MICHAEL, James. 17?? — 15.12.1837. British Colonial Officer and Oriental (Persian and Urdu) Scholar in India, then in 1827-37 Professor of Hindu Literature and Asian History at Haileybury. From 1934 also registrar of the College. Beside Persian and Hindustani he also knew Marathi. During his last years suffered of poor health…
MEZZOFANTI, Giuseppe Gaspare. Bologna 19.9.1774 — Rome 15.3.1849. Italian Polyglot, Cardinal. Born in a humble family as the son of a carpenter, Francesco M. and Gesualda Dell’Olme, he showed early his talent in languages. Studied with the Piarists. Ordained priest 1797, he became Professor of Arabic, Hebrew and Greek at…
MENANT, Joachim. Cherbourg 16.4.1820 — Paris 30.8.1899. French Assyriologist, with early interest in Iranian religion. Son of Joachim Menant and Amable Boissière, educated in Cherbourg. He became a lawyer (studies at Caen) and worked in administrative positions in different towns, finally from 1872 in Rouen, until retirement in 1890. Last…
MARKWART, Josef (until 1922 Marquart). Reichenbach am Heuberg, Württemberg 9.12.1864 — Berlin 4/5.2.1930. German German Oriental Scholar. Professor in Berlin. Born in a Catholic peasant family, son of Anton M. (1834–1909) and Maria Magdalena Moser (1845–1909). Studies of Catholic theology at Tübingen, but soon Oriental languages (especially Arabic and Armenian),…
MALCOLM, John. Burnfoot,Dumfriesshire 2.5.1769 — Windsor 31.5. or 30.7.1833. Sir. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer, Diplomat and Historian in India. Major-General. Son of George Malcolm, a tenant farmer, and Margaret Pasley, educated at Westerkirk. In 1782 (when 13) joined Indian army and arrived at Madras 1783. In 1792 under Cornwallis at…
MALAN, Caesar Jean Salmon (then Solomon Caesar). Geneva 12.4.1812 (or 23.4.) — Bournemouth 25.11.1894. Rev. Swiss Priest, Polyglot and Oriental Scholar in the U.K. Son of Dr. César Henri Abraham Malan, a theologian, of an exiled French Huguenot family, and Salomé Georgette Jeanne Schönberger. Educated at Vandœuvres, took early to…
MACNAGHTEN, William Hay. Antrim, North Ireland ?.8.1793 — Kabul 23.12.1841. Sir, first Bart. British Civil Servant, Diplomat, and Orientalist in India. Second son of the lawyer Sir Francis Workman Macnaghten (1763–1843, served in India 1809–25, Sir 1809, chief of the clan 1832, Bart. 1836, publ. Considerations on the Hindu Law,…
MACHALSKI, Franciszek. Braddock near Pittsburgh 5.7.1904 — Cracow 24.1.1979. Polish Iranian Scholar. Professor in Cracow. Born in a poor emigrant family in the U.S.A., they returned to Poland, when he was six. Grew up in Żołynia, near Łańcut in south-eastern Poland. From 1924 studied Polish and German, soon Sanskrti (Stasiak),…
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.…
LYALL, Charles James. London 9.3.1845 — London 1.9.1920. Sir. British Civil Servant and Oriental (Arabic and Urdu) Scholar. Son of Charles L., a banker, and Harriet Matheson. Educated at King’s College School and College, studies at Balliol College, Oxford (B.A. 1867). Joined the Bengal Civil Service in 1867 and served…