DELLA VALLE, Pietro. Rome 11.4.1586 — Rome 21.4. or 11.4.1652. Italian (Roman) Traveller in Iran and India. Born in a Roman aristocratic family, son of Pompeo Della Valle (1561–1587) and Giovanna Alberini, had good education. In his youth served as a soldier, in 1611 participated in an expedition of Spanish…
DAPPER, Olfert. Jordaan, Amsterdam, baptized 6.1.1636 — Amsterdam 29.12.1689. Dutch Physician and Geographer. Son of a Lutheran linen weaver (d. 1644) and his wife Trintje Heeren (d. 1672). From 1658 studies at Utrecht, in 1659 Med.Dr. Then living in Amsterdam, where he became friend with mayor Nicolaas Witsen (1641–1717, known…
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 at Colégio de Santo Antão in Lisbon, in Latin and rhetoric. Then in 1559-69 and, after brief visit to Portugal again from 1571 in…
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, he left with merchant Antoine Raisin of Lyon. In 1664 visited Persia (entering the service of Shah…
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 — Kent (?) 1?.7.1713. British Sea Captain in the East. Lost his father in the plague epidemic of 1665. Came alone to Madras as a child of 7 after the 1666 great fire of London. In India and South-East Asia in as sailing master,…
BOLLING, Frederik Andersen (Friederic Andresen 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…