VIGNE, Godfrey Thomas. Walthamstown, Essex 1.9.1801 — Woosford, Essex 12.7.1863. British Traveller in India and America. Son of Thomas Vigne, “educated at Harrow. Called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn, 1824. Travelled in [North] America, 1831. Went to India, 1832, through Persia. Visited Kashmir, Ladak, Afghanistan, saw the Amir [1836]……
VARTHEMA, Ludovico di (Barthema, Vertomannus). Bologna 1470? — Rome before June 1517. Italian Traveller in India. Claiming to have started his travels only in order to win fame he left Italy late in 1502 and travelled on the route Venice–Cairo–Beyrout–Damas–Mecca (the first known non-Muslim there), using Muslim robe (under the…
VAMBÉRY, Ármin (Arminius[z], Hermann, orig. Hermann Hamburger [or Bamberger]). Szerdahely (ENS) or Szentgyörgy (now Svätý Jur in Slovakia) (Wiki) 19.3.1832 — Seebenstein, Austria (ENS) of Budapest (Wiki) 15.9.1913. Hungarian Traveller and Oriental scholar. Professor in Budapest. Born in a poor orthodox Jewish family, lost early his father. He had Jewish…
ÚJFALVY DE MEZŐ-KÖVESD, Charles-Eugène (Mezőkövesdi Újfalvy Károly Jenő). Vienna 18.5.1842 — Florence 31.1.1904. Hungarian Traveller and Anthropologist of Central Asia living in France. Born in an aristocratic family, son of cavalry officer Samuel de Újfalvy and Theresa Huszár. Grew up in the family estate in Transylvania. Educated at Military Academy…
YOUNGHUSBAND, Francis Edward. Murree, Rawalpindi dt. 31.5.1863 — Lytchett Minster, Dorset 31.7.1942. Sir. British Colonial Officer, Diplomat, Traveller, and Central Asian Scholar. In 1882-1909 in India and Asia. Son of Major (then Major-General) John William Y. (1823–1907, in India 1840–70) and Clara Jane Shaw (1832–1891, sister of —> Robert Shaw).…
ORLICH, Leopold Ludwig von. Stallupönen, Ostpreussen (now Nesterov in Kaliningrad oblast) 30.6.1804 — London 2.6.1860. German Officer, Traveller and Historian. Son of a Prussian officer, Major Ludwig Julius von Orlich (1755–1810), and Frederike Charlotte von Klingspor. Served also himself in Prussian army. In 1842 he went to India as Captain in…
OLSCHAK, Blanche Christine. Vienna 24.7.1913 — Zürich 25.6.1989. Austrian Journalist and Tibetan Scholar in Switzerland. Daughter of Joseph Olschak, an officer (General-Major), and Lilly Helene Bücheler. Studied Political Science at Graz (Ph.D. 1937), then Tibetan and Buddhism, a follower of A. David-Neel. From 1946 living in Zürich (after her husband…
OL’DENBURG, Sergej Fëdorovič (Serge d’Oldenbourg). Bjankino, Zabajkal’skoj obl. (now Tšita obl., Nerčinskij raion) 14.(26.)9.1863 — Leningrad 28.2.1934. Russian Indologist and Art Historian. Professor and Academician in St.Petersburg/Leningrad. Son of Fëdor Fëdorovič O. (1827–1877), an officer, of Livonian nobility, and Nadežda Fëdorovna Berg (von Berg, 1833–1909). Matriculated in 1881, he was…
ÓLAFSSON, Jón (Jan), called Bøsseskytte and Indíafari. “Svarthamri í Álftafirði við Ísafjarðardjúp” in Vestfirðir (Westfjords) 1593 (or 29.8.1596) — 2.5.1679. Icelandic Traveller in India, in the service of the Danish East India Company in Trankebar. Son of Ólafur Jónsson and Ólöf Þorsteinsdóttir, father died when he was 7. In 1615…
ODORICO DA PORDENONE (Odorico Mattiuzzi). 1265/74/86 — Udine 14.1.1331. Italian Franciscan Friar and Traveller in Asia. From Pordenone in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Wrote a famous account of his journey to China and Central Asia. Started for his journey between 1314/18, together with James of Ireland, and remained several years in the…