DAPPER, Olfert. Jordaan, Amsterdam, baptized 6.1.1636 — Amsterdam 29.12.1689. Dutch Physician and Geographer. Son of a linen weaver (d. 1644) and his wife Trintje Heeren. From 1658 studies at Utrecht, in 1659 Med.Dr. Then living in Amsterdam, where he became friend with mayor Nicolaas Witsen (1641–1717, known as cartographer) and…
COUTO, Diogo do. Lisbon 1542 — Goa 10.12.1616. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. Son of Gaspar do Couto 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…
COSTA, Baltasar da. Aldeia Nova (Guarda) 1613 — on sea 21.4.1673. S.J. Father. Portuguese Missionary in India. Joined S.J. in 1627 and, despite of his poor health, was sent to India according to his own eager wish in 1635. From 1640 worked 35 years at Madurai Mission and, unlike —>…
CŒURDOUX, Gaston-Laurent. Bourges 18.10.1691 (or 18.12.?) — Pondichéry 15.6.1779. S.J. French Missionary Priest and Pioneer of Indology in India. Joined the S.J. in 1715, ordained priest 1725, left for South India in 1732, and served in Madurai Mission in 1732-73, in 1744-51 as the superior of the mission. After the…
CHARDIN, Jean-Baptiste (1681 Sir John Chardin). Paris 16.11.1643 (Julian 6.11.) — Chiswick, London 5.1.1713 (25.12.1712). French Huguenot Jeweller and Traveller. Sent to the east by his father, the wealthy Parisian jeweller Daniel Chardin, in 1664 he visited Persia (entering the service of Shah Abbas II in Isfahan), then Surat and…
CARRÉ, Barthélémy. 1636 — after 1699. Abbé. French Traveller. Of Blois, educated by Jesuits, took religious career and was ordained priest. From 1662 served in the navy, apparently as chaplain, in Atlantic, Mediterranian and Levant. Sent by Colbert with F. Caron to Madagascar, they arrived at Surat in 1669. Carré…
CABRAL, João. Cerolico/Guarda 1599/1601 — Goa 4.7.1669. S.J. Portuguese Missionary in India and Ladakh. From Celorico (Beira). Jesuit since 1619 (novice 1615), studied in Braga (1619-21) and Coimbra (1621-23), in 1624 to India. In 1626 he was sent together with —> E. Cacella to Shigatse (arrived in 1627 via Bhutan,…
BOWREY (Bowry), Thomas. Wapping, London 7.9.1659 — 1?.7.1713. British Sea Captain in the East. Came to Madras as a child of 7 after the 1666 great fire of London. In India and South-East Asia in as sailing master, then captain, until 1688. If the Hudson Bay Dictionary is by him,…
BOLLING, Frederik Andersen (Friederic B.). Drangedal, Telemark 1640? — 1685. Norwegian Traveller in India. Born in Norway, son of Anders B. Student in Copenhagen, went to Amsterdam and became enlisted to the East Indies in 1669. Served in Batavia and China, returned in 1673 and was taken prisoner by the…
BESCHI, Constantino Gioseffo Eusebio (Constanzo B., Constantinus Beschius, Vīra-māmunivar). Castiglione delle Stiviere near Mantua 8.11.1680 — Ambalakat near Cranganore, Kerala 4.2.1747. S.J. Italian Jesuit missionary and Tamil scholar. Nearly 40 years in India. Educated at Jesuit school in Mantua. Novice of S.J. 1698, then studies in Ravenna and in 1701-10…