KETELAAR, Joan Josua (Johann Joshua K., Kettler, Kessler). Elbing, East Prussia (now Elbląg in Poland) 25.12.1659 — Gamroon (Bandar Abbās) 12.5.1716. German Traveller. The eldest son of Josua Kettler, a bookbinder, apprenticed to the same craft, but accused for stealing and attempted murder of his master had to escape to Danzig. Again committed theft and fled in 1680 to Stockholm. In 1682 in Amsterdam he took service of the Dutch E.I.C., now also took the name Ketelaar. Served in India, Indonesia and Persia until death. In 1682 sailed to Batavia, 1683 was sent to Surat as clerk. Did well his job, 1687 assistant, 1696 accountant in Surat, some time in Ahmedabad factory and 1700 chief of Agra factory. In 1701 Junior Merchant, 1705-08 visited twice Mocca, purchasing coffee. Full Merchant 1706, 1708 Senior Merchant, now again in Surat. In 1711 Director of Surat factory, in 1711-12 Ambassador of the Dutch E.I.C. to the Great Mughals in Lahore. After difficult return voyage, with brigands and other hardships then 1712-15 again director of the Surat factory. In 1715-18 on a mission to Persian court, stayed long in Isfahan because of an illness and died on his way back.
Ketelaar was fluent both in Hindustani and Persian. In 1698 in Lakhnau he wrote a Hindustani grammar, which was then translated into Latin by David Mill and published in Leiden in 1743. The manuscript, i.e. a copy made by his deputy Isaac van den Hoove, is preserved in the Hague. It deals with spoken language, given in an inexact Dutch transliteration.
Publications: Hindustani grammar in D. Mill(ius), Disssertationes selectae. Lugd. Bat. 1743, 455-601.
– The journal of his embassy publ. in F. Valentijn’s Oud- en Nieuw Oost-Indiën. 4. 1726, 280-302; ed. by J.-Ph. Vogel, Journaal van J. J. Ketelaar’s hofreis naar den groot mogol te Lahore, 1711-1713. Linschoten Ver. 41. ’s-Gr. 1937; English translation “Embassy of Mr. Johan Joshua Ketelaar, Ambassador of the Dutch East India Company to the Great Moguls Shah ‘Alam Bahadur Shah and Jahandar Shah”, JPHS 10, 1929, 1-94.
Sources: J.-Ph. Vogel, “J.J.K. of Elning, Author of the first Hindūstānī Grammas”, BSOS 8:2-3, 1936, 817-822; introduction to English journal in JPHS 10, 1929; bc.library.uu.nl/earliest-hindustani-grammar.html; Dutch Indology homepage.
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