Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/75

* PIBKHEIMER. 55 PISA. born at Eichstadt, educated at Padua and Pavia, and on his return to Xuremberg (1497) became counselor to the Emperor Maximilian and held this post for twenty-five years. In 1522 he be- came counselor to Charles V., but soon after gave himself up entirely to scholarly studies. At the beginning of the Keformation Pirkheiiiier sided with Reuelilin, but he could not go so far as Lu- ther, although he defended him at first, so that he finally took much the same position as Erasmus, with whom, as well as with Reuehlin, Celtes, Hutten, and especially Diirer, he was on most intimate terms. His scholarly activity was wide and embraced studies in mathematics, astrology, theolog>', and politics. He wrote an historical work, licllum Suitense, dealing with the war in Switzerland in 1499, in which he had commanded the forces of Xuremberg (edited, with an auto- biography, by Riick. Munich, 1895), and various translations from Greek into Latin. Consult: Hagen, ^yilibald I'irkheimer in seinem Verhalf- nis zum Humanismiis und zur Reformation (Xuremberg, 1882); Roth, Wilibald Pirkhdmer (Halle, 1887). PIRMASENS, per'm;-z6ns. A to^m in the Rhine Piilatinate, Bavaria, situated about 30 miles southwest of Speyer (Map: Germany, B 4). It has a Protestant church with a fine monument to Landgrave Louis IX. of Hesse. Its chief in- dustry is the manufacturing of footwear, which is carried on on a large scale. Pirmasens is noted as the scene of a victory of the Prussians over the French, under Moreau, in 1793. Population, in 1890, 21,041: in 1900, 30,194, chiefly Prot- estants. FIRNA, j)ir'na. A town in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, situated on the left bank of the Elbe, about 11 miles by rail southeast of Dresden (Map: Germany, E 3). It has a num- ber of churches dating from the thirteenth cen- tury, an old castle with an insane asylum, a realschule. a seminary for teachers, a school of navigation, and a municipal museum. The manufactures include leather, essential oils, en- ameled ware, pottery, various kinds of glass, etc. Pirna is first mentioned as a possession of the Bishops of Meissen in the tenth century. It at- tained considerable prosperity in the Middle Ages, but subsequently declined on account of the rav- ages of war. During the Seven Years' War the Saxons intrenched themselves in Pirna and were forced to capitulate to a superior force of Prus- sians on October 17. 175. Population, in 1890, 13.852: in 1900, 18,295, chiefly Protestants. PXRO, pe'nV The name of two Indian tribes, one of Xorth America, the other of the Southern Continent. ( 1 ) PiRO. a Pueblo tribe of Tanoan stock, formerly occupying several villages along the Rio Grande, about the present Socorro and ^lagdalena. X. ^I., but now extinct, excepting a nearly Mexicanized remnant at Seneeu, Mexico. (2) PiRO. CmXTAQUlRU, Or SiMIRIXCHE, a southern tribe of Arawakan stock (q.v. ) occupy- ing the headwaters of the Apurimac and L'cayali rivers. Central Peru. They were in part con- verted by the Jesuits between 1683 and 1727. They get the name of Chvnlnriiiiru. 'palm tootli.' from their custom of dyeing their teeth black with the root of the chunta palm. They are expert boatmen and fishermen, and collect sarsa- parilla and make manati oil for the traders. They dress in black cotton cloth. PIROGUE, or PERIAGUA (Fr. pirogue, from Sp. pirayua, canoe, from the West Indian name). A form of boat used on the Western riv- ers of the United States and in the West Indies and Central and South America. It is usually a 'dug-out' and made from a single log. But larger varieties are made from "dug-outs' by splitting them in two and inserting one or more planks in the bottom to give greater width. When fitted with sails these boats usually have two masts which may be easily unstepped and taken down. PIRON, pe'rox', ALEXIS (1689-1773). A French poet and dramatist, famed for wit and epigram. He was bom in Dijon, July 9, 1689, studied law, and in 1719 he went to Paris as secretary to Belle-Isle, grandson of Fouquet. With Piron's monologue in three acts, called Arlequin Deucalion, the comic opera got new life. La metromanie (1738) has, also, some dramatic merit. Piron's Works are in seven volumes (1776). The epigrams, often reprinted, are of most significance. Piron died in Paris, January 21, 1773. PIROT, pe-rot'. A town of Servia, situated near the Bulgarian frontier on the railroad from Belgrade to Sofia, and 48 miles northwest of the latter city (Map: Balkan Peninsula, D 3). It is a fortified place of considerable strategic im- portance, and is noted for the manufacture of carpets. Population, in 1900, 10,421. PISA, pe'zii. The capital of the Prov- ince of Pisa, in Tuscany, Italy, situated on both banks of the Amo, five miles east of the Mediter- ranean, 11 miles northeast of Leghorn and 49 miles west of Florence (Map: Italy, E 4). The equable climate favors Pisa as a desirable winter resort for persons having pulmonary troubles. The neighboring mountains (the Monti Pisani, five miles to the east) and the high ancient forti- fications (over six miles in circuit) protect the city from winds. It is defended by a citadel on the southwest. Its streets are quite regular and are well paved. The centre of life in Pisa, which is a quiet town, is the Lungarno — stretches of fine wide quays bordering both banks of the river from one end of tile municipality to the other. Here are fine hotels and restaurants. The Amo is spanned by five bridges. The glory of Pisa is the far-famed Piazza del Duomo with its cathedral, baptistery. Leaning Tower, and Campo Santo, all situated in the ex- treme northwest corner of the city. The splendid cathedral, or basilica, dates from 1063 and was restored at the beginning of the seventeenth cen- tury. It is a remarkably perfect example of the Tuscan-Romanesque. It is of white marble, varied with black and red stripes. It is crowned by a semi-dome which contains mosaics on gold ground by Cii.iabue and others. The facade rivals any in Italy. It is characterized by col- umns, arches, and galleries. In the interior are 08 antique columns taken by the Pisans in their wars with their enemies. Among the interesting contents is a handsome bronze lamp suspended in the nave, the swaying of which is claimed to have suggested the explanation of the pendulum to Galileo. The circular marble baptistery, adorned with numerous columns, stands in front of the cathedral. It belongs to the middle of the twelfth centurv. Its dome rises to a height of nearly 200