BLANFORD, William Thomas. London 7.10.1832 — London 23.6.1905. British Geologist and Zoologist in India. Son of William Bl., a factory owner, and Elizabeth Simpson, educated at private schools in Brighton and Paris. Joined the family business in carving and gilding and because of ill-health spent two years in Civitavecchia, Italy.…
BIOT, Jean Baptiste. Paris 21.4.1774 — Paris 3.2.1862. French Historian of Science, especially Astronomy. Son of a treasury official, Joseph B., joined the army in 1792, but sent to home because of failing health in 1794. Graduated as an engineer and taught Mathematics from 1797 in Beauvais, from 1799 at…
BIANCHI, Ugo. Cavriglia, Arezzo 13.10.1922 — Firenzuola, Florence 14.4.1995. Italian Scholar of Iranian Religion. Grew up in Rome. Studies of classical philology, ancient history and especially History of Religions at Sapienza in Rome under Pettazzoni. Ph.D. 1944. In 1952-56 member of Istituto italiano per la storia antica in Rome, also…
BETTEI, Vittorio. Padova 15.9.1859 (or 1860?) — 19??. Italian Indologist and Classical Scholar. Teacher (“professor”) of Latin and Greek in Avellino (1895), at Ginnasio Benedetto Cairoli in Vigevano (in the beginning of the 20th century) and at R. Liceo di Treviso. Publications: Precetti alla sposa. Versione dal sanscrito. Padova 1890.…
BERTRAND, François-Marie, l’abbé. Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne) 26.10. 1807 — Versailles 30.1.1881. French Indologist (Hindi scholar) and Catholic priest. Studies at Seminaire St.Sulpice in Versailles. Served long time as minister in Herblay, 1837-56, then canon in Versailles. His opinions were heavily criticized by the conservatives, and he was generally wary of letting…
BERTHOLET, Alfred Robert Felix. Basel 9.11.1868 — Münsterlingen, Thurgau 24.8.1951. Swiss Reformed Theologian and Scholar of Comparative Religion in Germany. Professor in Göttingen and Berlin. Son of David B., a school director, and Sabine Wagner. Studies of Theology at Basel, also briefly at Strasbourg and Berlin (under B. Duhm). From…
BERNSTEIN, Georg Heinrich. Cospeda near Jena 12.1.1787 — Lauban, Silesia (now Lubań, Poland) 5.4.1860. German Oriental (mainly Syriac) Scholar, but also interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Breslau. School and from 1806 studies, theology and Semitic languages, in Jena, from 1811 PD there. From 1812 ao. Professor at Berlin, from 1820…
BERNOULLI, Johann. Basel 4.11.1744 — Berlin-Köpenick 13.7.1807. Swiss Scientist interested in India. Born in the family of famous mathematicians, himself a noted astronomer and called Johann III as the third scholar of this name in the family (his father was Johann II, mother Susanna König). Studies of law at Basel…
BERNET KEMPERS, August Johan. ’s-Hertogenbosch 7.10.1906 — Arnhem 2.5.1992. Dutch Art Historian and South-East Asian Scholar, long time in Indonesia. Son of Karel Jan Willem B. K., a notary, and Anna den Doesschate. After school in Middelburg studies of Indo-Iranian and Indonesian from 1926 at Leiden, Ph.D. 1933 (under Krom).…
BERGH VAN EYSINGA, Gustaaf Adolf van den. ’s-Gravenhage 27.6.1874 — Bloemendaal, North Holland 26.5.1957. Dutch Protestant Theologian and Scholar of Comparative Religion. Son of ajunctcommies M. H. Ph. v.d. B. v. E. (until 1867 v.d. B. only) and Ida Catharina Wilhelmina van E., brother of theologian Henri Wilhelm Philip Elise…