MACKENZIE, Colin. Stornoway, Lewis, Outer Hebrides 1753/54? — Calcutta 8.5.1821. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer and Pioneer of Indology. In India 1782-1821. Son of Murdoch M., a merchant, and his wife Barbara. Through a clan connection he obtained the cadetship and came to Madras in 1782. From 1783 Second Lieutenant of…
MACAN, Turner. Kilbrogan, Bandon, county Cork 30.9.1792 — Calcutta 24.7.1836. Irish Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar in India. Major. Son of Robert Macan (McCann, 1717–1795) and Hannah Bagwell. In 1795 the family moved to Carriff (now Carrive), county Armaghan. Came to India in the age of 15, Lieutenant when 17.…
LUMSDEN, Matthew. 1777 — Cheltenham, Gloucester (B) or Tooting Common, Surrey (G & W) 18.3. or 31.3.1835. British (Scottish) Civil Servant and Oriental Scholar in India. Son of John L., cousin of —> Harry Burnett L. Educated at King’s College, Old Aberdeen. Came to India in 1794 in E.I.C.’s service,…
LITTRÉ, Michel-François. Avranches, Normandy 25.5.1765 — 20.12.1827. French Pioneer of Indology. Son of goldsmith Jean Littré and Marie Anne Liégears (1739–1768). Served in French navy and adopted revolutionary ideas. Then settled in Paris as tax-collector. In order to give good education to his sons he achieved a library and studied…
LEYDEN, John Casper. Denholm, Cavers, Roxburghshire 8.9.1775 — Batavia (Jakarta) 28.8.1811 (or 10.9.?). British (Scottish) Physician and Orientalist, a Pioneer of South-East Asian Studies. Son of John Leyden, a shepherd, and Isabella Scott. He was educated at Kirktown parish school and Edinburgh University, learned Oriental languages already at home in Edinburgh…
LE ROUX DESHAUTESRAYES, Michel-Ange-André (des Hautesrayes). Conflans-Sainte-Honorine near Pontoise 10.9.1724 — Rueil Malmaison near Paris 9.2.1795. French Orientalist and Sinologist, a Pioneer of Buddhist Studies. Professor in Paris. Son of Antoine Le R. H. and Catherine Geneviève Fourmont. Through his mother nephew of the Orientalist brothers Etienne and Michel Fourmont,…
LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISSIÈRE, Guillaume-Joseph-Hyacinthe-Jean-Baptiste. Coutances (Manche) 12.9.1725 — Paris 22.10.1792. French Astronomer and Traveller, in India 1768–71. Instead of the planned career in church, but turned to astronomy. Left for India in 1760 in order to observe the transit of Venus in 1761, but missed the occasion because…
LEBEDEV, Gerasim Stepanovič (Herasim Lebedeff). Jaroslavl 1749 (not 1746) — St.Petersburg 15.7.(27.7.)1817. Russian Musician, Traveller and Pioneer of Indology. Son of Stepan L. and his wife Paraskov’a. Father was a poor Orthodox clergyman, who did not allow him to obtain higher education. The family moved to St.Petersburg, where he studied…
KOSEGARTEN, Johann Gottfried Ludwig. Altenkirchen, Rügen 10.9.1792 — Greifswald 18.8.1860. German Indologist and Orientalist. Professor in Greiswald. Son of the minister and poet Ludwig Gotthard K. (1758–1818) and Katharina Linde, born in what was then Swedish Pomerania. Educated at home. In 1808-12 studies of theology and history at Greifswald, where…
KNOX, Robert. London 8.2.1641 — Wimbledon, London 19.6.1720. British (Scottish) Traveller. In South Asia in 1657-94 (1659-79 prisoner in Ceylon). Son of Robert Knox, a Puritan and commander in E.I.C.’s service. Grew up in Wimbledon, Surrey. After mother’s death sailed with his father in January 1657 to Fort George. On…