RUELL, Joannes (de Ruël, Ruellius). Leiden 1659/60 or 1663/64 — Colombo ?.5.1701. Dutch Priest in Ceylon, worked there as predikant in Colombo from 1692 until death, from 1698 also the first Rector of Sinhalese Seminary. He prepared a Sinhalese grammar, which was printed in Amsterdam in 1707 with help of…
ROXBURGH, William. Underwood estate near Craigie, Ayrshire 29.6.1751 (or 3.6.) — Edinburgh 18.2.1815. British (Scottish) Physician and Scientist in India, Pioneer of Indian Botany. Early years unclear (parents unknown), studied medicine and botany at Edinburgh. He joined the E.I.C.’s navy as surgeon’s mate in 1772. M.D. 1776 Edinburgh. From 1776…
ROTTLER, Johann Peter. Strassburg (Strasbourg) ?.6.1749 — Madras 24/27.1.1836. German Lutheran Missionary and Tamil Scholar in India. Educated at gymnasium and university in Strasbourg, ordained priest 1775 Copenhagen. Arrived at Tranquebar in 1776. Studied Tamil and botany, sent botanical specimens to Erlangen, Paris and especially London (Kew Garden) and became…
ROBERTSON, William. Borthwick, Midlothian 19.9.1721 — Edinburgh 11.6.1793. British (Scottish) Historian. The eldest son of Rev. William Robertson (1686–1745) and Eleanor Pitcairn (d. 1745), educated at Borthwick Parish School and Dalkeith Grammar School. He studied theology at Edinburgh, 1733-41. In 1743-59 minister at Gladsmuir in East Lothian, then in Edinburgh.…
RHENIUS, Karl Theophilus Ewald (Charles Theophilus/Gottlieb E. Rh.). Graudenz, West Prussia (now Grudziądz in Poland) 5.11.1790 — Tirunelvēli/Palayamkottai 5.6.1838. German Missionary and Tamil Scholar in South India. Son of Otto Gottlieb Nikolaus Rhenius (1758–1796), a Prussian army officer, and Catharina Dorothea Schiemann (1765–1828). Father died when he was six. Educated…
RENNEL, James. Chudleigh, Devonshire 3.12.1742 — London 29.3.1830. British Colonial Officer and Geographer in India. Son of Captain John Rennel (of artillery), who died in action in 1747, and Anne Clarke. After mother’s new marriage brought up by Rev. Gilbert Burrington. Educated at Chudleigh (and as a schoolboy draw a…
RENAUDOT, Eusèbe. Paris 20.7.1646 — Paris 1.9.1720. Abbé. French Theologian and Oriental Scholar. Born as the eldest of the 14 children of the elder E. Renaudot, a prominent physician and scholar, and Marie Daicq. Educated by Jesuits. He developed early an interest in studies and therefore entered ecclesiastical career. In…
RELAND, Adriaan (Hadrianus Relandus, Adriaen Reelant). De Rijp, North Holland 17.7.1676 — Utrecht 5.2.1718. Dutch Oriental Scholar. Professor in Utrecht. Son of Johannes Reland, a Protestant minister, and Agatha (Aagje) Prins. Educated in Amsterdam (learned Latin and Hebrew), from 1693 studies at Utrecht (i.al. Arabic). Ph.D. 1699 Utrecht. After a…
REINAUD, Joseph-Toussaint. Lambesc (Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence) 4.12.1795 — Paris 14.5.1867. Abbé. French Oriental (Arabic and Persian) Scholar and Historian. Professor in Paris. After seminary in Aix-en-Provence studied theology from 1814 in Paris, where he soon became student of Silvestre de Sacy. As secretary of diplomat de Portalis he continued his studies…
REEVE, William. Chelmsford, Essex 7.8.1793 — Bristol 14.4.1850. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of the elder William Reeve and his wife Mary. Ordained 1816, married and left for India. Worked for London Missionary Society until 1824 in Bellary and, after leave in England, in Bangalore until 1834, when retired…