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 PEDEE PEDRO THE CRUEL 223 senteric lacteal vessels terminate in a saccu- lar expansion situated at the upper and back part of the abdomen, next the vena cava and in front of the second lumbar vertebra, now known as the receptaculum chyli, or the res- ervoir of Pecquet ; and that the chyle is thence conducted by the thoracic duct to the point where this canal opens into the left subcla- vian vein. It is said that this discovery did much to induce the acceptance of Harvey's doctrine of the circulation of the blood. Pec- quet spent the greater part of his life in Paris, and was one of the first members of the acad- emy of science. His principal works are Ex- perimenta nova Anatomica (Paris, 1651), and De Circulatione Sanguinis et Chyli Motu, and De Thoracicis Lacteis (1654). PEDEE, Great, a river of South Carolina, which, rising in the N. "W. part of North Caro- lina, at the base of the Blue Ridge, is called the Yadkin until it enters the former state near its N. E. corner. Thence it flows near- ly S., falling into Winy aw bay near George- town. Among its tributaries in South Caro- lina are Lynch's creek, and the Little Pedee, Black, and Waccamaw rivers. It is navigable for small vessels to Cher aw, 150 m. PEDOMETER. See ODOMETEE. PEDRO I. (DE ALCANTARA) of Brazil, and IY. of Portugal, born in the palace of Queluz, near Lisbon, Oct. 12, 1798, died there, Sept. 24, 1834. On the invasion of Portugal by the French in 1807, the royal family fled to Brazil, which was raised to the rank of a kingdom in 1815. After the death of the queen Dona Maria I. the father of Dom Pedro became king of Portugal under the title of John VI., and in 1821 returned to that country, leaving his son as regent of Brazil. When the Portuguese cortes adopted measures reducing Brazil again to the rank of a colony, a revolution took place, and Dom Pedro, placing himself at the head of the movement, was proclaimed protector and perpetual defender of Brazil ; and the country being declared independent in October, 1822, he was proclaimed constitutional emperor, and on Dec. 1 was crowned. In 1826, the sover- eignty of the province Cisplatina (Banda Ori- ental) being disputed between Brazil and Bue- nos Ayres, Dom Pedro declared war against the latter, which terminated unfavorably to his interests. His father dying in 1826, he became king of Portugal, but immediately ab- dicated in favor of nis infant daughter, Dona Maria da Gloria ; and a popular tumult in Rio de Janeiro compelled him to abdicate in favor of his son, April 7, 1831, and to return to Por- tugal, during the usurpation of Dom Miguel. He landed at the island of Terceira, one of the. Azores, issued a decree in favor of Dona Ma- ria and began a war which terminated success- fully in 1834. (See MIGUEL.) Dom Pedro was appointed regent during his daughter's minor- ity, but he died before it expired. In 1833 he had been excommunicated by the pope for confiscating monastic property in Portugal. 645 VOL. xin. 15 PEDRO II. (DE ALCANTARA), emperor of Bra- zil, son of the preceding, born in Rio de Janei- ro, Dec. 2, 1825. In his sixth year his father abdicated the crown in his favor. During his minority the country was distracted by rival factions ; and at length, when Pedro II. was 14 years of age. a bill was passed in the chamber of deputies declaring his majority. Having been declared to have attained his majority, he was crowned July 18, 1841. The disturbed state of the country still continued. Several of the provinces were in arms ; in that of Sao Paulo order was restored by Gen. Caxias; but the war was prolonged in the province of Minas Geraes until the decisive victory of the royal- ists at San Lucia in 1842. Subsequently the emperor joined with Uruguay against the Ar- gentine dictator Rosas, who was finally over- thrown in 1852. For the subsequent events of his reign, see BRAZIL. From August, 1871, to March, 1872, Dom Pedro left the empire un- der the regency of his daughter, the princess Isabella, and made an extended tour on the con- tinent and in England. Under his rule Brazil is steadily increasing in power, the government has been consolidated, the finances are in a good condition, railways have been built, im- migration has been encouraged, slavery abol- ished, and internal improvements actively car- ried on. Dom Pedro possesses remarkable lit- erary and scientific acquirements and a liberal turn of mind, and enjoys the enthusiastic affec- tion of his subjects. In March, 1875, he was elected a corresponding member of the French academy of sciences. On Sept. 4, 1843, he married the princess Theresa Christina Maria, daughter of Francis I., king of the Two Sicilies. He has one surviving child, the princess Isa- bella, born July 29, 1846, and married, Oct. 15, 1864, to Louis, count d'Eu, son of the duke of Nemours. PEDRO THE CRUEL, king of Castile and Leon, born in Burgos, Aug. 30, 1334, killed March 14, 1369. He succeeded his father Alfonso XI. in 1350, and in 1353 married Blanche de Bour- bon, sister of the king of France, but in three days deserted her, and devoted himself to his mistress Dona Maria Padilla, whose relatives he raised to the highest offices. Equally licen- tious and cruel, he put to death, among many other victims, two of his natural brothers, and poisoned his queen. Finally an insurrection was raised against him under the lead of Henry of Trastamare, his natural brother and rival. At the same time the pope excommunicated the king and laid his kingdom under an interdict. Henry was defeated and driven to France, but in 1365 revived his claim to the throne, in which he was supported by the pope and Charles V. of France. Pedro sought refuge in Bayonne and obtained the assistance of Ed- ward the Black Prince, who placed him again on the throne; but Edward having deserted him in disgust, Pedro was defeated in the battle of Montiel and slain by the hand of his rival, who succeeded him as Henry II.