MACLAGAN, Edward Douglas. Pañjāb, India 25.8.1864 — London 22.10.1952. Sir. British Civil Servant and Historian in India. Son of —> General Robert Maclagan (1820–1894) and Patricia Gilmour, educated in Winchester and at New College, Oxford (B.A. 1886, M.A.). In 1883 passed the I.C.S. examination and went to India in 1885.…
LOPES, David Mello. Nesperal, Castelo Branco 17.4.1867 — Lisbon 3.2.1942. Portuguese Historian of India. “Son of José Amaro Lopes, educated at Lisbon (Curso Superior de Letras) and at É.L.O.V. in Paris. Appointed, in 1895, Professor of the French Language at the Lyceum Central, in 1901, Professor of French Language and…
LONGHENA, Mario. Parma 24.5.1876 — Bologna 25.2.1967. Italian Politician interested in India and Iran. Son of Paolo Longhena, who as a Garibaldian had great economical difficulties. Studies at Bologna. Teacher (professor) in Agrigento, then at R. Ginnasio Marco Minghetti in Bologna. As socialist active in politics, he was forced to…
LINSCHOTEN, Jan Huyghen van (born Jan Huygen). Haarlem 1563 — Enkhuizen 8.2.1611. Dutch Traveller. Born in a Roman Catholic family, son of a public notary, son of Huig Joostenszoon Huygen, an innkeeper and notary, and Marretje Tin Henriksdachter. Grew up in Enkhuizen (Latin School there), then was sent to Spain…
LEWIS, James (pseudonym Charles Masson). Aldermanbury (London) 16.2.1800 — Edmonton, Middlesex 5.11.1853. British pioneer of Archæology in Afghanistan. Son of oil dealer George Lewis and Mary Hopcraft, apparently had a good education (in Walthamstow, London). Served in E. I. Company’s army, from 1821 in Bengal Artillery, soon after participation in…
LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISSIÈRE, Guillaume-Joseph-Hyacinthe-Jean-Baptiste. Coutances (Manche) 12.9.1725 — Paris 22.10.1792. French Astronomer and Traveller, in India 1768–71. Instead of the planned career in church and studied theology in Paris, but turned to astronomy. Left for India in 1760 in order to observe the transit of Venus in 1761,…
LEBEDEV, Gerasim Stepanovič (Herasim Lebedeff). Jaroslavl 1749 (not 1746) — St.Petersburg 15.7.(27.7.)1817. Russian Musician, Traveller and Pioneer of Indology. Son of Stepan Lebedev and his wife Paraskov’a. Father was a poor Orthodox clergyman, who did not allow him to obtain higher education. The family moved to St.Petersburg, where he studied…
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…
KETELAAR, Joan Josua (Johann Joshua K., Kettler, Kessler). Elbing, East Prussia (now Elbląg in Poland) 25.12.1659 — Gamroon (Bandar Abbās) 12.5.1716. German Traveller. The eldest son of Josua Kettler, a bookbinder, apprenticed to the same craft, but accused for stealing and attempted murder of his master had to escape to…
KEPHALAS, Nikolaos (Nicola Chiefala di Zante; 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…