Sunday, April 1, 2012

Important Foreign Visitors to India in ancient times !!


‎*MEGASTHENES(Greek)

-ambassador of Selecus I of Syria 
- came to court of Sandrokattes (Chandragupta maurya)
- Described Social and administrative conditions under the Mauryas












*FA HIEN (Chinese) [ 399 A.D.-412 A.D.]

-Visited India during Chandragupta II "Vikramaditya"

-visit to Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha 
- journey described in his travelogue described as 'Record of Buddhist kingdoms'  












* HIUEN TSANG (Chinese) [629-645]


- Visited the court of Harshavardhana 
- Came through Tashkent and Swat Valley 

-his book Si-yu-ki or the 'Records of Western World 












* AL BERUNI (Persian) [1000-1025]


- Came along with Mahmud of Ghazni

-First Muslim scholar to study India
- Known as Founder of Indology
- Wrote Tarikh al Hind









* IBN BATTUTA (Morrocan) [1333]
- Ibn Battuta was appointed a Qadi, or judge, by Muhammad bin Tughluq.









* MARCO POLO (Italian) [b.1254-d.1324]

- Visited the Kakatiya state under Rudrmadevi.-well known European travellor who visited many eastern countries









* NICOLO CONTI (Italian) [1420-1421]

- Came during the rule of Devaraya I of Sangam dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.

* ABDUL RAZZAK (Persian) [1442-1445]
- Ambassador of Shahrukh of Timurid Dynasty 
- Came during the rule of Devaraya II of Sangam dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.

* AFANASY NIKITIN (Russian) [1469-1472]
- A Russian merchant who documented his Indian visit in a narrative, 'The Journey beyond Three Seas'.
- He had visited the Bahmani Sultanate.

* DOMINGO PAES (Portuguese) [1520-1522]
- Came during the rule of Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529) of Tuluv Dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.

* FERNAO NUNES (Portuguese) [1535-1537] 
- He was a chronicler and horse trader.
- Came during the rule of Achutya Deva Raya (1529-1542) of Tuluv Dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.

* WILLIAM HAWKINS (British) [1609-1611] 
- He was an ambassador of King James I.
- Visited the court of Jahangir

* THOMAS ROE (British) [1615]
- He was the ambassador of King James I.
- Arrived at Jahangir's court. By 1618, he succeeded in obtaining two farmans confirming free trade.

* PIETRO DELLA VALLE (Italian)[1623-1624] 
- Pietro Della Valle visited the King Vekatappa Nayaka of Keladi in India.

* SIR WILLIAM NORRIS (British)
- He was the Company's ambassador to the Mughal Empire.
- Visited during Aurangzeb's reign.