Prominent Foreign Travellers During Medivial India for RAS/RTS Prelims Exam

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1.Marco PoloVenetian Traveller visited Pandya kingdom2.Ibn BatutaMuhammad bin Tughlaq3.Nicolo ContiItalian visited Vijayanagar during the reign of Deva Raya I4.Abdur RazaqVisited the court of Zamorin in Calicut & travelled to Vijaynagarduring the reign of Deva Raya II5.NikitinRussian, visited Bahmani kingdom & Gujarat6.NunizPortuguese, stayed at Vijayanagar during Krishna Deva Raya7.Ralph FitchBritish during Akbar’s reign8.William HawkinsEnglish merchant. Received a mansab from Jehangir9.Thomas RoeAmbassador of English King James I to Jehangir’s court.Obtained trade concessions. Wrote “Embassy”.10.Peter MundyEnglish traveller during Shah Jahan’s reign.11.TavernierFrench jweller. Aurangzeb’s reign.12.BernierFrench Physician. Most important account of all European.Aurangzeb’s reign. Wrote ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’.13.Nicolo ManucciItalian. Aurangzeb’s reign.

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Foreign travellers to India during the medieval period left behind a wealth of information about the country’s history, culture, and Society. These travellers came from all over the world, and their accounts provide a unique perspective on India at a time of great change.

One of the most famous foreign travellers to India was Al-Biruni, a Persian polymath who visited the country in the 11th century. Al-Biruni was a brilliant scholar, and his writings on India are considered to be some of the most important sources of information about the country’s history and culture. He wrote extensively on a wide range of topics, including Indian religion, philosophy, science, and mathematics.

Another important foreign traveller to India was Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan traveller who visited the country in the 14th century. Ibn Battuta was a prolific writer, and his accounts of his travels provide a fascinating glimpse into Medieval India. He wrote about everything from the country’s geography and Climate to its people, customs, and religions.

In the 16th century, India began to attract a new wave of foreign travellers, this time from Europe. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India, and they were soon followed by the Dutch, French, and English. These European travellers were primarily interested in trade, but they also left behind valuable accounts of their experiences in India.

One of the most famous European travellers to India was Vasco Da Gama, a Portuguese explorer who landed in Calicut in 1498. Da Gama’s voyage marked the beginning of the European colonization of India. He was followed by other Portuguese explorers, such as Afonso de Albuquerque, who conquered Goa in 1510.

The Dutch and French also established trading colonies in India in the 17th century. The English East India Company was founded in 1600, and it soon became the dominant European power in India. The Company’s employees, such as Thomas Roe and William Hawkins, left behind valuable accounts of their experiences in India.

The arrival of Europeans in India had a profound impact on the country’s history. The Europeans brought with them new technologies, ideas, and religions, which had a major impact on Indian Society. The European colonization of India also led to the decline of the Mughal Empire, which had been the dominant power in India for centuries.

The foreign travellers who visited India during the medieval period left behind a wealth of information about the country’s history, culture, and society. These accounts provide a unique perspective on India at a time of great change.

Prominent Foreign Travellers During Medieval India

  • Who was Ibn Battuta?
    Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer and scholar who traveled extensively throughout the Muslim world in the 14th century. He is best known for his travelogue, the Rihla, which describes his journeys to over 40 countries.

  • What did Ibn Battuta see in India?
    Ibn Battuta visited India several times during his travels. He visited the major cities of Delhi, Agra, and Lahore, and also traveled to the Deccan Plateau. He wrote extensively about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What was Marco Polo’s impression of India?
    Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled to China in the 13th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Travels of Marco Polo. In his book, Polo described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Niccolò de’ Conti see in India?
    Niccolò de’ Conti was an Italian merchant and explorer who traveled to India in the 15th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Book of Messer Niccolò de’ Conti. In his book, Conti described India as a land of great diversity. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Abdur razzaq see in India?
    Abdur Razzaq was an ambassador from the Timurid Empire to the court of The Bahmani Sultanate in the 15th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Embassy of Abdur Razzaq to India. In his book, Razzaq described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Duarte Barbosa see in India?
    Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese explorer who traveled to India in the 16th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Book of Duarte Barbosa. In his book, Barbosa described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Fernão Nuniz see in India?
    Fernão Nuniz was a Portuguese soldier who traveled to India in the 16th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Chronicle of Fernão Nuniz. In his book, Nuniz described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Domingo Paes see in India?
    Domingo Paes was a Portuguese soldier who traveled to India in the 16th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as The Diary of Domingo Paes. In his book, Paes described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Afonso Albuquerque see in India?
    Afonso Albuquerque was a Portuguese general who conquered Goa in 1510. He was the first Portuguese governor of Goa. He wrote a book about his conquests, which was later published as The Commentaries of Afonso Albuquerque. In his book, Albuquerque described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Jean-Baptiste Tavernier see in India?
    Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a French jewel merchant who traveled to India in the 17th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as Travels in India. In his book, Tavernier described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did François Bernier see in India?
    François Bernier was a French physician who traveled to India in the 17th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as Travels in the Mogul Empire. In his book, Bernier described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian people, their customs, and their religion.

  • What did Niccolao Manucci see in India?
    Niccolao Manucci was an Italian physician who traveled to India in the 17th century. He wrote a book about his travels, which was later published as Storia do Mogor. In his book, Manucci described India as a land of great wealth and luxury. He also wrote about the Indian

Question 1

Which of the following foreign travellers visited India during the reign of Akbar?

(A) Ibn Battuta
(B) Marco Polo
(C) Fa Hien
(D) Xuanzang

Answer

(A) Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of Akbar. He was a Moroccan traveller who visited India in the 14th century. He wrote a detailed account of his travels in India, which is considered to be an important source of information about medieval India.

Question 2

Which of the following foreign travellers visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana?

(A) Hiuen Tsang
(B) Fa Hien
(C) Marco Polo
(D) Ibn Battuta

Answer

(A) Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana. He was a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India in the 7th century. He wrote a detailed account of his travels in India, which is considered to be an important source of information about medieval India.

Question 3

Which of the following foreign travellers visited India during the reign of Ashoka?

(A) Hiuen Tsang
(B) Fa Hien
(C) Marco Polo
(D) Ibn Battuta

Answer

(B) Fa Hien visited India during the reign of Ashoka. He was a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India in the 3rd century BCE. He wrote a detailed account of his travels in India, which is considered to be an important source of information about ancient India.

Question 4

Which of the following foreign travellers visited India during the reign of the Guptas?

(A) Hiuen Tsang
(B) Fa Hien
(C) Marco Polo
(D) Ibn Battuta

Answer

(A) Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of the Guptas. He was a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India in the 7th century. He wrote a detailed account of his travels in India, which is considered to be an important source of information about medieval India.

Question 5

Which of the following foreign travellers visited India during the reign of Cholas/”>The Cholas?

(A) Hiuen Tsang
(B) Fa Hien
(C) Marco Polo
(D) Ibn Battuta

Answer

(C) Marco Polo visited India during the reign of the Cholas. He was a Venetian merchant who visited India in the 13th century. He wrote a detailed account of his travels in India, which is considered to be an important source of information about medieval India.