Question map
Who among the following European travellers never returned to Europe and settled down in India?
Explanation
Niccolao Manucci was an Italian traveller and physician who arrived in India during the 17th century. Unlike many of his contemporaries who returned to their home countries to publish their memoirs, Manucci chose to settle in India permanently and never returned to Europe. He served in various capacities, including as a gunner in the army of Dara Shikoh and later as a physician. In contrast, François Bernier and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier both returned to France; Bernier's works were famously published in France in 1670-71. Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese official who died in the East (specifically the Philippines during the Magellan expedition) in 1521. Manucci's extensive account, 'Storia do Mogor', provides a detailed perspective on the Mughal court and Indian society, reflecting his long-term residence in the subcontinent.
Sources
- [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Through the Eyes of Travellers > The child sati > p. 137
- [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Through the Eyes of Travellers > Travelling with the Mughal army > p. 123