CASIMIR, the name of five kings of Poland; the most eminent, Casimir III., called the Great, after distinguishing himself in wars against the Teutonic Knights, was elected king in 1333; recovered Silesia from Bohemia in two victories; defeated the Tartars on the Vistula, and annexed part of Lithuania; formed a code of laws, limiting both the royal authority and that of the nobles (1309-1370).

CASIMIR-PERIER, president of the French Republic, born in Paris; a man of moderate views and firm character; was premier in 1893; succeeded Carnot in 1894; resigned 1895, because, owing to misrepresentation, the office had become irksome to him; b. 1847.

CASINO, a club-house or public building in Continental towns provided with rooms for social gatherings, music, dancing, billiards, &c.

CASIRI, a Syro-Maronite religious, and a learned Orientalist (1710-1791).

CASPARI, KARL PAUL, German theologian, born at Dessau; professor at Christiania (1814-1892).

CASPIAN SEA, an inland sea, partly in Europe and partly in Asia, the largest in the world, being 600 m. from N. to S. and from 270 to 130 m. in breadth, with the Caucasus Mts. on the W. and the Elburz on the S., is the fragment of a larger sea which extended to the Arctic Ocean; shallow in the N., deep in the S.; the waters, which are not so salt as the ocean, abound in fish, especially salmon and sturgeon.

CASS, LEWIS, an eminent American statesman, a member of the Democratic party, and openly hostile to Great Britain; though in favour of slave-holding, a friend of Union; wrote a “History of the U.S.  Indians” (1782-1867).

CASSAGNAC, GRANIER DE, a French journalist; at first an Orleanist, became a supporter of the Empire; started several journals, which all died a natural death; edited Le Pays, a semi-official organ; embroiled himself in duels and lawsuits without number (1806-1880).

CASSAGNAC, PAUL, son of preceding; editor of Le Pays and the journal L’Autorite; an obstinate Imperialist; b. 1843.

CASSANDER, king of Macedonia, passed over in the succession by his father Antipater; allied himself with the Greek cities; invaded Macedonia and ascended the throne; married Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great, but put Alexander’s mother to death, thus securing himself against all rival claimants; left his son Philip as successor (354-297 B.C.).

CASSANDRA, a beautiful Trojan princess, daughter of Priam and Hecuba, whom Apollo endowed with the gift of prophecy, but, as she had rejected his suit, doomed to utter prophecies which no one would believe, as happened with her warnings of the fate and the fall of Troy, which were treated by her countrymen as the ravings of a lunatic; her name is applied to any one who entertains gloomy forebodings.

CASSANO, a town in the S. of Italy; also a town near Milan, scene of a French victory under Vendome in 1705, and a French defeat under Moreau in 1799.