BUNSEN, Christian Karl Josias (then Karl, Freiherr von Bunsen). Korbach, Waldeck 25.8.1791 — Bonn 28.11.1860. German Diplomat and Scholar. Son of a Dutch officer Heinrich Christian B., who died already before his birth in 1790 (but see below), and Johanette Brocken. School in Korbach, studies of theology and philology at Marburg and Göttingen. Interested in Orient and especially in Egypt, he planned travel to India. Became the secretary (and friend) of Niebuhr, and in 1816 came with him to Rome, where he then entered the Prussian diplomatic service. Served in 1816-38 in Rome, then in Bern and 1842-54 in London. Forced to retire because of his pro-English attitude during the Crimean War in 1853. Last years 1854-60 he spent in Heidelberg and Bonn concentrating on his studies. In 1817 married in Rome the Englishwoman Francis Waddington (1791–1876), had five sons. He had a leading rôle in the foundation of the Archaeological Institute in Rome. 1822 Legationsrat, 1824 Geschäftsträger in Rome, 1839 Gesandter in Switzerland, 1842 in London, 1845 wirkl. Geheimrat. Knighted in 1858 with a personal title of Freiherr and hereditary nobility. Without being an Indologist he had much influence on contemporary scholarship. In 1846 he took young Max Müller under his wings and advised him to study religion.
As to his father, I am inclined to follow A.D.B. & N.D.B., who give him life from 1734–1790. Wikipedia claims that he was German farmer turned to a soldier. German Wikipedia thinks he was a German court clerk died only in 1820. His name is always the same.
Publications: With others: Beschreibung der Stadt Rom. 1-5. St. & Tübingen 1830-42.
– Das evangelische Bisthum zu Jerusalem. B. 1842; Ägyptens Stelle in der Weltgeschichte. 1-3. Hamburg 1844-45, 4-5. Gotha 1856-57; Die kirche der Zukunft. 454 p. Hamburg 1845; Ignatius von Antiochien und seine Zeit. 7 Sendschreiben an Pr. August Neander. 8+246 p. Hamburg 1847; Hippolytus und seine Zeit. 1-2. Lp. 1852-53; Analecta Ante-Nicaena. 1-3. Londini 1854; Die Zeichen der Zeit. Briefe an Freunde. 1-2. Lp. 1855; Gott in der Geschichte. 1-3. Lp. 1857-58; Christianity and Mankind. 1-7. L. 1857; and other works.
Sources: W. Bussmann, N.D.B. 3, 1957, 17f.; *F. Max Müller, Biogr. Essays. 2nd ed. Chips 2. 1895, 313-364; *R. Pauli, A.D.B. 3, 1876, 541-552; Windisch 285f.; Wikipedia (with portrait, other two and further references in German version).
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