FEDERICI, Cesare de (Fedrici). Erbanno (Brescia) c. 1530 — 1600/03. Italian (Venetian) Merchant and Traveller in India. Left Venice in 1567 (Charpentier & Lach 1563, long stay in the Near East), travelled via Aleppo and Basra to Ormuz, by ship to Diu and Goa. From Goa he went by land…
FARIA, João de. 1539 — 1581. S.J. Father. Portuguese Missionary in India. Joined the S.J. in 1563, left for Goa in 1572, came to Madurai in 1578. In India he also worked as an architect, and created the first movable Tamil types at Punicael (Punnaikayal) in 1578 or 1580. Publications:…
DIAZ, Manuel. Alpaham (Aspalham or Alpahão), Porto Alegre 1592 — Morang 3.11.1629. S.J. Portuguese Missionary in India and Tibet. Nephew of another Jesuit of the same name. Became Jesuit in 1608 and left for India 1614. Taught theology and philosophy at Cochin College and in 1627-28 Rector of S. Tomé…
DE’ NOBILI DE MONTEPULCIANO, Roberto (Robertus de Nobilibus, Tattuvapodagar [‑pōtakar]). Montepulciano near Siena 1577 — Mailapur (Chennai) 16.1.1656. S.J. Italian Missionary in South India. Born of a family of high nobility (related to the Duke of Modena), joined the S.J. in 1597. Studies of theology in Naples and Rome. In…
DELLA VALLE, Pietro. Rome 11.4.1586 — Rome 21.4. or 11.4.1652. Italian (Roman) Traveller in Iran and India. Born in aristocratic family, son of Pompeo D. V. and Giovanna Alberini, had good education. In his youth served as a soldier. According to his own account left Rome because of an unhappy…
COUTO, Diogo do. Lisbon 1542 — Goa 10.12.1616. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. Son of Gaspardo C. and Isabel Serrão del Castro. Educated by Jesuits, then 1559-69 and, after brief visit to Portugal again from 1571 in military service in India and the East, remaining the rest of his life…
COSTA, Baltasar da. 1534? — 1580. S.J. Portuguese Missionary in India and Japan. In the age of 17 joined S.J. 1551 in Goa. In 1563 came to Macao (unclear, Pfister is silent about him) and soon continued to Japan. He is also called the founder of the Madurai Mission, but…
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…
CASTANHEDA, Fernão Lopes de. Santarem c. 1500 — Coimbra 23.3. or 6.6.1559. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. Illegitimate son of Lopo Fernandez de C., royal officer, of an old family. In 1528 he accompanied his father to Goa. During ten years in India he visited Portuguese bases as far as…