VOLNEY DE CHASSEBOEUF DE LA GIRAUDAIS (BOISGIRAIS), Constantin-François, comte de. Craon, Anjou 3.2.1757 — Paris 25.4.1820. French Asian Traveller, Historian, Philosopher and Politician. The only child of Jacques-René Chasseboeuf (1727–1796), a lawyer, and Jeanne Gigault (1728–1759), of minor nobility. Mother died soon and fathet remained distant, spent much time in…
VIVIEN DE SAINT-MARTIN, Louis. Saint-Martin-de-Fontenay (Calvados) 22.5.1802 — Versailles 3.1.1897. French Scholar of Historical Geography. Born Louis Vivien, came to Paris in 1814. Worked as author and editor in Paris. Légion d’honneur 1867. He did not know Sanskrit and based his Vedic studies on Langlois’ insufficient translation. Publications: A number…
VEYSSIÈRE DE LACROZE, Mathurin (M. V. de La Croze). Nantes 4.12.1661 — Berlin 21.5.1739. French Oriental Scholar and Polyhistor. Son of a rich merchant, he left school and went to the colony of Guadeloupe to learn trade. Back in Nantes (1677) and after the bankruptcy of his father studied medicine,…
VÄTH, Alfons. Werbachhausen, Kr. Main-Tauber 15.3.1874 — Bonn 12.5.1937. Father. S.J. German Missionary and Indian Historian. Working in Bombay in 1899-1903 and 1910-16. He founded in 1913 St. Xavier’s College as a historical institute and worked there teaching English and Indian history until the WW I interrupted the work of…
UPHAM, Edward. Exeter 1776 — Bath 25.8.1834. British Bookdealer and Orientalist. Born in Exeter, where his father Charles Upham (1739–1807) was later (1796) the mayor. Himself worked as bookseller in Exeter, in 1807 became its sheriff and 1809 mayor. After earlyretirement lived in Dawlish (Devon) and Bath. Married 1801 Mary…
YULE, Henry. Inveresk near Edinbourgh 1.5.1820 — London 30.12.1889. British (Scottish) Historian in India. The youngest son of Major William Yule (1764–1839, retired from Indian service in 1806) and Elizabeth Paterson (d. c. 1827). Educated in Edinburgh, from 1833 in Yorkshire and then near Cambridge. After a brief period at…
OSIPOV, Aleksandr Mihajlovič. Karsunsk. u. Simbirskaja gub. 11.(23.)8.1897 — 19.2.1969. Russian Historian of India. Son of a farmer. Graduated 1926 from Moscow. Kand. ist. nauk 1942, Docent 1942, Professor 1963. In 1932-36 naučnyj sotrudnik at International Agrarian Institute. Taught at Moscow Oriental Institute in 1926-35 and from 1936 at Moscow…
ORME, Robert. Anjengo (Anchuthengu), Travancore 25.12.1728 — Great Ealing (London) 13.1.1801. British Civil Servant and Historian in India. Historiographer of the E.I.C. Son of Surgeon Alexander Orme of E.I.C. and his wife, née Hill. In the age of two he was sent to his aunt in London, educated at Harrow…
OPPERT, Jules (Julius O.). Hamburg 9.7.1825 — Paris 20/21.8.1905. German Assyriologist in France (naturalised 1854), originally also interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Paris. Son of Eduard Oppert (until 1812 Oppenheimer, 1792–1874) and Henriette Gans (1800–1875), brother of —> Gustav Oppert (1836–1908) and Ernst Jacob Oppert (1832–1903, merchant in Shanghai). Educated…
OLMSTEAD, Albert Ten Eyck. Troy, NY 23.3.1880 — Chicago 11.4.1945. U.S. Oriental Scholar (Assyriologist and Historian). Professor in Chicago. Son of Charles Olmstead and Ella Blanchard. Studies at Cornell University (A.B. 1902, A.M. 1903, Ph.D. 1906). In 1904-05 Fellow in American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, 1906-07 in American…