JORDANUS CATALANI DE SÉVÉRAC (Jourdain). fl. 1280/1330. Father. French Dominican Missionary in India, of Catalan background. Probably born in Sévérac-le-Château north-east of Toulouse. Arrived in India in 1321 (if not earlier), when he narrowly escaped the killing of missionaries in Thana. After a while in Gujarat he worked many years…
HANDT, Werner. 18?? — 19??. German student of Indology. In 1899 he was in Greifswald. Ph.D. 1900 Tübingen (apparently student of Garbe). Publications: Diss. Die atomistische Grundlage der Vaiśeṣika-Philosophie nach den Quellen dargestellt. Manuscript, Tübingen, publ. 64 p. Rostock & Leipzig 1900 (there was then no forced printing at Tübingen…
GALVÃO, António (A. Galvano). Lisbon 1490? — Lisbon 11.3.1557. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. Son of the chronicler Duarte G. (c. 1445–1517). From 1527 in the Moluccas, 1536-40 Governor in Terante, established Portuguese rule in the islands and acted strongly on behalf of mission, destroying temples, etc. His last 17…
CORYAT, Thomas (Tom Coriate). Odcombe (Crewkerne), Somersetshire 1577? — Surat ?.12.1617. British Traveller in India. Son of the Rev. George C., Rector of Odcombe, and his wife Gertrude. Studies at Winchester College and from 1596 at Gloucester Hall, Oxford, learning Greek and logic, but left without degree and seems to…
CORREIA, Gaspar. 1492? — Malacca or Goa 1563?. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. In the age of 16 he went to India in 1512/14. Served as a soldier and became secretary of Afonso de Albuquerque. Around 1529 back to Lisbon, later in Cochin. Some claim that he was murdered in…
CONTI, Niccolò (De’ C., Niccolò di Giovanni Conti di Chioggia). Chioggia near Venice c. 1395 — Chioggia (?) Summer 1469. Italian (Venetian) Traveller in India. He spent twentyfive years travelling and trading in the East, accepted Islam and was thus capable of visiting many countries. In 1414 (or 1419) he…
CABRAL, Pedro Álvarez. Belmonte, Portugal 1467/68 — Santarém? 1520. Portuguese Sailor. Son of a nobleman, Fernão C., himself in high positions at the court of king Manuel. In 1500 he was given the command of the second Portuguese Indian expedition. Started from Lisbon 9.3.1500, was driven to Brazil, which was…