BROWNE, Edward Granville. Uley near Dursley, Gloucestershire 7.2.1862 — Cambridge 5.1.1926. British Oriental Scholar (mainly Persian, Turkish and Arabic, also Hindi-Urdu). Professor in Cambridge. Son of Sir Benjamin Chapman Br., a civil engineer, and Annie Atkinson. Educated at Trinity College in Glenalmond and Eton. Studies at Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduated 1882, 1887 its Fellow. Following his father’s wishes first became a physician, but soon switched to philology. In 1887-88 travelled in Iran. From 1888 University Lecturer in Persian at Cambridge, from 1902 Adams Professor of Arabic there. Married 1906 Alice Daniell (d. 1925), two sons.
Browne was a famous scholar of Persian literature and Bābi religion, also interested in Turkish, Arabic, and Urdu. His strong political opinions, pro-Boer, pro-Irish and vehemently anti-Russian, made him unpopular with the government. His studies had included Indian Tripos, but later he was rather averse to India. His travel book was much read.
Publications: Much on Persian (esp. on bābism), also on Turkish and Arabic.
– A Year Among the Persians. 594 p. L. 1893.
– Literary History of Persia. 1-4. L. & Cambridge 1902-24.
Sources: E.D. Ross, D.N.B. 1922–30, 123-125; G.M. Wickens, J. Cole & K. Ekbal, Encyclop. Iranica 5, 1989, online version; Wikipedia (with two photos).
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