CAPMANY, ANTONIO DE MONTALAN Y (1742-1813), an eminent Spanish historian and philosopher, a native of Barcelona. He spent the early part of his life in military service; but abandoning it in 1770, he removed to Madrid, where he was elected secretary of the Royal Academy of History. His principal works are, Memorias históricas sobre la Marina, Comercio y Artes de la antigua ciudad de Barcelona, 4to, Madrid, 1779-1792; Teatro histórico-critico de la Elocuencia castellana, 4to, Madrid, 1786; Diccionario Francés-Español, 4to, Madrid, 1805; and Questiones críticas sobre varios puntos de historia, económica, política y militar, 8vo, 1807.
CAPNOMANCY (καπνος smoke, and μαγεία divination),
a kind of divination by means of smoke, used by the ancients in their sacrifices. When the smoke was thin and light, and rose straight, it was a good omen; if the contrary, it was a bad one.
CAPO D'ISTRIA (the ancient Agida), a fortified sea-port-town of Illyria, in the government of Trieste, and circle of Istria. It stands on a small island in the gulf of Trieste, eight miles south of that city, and is connected with the mainland by a causeway half a mile in length. It is the seat of a bishopric, and has a cathedral and about thirty other churches, a citadel, gymnasium, prison, &c. It has manufactures of salt, leather, and soap; besides which it exports wine, oil, and fish. The harbour is large, but is little frequented except by fishing boats. Pop. 6000. E. Long. 13. 50., N. Lat. 45. 40.
CAPO D'ISTRIA, John, Count, was born at Corfu, where his father was a physician, in 1780. At first he devoted himself to the study of medicine in the academies of Padua and Venice, but joined the Russian diplomatic service when at the treaty of Tilsit the Ionian Islands were ceded to the French. He held the office of secretary for foreign affairs under the Emperor Alexander, and was president of the Greek republic after the battle of Navarino. Having been suspected of treachery to the republican cause, he was assassinated when entering a church at Napoli de Romania, October 9, 1831. See GREECE.