BALBI, Gasparo. 15?? — after 1590. Italian Merchant and Traveller, in the East 1579-86. He was from Venice and dealt in jewels, and therefore went to India. Started from Venice in 1579, travelled by the land route, via Aleppo, Basra, and Ormuz to Goa, where he stayed till 1582. Then…
AVITABILE, Paolo Crescenzo Martino (called Abu Tabela). Agerola near Sorrento 25.10.1791 — Agerola 28.3.1850. Neapolitan Officer and Traveller in India. Son of farmer Bartolomeo Avitabile and Angela di Fortunato. From 1807 served in Neapolitan militia and from 1809 in army (artillery) under Joseph Bonaparte and Joachim Murat. In 1815 second…
ASCOLI, Graziadio Isaia. Gorizia 16.7.1829 — Milano 21.1.1907. Italian (Jewish) Linguist. Professor in Milano. Born in a rich Jewish merchant family in Görz, then of Austria (now Gorizia in Italy) as the son of Leone Flaminio Ascoli (died early) and Elena Norsa. Never went to school, but was tutored by…
ARNONE, Alfonso. Cosenza 21.12.1893 — Rome 29.9.1917. Italian Indologist. He was a talented student of Formichi, who planned specializing in Buddhist texts comparing Indian and Chinese sources, but died too early. Publications: “Il diritto di guerra nell’ India Antica”, RSO 7, 1916-18, 629-661. Sources: Formichi, RSO 7, 1916-18, 909; *Circ.…
ANGELUS FRANCISCUS A SANCTA THERESIA. Mondovi 16.9.1650 — Verapoly 17.10.1712. Italian Carmelite Missionary in India. Joined the order in Mondovi in 1666, started for India 1675 and joined the Malabar Mission in Verapoly 1676. From 1700 Bishop of Metellpoly and Apostolic Vicar of Syro-Malabar. The process of his beatification was…
AMBROSI, Felice Alessandre. 21.11.1841 — 19??. Italian Latin Scholar and Schoolteacher also interested in Indology. In Florence, then Professor of Classics at Ginnasio Superiore in Macerata. Publications: Vâlmîki: Il Lamento del Vânaro Hanumat: episodio del Râmâyana, tradotto in versi. 23 p. Genoa 1886; several works on Latin and Italian philology…
AMADUZZI, Giovanni Cristofano (Johannes Christophorus Amadutius). Savignano di Romagna 18.8.1740 — Rome 21.1.1792. Italian Classical and Oriental Scholar. Educated at the Episcopal Seminary in Rimini. Joined the Minorite order. In 1762 he came to Rome, and began the study of Oriental languages. From 1769 Professor of Greek at Archiginnasio della…
ACQUAVIVA, Rodolfo. Atri, Abruzzi 2.10.1550 — Cocalin (Cuncolim), Goa 15.7.1583. S.J. Italian Missionary in India. Of high birth: nephew of a Jesuit general, brother of two future cardinals, son of Giangirolamo Acquaviva d’Aragona, the Duke of Atri, and Margherita Pio di Savoia. Joined S.J. 1568, educated in Rome. Selected to…