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 Rhenius (1758–1796), a Prussian army officer, and Catharina Schiemann (1765–1828). Father died when he was six. Educated in Marienwerder (now…
RENNEL, James. Chudleigh, Devonshire 3.12.1742 — London 29.3.1830. British Colonial Officer and Geographer in India. Son of Captain John R. (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. R., a prominent physician and scholar, and Marie Dacca. He developed early an interest in studies and therefore entered ecclesiastical career. In 1666 joined Oratorians,…
RELAND, Adriaan (Hadrianus Relandus, 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 Aagje Prins. Educated in Amsterdam, from 1693 studies at Utrecht. Ph.D. 1699 Utrecht. After a short time as Professor of Physics and Metaphysics…
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 de Portalis he continued his studies in…
REEVE, William. Chelmsford, Essex 7.8.1793 — Bristol 14.4.1850. Rev. British Missionary in India. Born in Northern England. 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 for healt reasons. Participated in translating…
RASK, Rasmus Kristian (bapt. Rasmus Christian Rasch). Brændekilde near Odense 22.11.1787 — Copenhagen 14.11.1832. Danish Linguist and Traveller, also interested in Sanskrit and Old Iranian. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of Niels Hansen Rasch (1749–1810), a smallholder and tailor, and Birthe Rasmusdatter (d. 1801). Educated at home and in Odense, became…
TYPALDOS, Georgios Kozakis (Γεώργιος Kοζάκης Τυπάλδος, also as G. Typ.-Koz.). Lixouri, Cephalonia 1790 — Athens 6.6.1867. Greek Physician and Philologist. Born in a noble family of Cephalonia, ultimately of German-Italian origin (Typaldos < Theobald). Studied medicine at Padova. The first Librarian of the University of Athens (founded in 1836), retired…
TYCHSEN, Thomas Christian. Horsbüll, Schleswig (now Hordbøl near Tønder in Danish Slesvig) 8.5.1758 — Göttingen 23.10.1834. German Greek and Oriental Scholar and a Numismatician. Professor in Göttingen. Son of a minister, taught by father and at Husum Gymnasium. From 1777 studies of theology, classics and Oriental languages at Kiel, from…
TYCHSEN, Oluf (Olaf) Gerhard. Tondern, Schleswig (now Tønder in Danish Slesvig) 14.12.1734 (not 1735) — Rostock 30.12.1815. German Oriental Scholar. Son of a Norwegian father, Jern Tuka(son), himself took later the name Tychsen. Educated in Tondern and Altona, Oriental studies at Jena and soon at Halle. For a while teacher at Waisenhaus…