CORSALI, Andrea. Florence 29.6.1487 — 15??. Italian Traveller. Son of Giovanni C., had good education. In the service of de Medicis he went to India in a Portuguese ship in 1515 and sent to Giuliano and Lorenzo de Medici two letters describing the lands and people. First in Goa, visited…
LANGLÈS, Louis-Mathieu. Perenne (Welles-Pérennes) near St.Didier (Montdidier, Oise) 23.8.1763 — Paris 28.5.(28.1.?)1824. French Oriental (especially Persian) Scholar. Son of a farmer, according to his own claim, of local gentry. Joined the army, but was sickly and quitted after the disappointment of being not sent to India and went to Paris.…
STEIN, Mark Aurel (Stein Mark Aurél). Budapest 26.11.1862 — Kabul 26.10.1943. Sir. Hungarian Explorer, Indologist, and Archaeologist living in India (from 1888). British citizen (1904). Born to aged Jewish parents (mother 45, father more), M. Náthán Stein and Anna Hirschler. The father was a merchant, but uncle Ignaz Hirschler (1813–1891)…
SONNERAT, Pierre. Lyon 18.8.1748 — Paris 31.3.1814. French Naval Officer, Naturalist and Traveller in the East. Travels: 1768-71 Madagascar and neighbouring islands, 1772-74 Moluccas and Philippines, 1774-81 India and China. Correspondent of the French Academy. Details of his life, especially of early years, are defective. In his first travel collaborated…
SHAW, Robert Barkley. Upper Clapton, London 12.7.1839 — Mandalay, Burma 15.6.1879. British Traveller in Central Asia, then Civil Servant in Burma. Son of Robert Grant Shaw and Martha Barkley. “Educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, became a tea-planter in Kangra. Travelled in 1868 as a merchant to Eastern Turkestan,…
SCHLAGINTWEIT, Robert von. Munich 27.10.1833 — Giessen 6.6.1885. German Traveller in India and Central Asia. Son of oculist physician Joseph Schl. (1792–1854) and Rosalia Seidl (1805–1839), brother of —> Adolf, Emil and Hermann Schl. A fifth brother was Eduard Schl. (1831–1866), an officer and explorer of Morocco. After the early…
SCHLAGINTWEIT-SAKÜNLÜNSKI, Hermann von. Munich 13.5.1826 — Munich 19.1.1882. German Traveller in India and Central Asia. Son of oculist physician Joseph Schl. (1792–1854) and Rosalia Seidl (1805–1839), brother of —> Adolf, Emil and Robert Schl. A fifth brother was Eduard Schl. (1831–1866), an officer and explorer of Morocco. After the early…
WOOD, Mark. Perth, Scotland 1747 — London 6.2.1829. Sir (Bart.). British (Scottish) Military Engineer and Traveller in India. Son of Alexander Wood. Cadet 1770, in 1772 joined Bengal Engineers, his two brothers were also in E.I.C.’s military service. Surveyor-General 1787, Chief Engineer in Bengal 1790, retired as Colonel and returned…
WOOD, John. Perth, Scotland 1812 — London 13.11.1871. British (Scottish) Naval Officer in India and Traveller in Central Asia. Educated at Perth Academy, in 1826 joined the E.I.C.’s navy. “Commanded the first [steam] vessel, the Indus, in the navigation of the Indus river, 1835-6; Assistant to Burnes in his commercial…
WILLIAM OF RUBRUCK (Guglielmus de Rubruquis, Guillaume de Rubrouck, Willem van Ruysbroeck, Risbroucke). 1215/20 — after 1255. Flemish Traveller, a Franciscan Monk. Probably born in Rubrouck in French Flanders. In 1248 participated in the 7th Crusade. Head of the embassy sent by Louis IX of France to the Mongol Khan…