of commerce and a branch of the Bank of France. The industries of Nancy include printing, brewing, cotton- and wool-spinning and the weaving of cotton and woollen goods, and the manufacture of tobacco (by the State), of boots and shoes, straw hats, pottery, casks, embroidery, machinery, engineering material, farm implements and iron goods.
At the close of the 11th century Odelric of Nancy, brother of Gerard of Alsace, possessed at Nancy a castle which enabled him to defy the united assaults of the bishops of Metz and Treves and the count of Bar. In the 12th century the town was surrounded with walls, and became the capital of the dukes of Lorraine; but its real importance dates from the 15th century, when on the 5th of January 1477 Charles the Bold was defeated by René II. and perished at its gates.[1] Enlarged, embellished and admirably refortified by Charles III., it was taken by the French in 1633 (Louis XIII. and Richelieu being present at the siege). After the peace of Ryswick in 1697 it was restored and Duke Leopold set himself to repair the disasters of the past. He founded academies, established manufactures and set about the construction of the new town. But it was reserved for Stanislas Leczinski, to whom Lorraine and Bar were assigned in 1736, to carry out the plans of improvement in a style which made Nancy one of the palatial cities of Europe, and rendered himself the most popular as he was the last of the dukes of Lorraine. The city, which became French in 1766, was occupied by the allies in 1814 and 1815, and put to ransom by the Prussians in 1870. After the Franco-German War the population was greatly increased by the immigration of Alsatians and of people from Metz and its district.
See C. Pfister, Histoire de Nancy (Paris and Nancy, 1902); J. Cayon, Histoire physique, civile, morale et politique de Nancy (Nancy, 1846).
NANDAIR, or Nander, a town of India, in the state of
Hyderabad, on the left bank of the Godaveri, with a station
on the Hyderabad-Godaveri valley railway, 174 m. N.E. of
Hyderabad city. Pop. (1901) 14,184. It is a centre of local
trade, with a special industry of fine muslin and gold bordered
scarves. As the scene of the murder of Guru Govind, it contains
a shrine visited by Sikhs from all parts of India.
NANDGAON, a feudatory state of India, in the Chhattisgarh
division of the Central Provinces. Area, 871 sq. m.; pop.
(1901) 126,356, showing a decrease of 31% in the decade, due
to famine; estimated revenue £23,000; tribute £4600. The
state has a peculiar history. Its foundation is traced to a religious
celibate, who came from the Punjab towards the end of the 18th
century. From the founder it passed through a succession of
chosen disciples until 1879, when the British government
recognized the ruler as an hereditary chief and afterwards
conferred upon his son the title of Raja Bahadur. The state
has long been well administered, and has derived additional
prosperity from the construction of the Bengal-Nagpur railway,
which has a station at Raj-Nandgaon, the capital (pop. 11,094).
Here there is a steam cotton mill.
NANDI, an East African tribe of mixed Nilotic, Bantu and
Hamitic origin. With them are more or less closely allied the
Lumbwa (correctly Kipsikīs), Buret (or Puret) and Sotik
(Soot) tribes, as well as the Elgonyi (properly Kony) of Mount
Elgon. They have also affinities with the Masai tribes. The
Nandi-Lumbwa peoples inhabit the country stretching south
from Mount Elgon to about 1° S. and bounded east by the escarpment
of the eastern rift-valley and west by the territory of the
tribes, such as the Kavirondo, dwelling round the Victoria
Nyanza. They have given their name to the Nandi plateau.
The Hamitic strain in these allied tribes is derived from the Galla;
they also exhibit Pygmy elements. Their original home was
in the north, and they probably did not reach their present home
until the beginning of the 19th century. They differ considerably
in physical appearance; some resemble the Masai, being men
of tall stature with features almost Caucasian, other are dwarfish
with markedly negro features. Like the Masai, Turkana and
Suk, the Nandi-Lumbwa tribes were originally nomadic, but they
have become agriculturists. They own large herds of cattle.
They have a double administrative system, the chief medicine
man or Orkoiyot being supreme chief and regulating war affairs,
while representatives of the people, called Kiruogik, manage
the ordinary affairs of the tribe. The medicine men are of
Masai origin and the office is hereditary. The young men form
a separate warrior class to whom is entrusted the care of the
country. A period of about 712 years is spent in this class, and
the ceremony of handing over the country from one “age”
to the succeeding “age” is of great importance. The arms of
the warriors are a stabbing spear, shield, sword and club. Many
also possess rifles. All the Nandi are divided into clans, each
having its sacred animal or totem. They have no towns, each
family living on the land it cultivates. The huts are of circular
pattern. The Nandi believe in a supreme deity—Asis—who
takes a benevolent interest in their welfare, and to whom
prayers are addressed daily. They also worship ancestors and
consider earthquakes to be caused by the spirits moving in the
underworld. They practise circumcision, and girls undergo
a similar operation. Spitting is a sign of blessing. Their scanty
clothing consists chiefly of dressed skins. The tribal mark is
a small hole bored in the upper part of the ear. Their language
is Nilotic and in general construction resembles the Masai.
It has been slightly influenced by the Somali tongue. The
primitive hunting tribe known as the Wandorobo speak a
dialect closely resembling Nandi.
The Nandi at one time appear to have been subject to the Masai, but when the country was first known to Europeans they were independent and occupied the plateau which bears their name. Hardy mountaineers and skilful warriors, they closed their territory to all who did not get special permission, and thus blocked the road from Mombasa to Uganda alike to Arab and Swahili. Caravans that escaped the Masai frequently fell victims to the Nandi, who were adepts at luring them to destruction. When the railway to the Victoria Nyanza was built it had to cross the Nandi country. The tribesmen, who had already shown hostility to the whites, attacked both the railway and the telegraph line and raided other tribes. Eventually (1905–1906) the Nandi were removed by the British to reserves somewhat north of the railway zone (see British East Africa). The Lumbwa reserve lies south of the railway, and farther south still are the reserves of the Buret and Sotik.
See A. C. Hollis, The Nandi: Their Language and Folk-lore, with introduction by Sir Charles Eliot (Oxford, 1909), and the works there cited.
NANDIDRUG, a hill fortress of southern India, in the Kolar
district of Mysore, 4851 ft. above the sea. It was traditionally
held impregnable, and its storming by Lord Cornwallis in 1791
was one of the most notable incidents of the first war against
Tippoo Sultan. It was formerly a favourite resort for British
officials during the hot season.
NANGA, the most primitive form of the ancient Egyptian
harp. The nanga consisted of a boat-shaped or vaulted body of
Wood, the back of which was divided down the centre by a sound
bar built into the back; on this bar was fixed a cylindrical stick
round which one end of the strings was wound, the soundboard
or parchment being stretched over the back without interfering
with the stick. The other end of the strings was fastened to pegs
set in the side of a curved neck, so that the strings did not lie
directly over the soundboard. There were but 3 or 4 strings. one
note only being obtained from each. Some of these nangas are
to be seen at the British Museum.
NANKEEN, a cotton cloth originally made in China, and now imitated in various countries. The name is derived from Nanking, the city in which the cloth is said to have been originally manufactured. The characteristic yellowish colour of nankeen is attributed to the peculiar colour of the cotton from which it was originally made.
- ↑ The battle raged in the district to the S., E. and N. of the town, the operations extending from St Nicolas du Port (S.) to the bridge of Bouxières (N.). The chief struggle took place on the banks of the stream of Bon Secours, which now runs entirely underground, flowing from the S.W. into the Meurthe. Much of the battlefield is now covered by modern buildings, but S.W. of the town a cross marks the spot where the body of Charles the Bold was discovered.
