Foreign Travellers in Medieval India

• Key concept: Foreign Travellers in Medieval India • Essential for UPSC CSE Prelims, State PSCs, SSC CGL & Railway exams. • Comprehensive analytical coverage and factual pointers provided below.

India is known as the world’s spiritual leader. In ancient times, India’s educational system was superior to that of all other countries. Perhaps this is why so many international visitors come to India to learn about the Indian educational system.

List of Foreign Travellers who came to India in the Medieval Period

Foreign Travellers before 1500

Name	Country	Time	Ruler / Dynasty	Book / Remarks
Al-Masudi	Arab	957		Muruj-ul-Zehab
Al-beruni	Uzbekistan	1024-30	Sultan Mahmud	Tahqiq-i-Hind
Marco Polo	Italy	1288-92	Pandya Kakatiya	Book of Sir Marco Polo
Ibn-e-Batuta	Morocco	1333-42	Mohammad Bin Tughlaq	Rehla
Shihabuddin al-Umari	Damascus	1348		Masalik albsar fi-mamalik al-amsar
Nicolo Conti	Italy	1420-22	Dev Ray I
Tsang Hi (Mahuan)	China	1421-31	Jalaluddin of Bengal
Abdur Razzak	Iran	1442-43	Dev Ray II
Athnasius Niketin	Russia	1470-74	Mohammad III, Bahmani
Vasco da Gama	Portugal	1498	Zamorin

Foreign Travellers 1500-1600

Name	Country	Time	Ruler / Dynasty	Book / Remarks
Ludovico de Varthema	Italy		Gujrat, Vijayanagar
Duarte Barbosa	Portugal	1500-16	Krishna Dev Ray
Domingo’s Paes	Portugal	1520-22	Krishna Dev Ray
Nuniz	Portugal	1535-37	Achyut Dev Ray
Anthony Monserrate	Portugal	1578-82	Akbar
Ralph Fitch	England	1585-91	Akbar
John Mildenhall	England	1603	Akbar	1st recorded burial of an Englishman in India
Ceaser Fredriseh			Vijay Nagar
John Linscoten	Dutch		Vijay Nagar
Lama Taranath	Tibet		Eastern India

Foreign Travellers 1600-20

Name	Country	Time	Ruler / Dynasty	Book / Remarks
William Hawkins	England	1608-13	Jahangir	King James I
William Fisch	England	1608-12	Jahangir
John Jurdan	Portugal	1608-17	Jahangir
Nicholos Doughton	England	1608-15	Jahangir
Nicholos Withurgton	England	1612-16	Jahangir
Thomas Coryat	England	1612-17	Jahangir
Thomas Roe	England	1615-19	Jahangir	King James I
Pal Canning	England	1615-25	Jahangir
Edward Terry	England	1616-19	Jahangir
Francisco Paelsert	Dutch	1620-27	Jahangir

Foreign Travellers after 1620

Name	Country	Time	Ruler / Dynasty	Book / Remarks
Pietra Della Velle	Italy	1622-60	Jahangir
John Loyatt	Dutch	1626-33	Shahjahan
John Fryer	England	1627	Shahjahan
Peter Mundy	Italy	1630-34	Shahjahan
John Albert de Mandesto	Germany	1638	visited Surat
Baptiste Tavernier	France	1641-87	Shahjahan Aurangzeb
Nicolao Manucci	Italy	1656-87	Dara Shikoh
François Bernier	France	1658-68	Aurangzeb	Physician of Dara Sikho
Jean de Thevnot	France	1666-68	Aurangzeb
John Fryer	English	1672-81	Surat and Bombay
Gammilly Careri	Italy	1695-97	Bijapur