MACAN, Turner. Kilbrogan, Bandon, county Cork 30.9.1792 — Calcutta 24.7.1836. Irish Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar in India. Major. Son of Robert Macan (McCann, 1717–1795) and Hannah Bagwell. In 1795 the family moved to Carriff (now Carrive), county Armaghan. Came to India in the age of 15, Lieutenant when 17. He learned quickly languages and became in 1818 Persian Interpreter for the Commander in Chief. In 1830/31-35 in England and Ireland, then back to India. Married 1822 in Calcutta Harriet Sneyd (1794–1871), two daughters and two sons.
Macan was an Arabic and Persian scholar, who, with the help of Lumsden’s material, edited the whole of Firdausi’s great epic. Also knew Hindustani. In his scholarly work he met official indifference and even opposition and the Shahname only appeared with the financial aid of the King of Oudh (Awadh).
Publications: Edited: The Shah Nameh. 1-4. Calcutta 1829.
– Edited with Macnaghten: The Alif [sic!] Laila; or book of the thousand nights and one night; commonly known as the Arabian Nights Entertainment, publ. complete in the original Arabic by late Major T. M., ed. by W. H. Macnaghten. 1-4. Calcutta 1839-42.
Sources: *K. Haines, The Persian Interpreter: The Life and Career of T.M. 2015; K. Haines, D.I.B. online 2017; works briefly mentioned in Fück 1955, 138f.; in Br. Biogr. Arch. only Allibone’s note on the Shahname; familypedia.wikia.org.
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