Foreign Visitors to ancient India
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 Siyuki 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 was appointed a Qadi, or judge, by Muhammad bin Tughluq.
MARCO POLO (Italian) [1254 - 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.
