or traders, who acquired wealth in India and surrounded themselves with oriental luxury. "He went to India a poor clerk and came back a nabob" might be heard in London.
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Naboth
a worthy Israelite, the owner of a plot of ground and a vineyard on the eastern slope of Mount Gilboa, Palestine. This fair possession attracted the covetous eye (Kings xxi) of Ahab, whose royal palace stood hard by. King Ahab offered his subject another and a better field in exchange, but the sturdy commoner refused to part with "the inheritance of my fathers." Jezebel fastened a lying accusation of blasphemy upon Naboth, as a result of which he and his two sons were stoned to death. But no sooner had Ahab gone down to take possession of the coveted vineyard than Elijah confronted him with: "In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine," and "the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel." The story of Naboth is used to illustrate the tendency of the powerful to overreach the weak.
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Nabuco
JOAQUIM, Brazilian political writer. Born in Recife in 1849, he was educated as a lawyer and became an attaché with the Brazilian legation in Washington. He was elected to the Brazilian Chamber in 1878, and was active in the movement to abolish slavery. When Brazil adopted a republican constitution, he left politics and engaged in writing a history of the reign of Pedro II. He represented Brazil in London from 1901 to 1905, and in Washington from 1905 till his death. His works include: "Pensées detachées et souvenirs" (1906). He died in 1910.
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Nachtigal
GUSTAV (näh'te-gäl), a German traveler; born in Eichstedt, Germany, Feb. 23, 1834. He studied medicine and served as army surgeon till 1863. A long and successful journey, in the course of which he visited, the first of Europeans, the native states of Tibesti, Borku, and Wadai, put him in the forefront of modern travelers. His vast collection of most valuable information was written down in the three volumes of "Sahara and Sudan" (1879-1889). In 1884 Nachtigal was commissioned to annex for Germany Togoland, Kamerun, and Lüderitzland (Angra-Pequena) on the W. coast of Africa. He died on the return journey off Cape Palmas, April 19, 1885.
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Nadab
a King of Israel, and son of Jeroboam, whom he succeeded in 954 B. C. In the second year of his reign, he led "all Israel" against Gibbethon, but was slain during his siege of that city, by Baasha, son of Ahijah, who mounted the throne, and reigned 23 years, during which he "smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that 364 breathed," as was prophesied by Ahijah the Shilonite.
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Nadaud
GUSTAVE (nä-dō'), a French composer; born in Roubaix, France, Feb. 20, 1820. He published: "Songs" (1849); "More Songs" (1873); New "Unpublished Songs" (1876); and "New Songs" (2d ed. 1892). He composed the music for many of them. He also wrote a novel called "An Idyll" (2d ed. 1886). He died in Paris, April 28, 1893.
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Nadir
. See Zenith
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Nadir Shah
Shah of Persia; born in the province of Khorasan, about 1688. For the first years of his reign justice and moderation were the principles of his power; but as he advanced in years he gradually threw off all consideration, and ruled by his selfish, arbitrary, and unbridled will; while in regard to his captives the most inhuman and barbarous conduct marked his career. He put out the eyes of his own son, simply because he was beloved by the people; and exercised such malignant cruelty on all, that his officers, discovering he meant to destroy them all, formed a league to save their lives and rid the world of an intolerable monster, entering his tent by night, murdered him as he slept, and placed his nephew Ali on the musnud in June, 1747.
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Naga Hills
2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about other peoples, religions, or nationalities that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) a district of British India, the S. E. extremity of Assam; area 6,400 square miles approximately; pop. 130,300. It consists of a mountainle and ous region, covered with jungle forest, the haunt of various wild animals, and is inhabited by the aboriginal Nagas and other semi-savage people, whose incessant raids into the more orderly British provinces occasioned much trouble in 1832-1881. In that year their country was made an administrative district, and garrisoned with a native regiment.
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