TEIXEIRA, Pedro

TEIXEIRA, Pedro. 15?? — after 1610. Portuguese Traveller. Born in a Portuguese Jewish family, probably in Lisbon, but without Jewish education. Of his life, little is know beyond the meagre information in his book. Even his profession is unknown, Fleming thinks that perhaps he was physician. He spent a long…

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TAVERNIER, Jean Baptiste

TAVERNIER, Jean Baptiste (1669 baron d’Aubonne). Paris 1605 — Moscow (?) 1689. French Jeweller and Traveller in India. Son of Gabriel T., a Huguenot merchant and geographer, originally from Antwerp, and Suzanne Tonnelier. Early travels in England, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Italy and Hungary. Some time served in Austrian army. Also…

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PYRARD DE LAVAL, François

PYRARD DE LAVAL, François. Laval c. 1578 — Paris c. 1623. French Traveller in Maldives and India. Son of a trader. In May 1601 he sailed on Corbin one of the two ships equiped by the merchants of St.Malo, Laval and Vitré in order to compete with the Dutch E.I.C. in…

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POLO, Marco

POLO, Marco. Venice 1254 (or 1250?) — Venice 1324. Famous Italian (Venetian) Traveller in the Middle Ages, spent many years in China. Born in a wealthy family of nobility, he left Venice in 1271 together with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo, who had returned from their earlier commercial visit…

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POLIER, Antoine-Louis

POLIER, Antoine-Louis-Henri. Lausanne ?.2.1741 — near Avignon 9.2.1795. Swiss Officer and Traveller in India. Born in a French Huguenot noble family naturalized in Switzerland, son of Jacques H. E. Polier and Jeanne-Francoise Moreau de Brosses. He had a good education and showed interest in mathematics. Invited by his uncle Paul-Philippe Polier, a…

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PAES, Domingo

PAES (Pais), Domingo. 14?? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In c. 1520 wrote his account, characterized by reliable and exact observations and including important information about Vijayanagara. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten. Publications: Edited together with the account of F. Nuniz…

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VIGNE, Godfrey

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]……

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VARTHEMA, Ludovico di

VARTHEMA, Ludovico di. 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, then by ship to…

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YULE, Henry.

YULE, Henry. Inveresk near Edinbourgh 1.5.1820 — London 30.12.1889. British (Scottish) Historian in India. The youngest son of Major William Yule (retired from Indian service in 1806) and Elizabeth Paterson (d. c. 1827). Educated in Edinburgh and in 1837-38 at East India Company’s Military College in Addiscombe. He went to…

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YOUNGHUSBAND, Francis Edward

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 (sister of —> Robert Shaw). Educated…

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