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 Kosegarten (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…
KLAPROTH, Heinrich Julius von. Berlin 11.10.1783 — Paris 28.8.1835. German Oriental Scholar in Russia and France. Son of the mineralogist and chemist (discoverer of uranium) Martin-Heinrich Klaproth (1743–1817) and Christine Sophie Lehmann (1748–1803). Gymnasium in Berlin. As a fifteen years old schoolboy he started the study of Chinese from Bayer’s…
KIRKPATRICK, William. Ireland (?) 1754 — Exeter 22.8.1812. British (Irish) Colonial Officer in India. Son of Colonel James Kirkpatrick (1739–1818), of Madras Cavalry, and Katherine Monro. Himself became cadet in 1771 and 1773 joined the Bengal Infantry. He was Persian Interpreter to General Stibbert, the Commander in Chief in Bengal…
KINDERSLEY, Nathaniel Edward. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 2.2.1763 — Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire 16.2.1831. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Nathaniel Kindersley (1732–1769), Colonel of Bengal Artillery, and Jemima Wicksted (1741–1809, travel writer). Served 1779–1805 in Madras Presidency, i.al. as Collector of South Arcot. Married 1786 in India Hannah Butterworth (1755–1814),…
KETELAAR, Joan Josua (Johann Joshua K., Kettler, Kessler). Elbing, East Prussia (now Elbląg in Poland) 25.12.1659 — Gamroon (Bandar Abbās) 12.5.1716. German Traveller. The eldest son of Josua Kettler, a bookbinder, apprenticed to the same craft, but accused for stealing and attempted murder of his master had to escape to…
KEPHALAS, Nikolaos (Nicola Chiefala di Zante; Νικόλαος Κεφαλᾶς). Zakynthos 1763 or 1770 — Constaninople 1847 or Thessaloniki 1850. Greek Traveller in India. Born in a noble, but poor family in Zakynthos, Ionian Islands, then Venetian domain. Captain, participated in the Greek revolution from its very beginning (but also said to…
KENNEDY, Vans. Pinmore, Parish of Ayr 1784 — Bombay 28.12.1846. British (Scots) Colonial Officer and Indologist in India. Major-General. The youngest son of Robert Kennedy of Pinmore (d. 1790), of an old Ayrshire family, and Robina Vans. The father lost his money in the bankruptcy of Ayr bank and had…
KEENE, Henry George. 30.9.1781 — Tunbridge Wells, Kent 29.1.1864. Rev. British Civil Servant and Oriental Scholar in India. Professor in Haileybury. Son of Thomas Keene and Jane Harris, grandson of the architect Henry Keene (1726–1776), privately educated. In 1798 joined the Indian Army and participated in the siege of Seringapatam…
KARAMZIN, Nikolaj Mihajlovič. Znamenskoe estate, Mihailovka, Simbirsk govt. 12.12.(1.12.)1766 — St.Petersburg 2.6.(22.5.)1826. Russian Literate and Historian. Son of a retired officer, Mihail Egorovič Karamzin (1724–1783), and Ekaterina Petrovna Pazuhina (d. 1769), a noble family, but of modest means. Educated at home unti 14 and then in Moscow. Briefly in army…