KNOX, Robert. London 8.2.1641 — Wimbledon, London 19.6.1720. British (Scottish) Traveller. In South Asia in 1657-94 (1659-79 prisoner in Ceylon). Son of Robert Knox, a Puritan and commander in E.I.C.’s service. Grew up in Wimbledon, Surrey. After mother’s death sailed with his father in January 1657 to Fort George. On…
KEPHALAS, Nikolaos (Nicola Chiefala; Νικόλαος Κεφαλᾶς). Zakynthos 1763 or 1770 — Constaninople 1847 or Thessaloniki 1850. Greek Traveller in India. Born in a noble, but poor family in Zakynthos, Ionian Islands, then Venetian domain. Captain, participated in the Greek revolution from its very beginning (but also said to have been…
HOUTMAN, Frederick de. Gouda 1571 — Alkmaar 21.10.1627. Dutch Traveller. Son of Pieter Cornelisz de H., a brewer, and Agnes Frederiksd., younger brother of —> C. de H. and his companion in Lisbon and in Asian voyages. When the brother was killed he remained alive and was 26 months kept…
HOUTMAN, Cornelis de. Gouda 2.4.1565 —off Acheh 1.9.1599. Dutch Traveller in India. Son of Pieter Cornelisz de H., a brewer, and Agnes Frederiksd., elder brother of —> Fr. de H. With his brother remained in 1592-93 as merchant in Lisbon, spying on Asian trade for an Amsterdam company. They were…
HERBERT, Thomas. York 1606 — York 1.3.1682. Sir, First Baronet. British Traveller in Persia and India. Son of Christopher H., a merchant, and Jane Akroyd, of a Yorkshire family related to the Earls of Pembroke. Perhaps studied at both Oxford and Cambridge. In 1627 he joined the suite of Sir…
HEDIN, Sven Anders. Stockholm 19.2.1865 — Stockholm 26.11.1952. Swedish Explorer and Central Asian Scholar. Made several journeys of exploration to Iran, Central Asia and Tibet. Son of Stadsarchitekt Abraham Ludvig H. and Anna Berlin. Matriculated 1885 from Stockholm. In 1886-88 studied geology at Stockholm and Uppsala (M.A.). In 1889-90 studies…
HAWKINS, William (Hawkyns). 15?? — autumn 1613. British Traveller. Of unknown origin, probably not the same as W.H., the nephew of Sir John H., who in 1582 sailed to the east under Edward Fenton (but only reached Brazil). Our W.H. had been in the East before as he already knew…
JOURDAIN, John. 15?? — 17.7.1619. British Traveller in India. Son of John J., a merchant and mayor of Lyme Regis in Dorset. In 1595 trading in the Azores. Participated in the English Indian voyage of 1608, remained in Surat when others went to the Mughal court (—> Hawkins). In 1610…
JOKI, Aulis Johannes. Viipuri 2.6.1913 — Helsinki 8.2.1989. Finnish Linguist, specialist of Uralic Languages. Professor in Helsinki. Son of carpenter Johan Joki and Amanda Toivonen. After matriculation from Tampere 1933 studies at Helsinki (M.A. 1938). In 1946-47 Assistant at Östasiatiska Museet in Stockholm, where also studied Chinese. Lic.phil. 1952 and…
JACQUEMONT, Venceslas-Victor. Paris 8.8.1801 — Bombay 7.12.1832. French Botanist and Traveller in India. Born in a wealthy family, father Frédéric François Venceslas J. (1757–1836) being author of psychological speculations, mother was Rose Laisne. After Lycée Louis-le-Grand (then called (Lycée impérial) he studied natural sciences and medicine at Collège de France…