Concept:
During the medieval and early modern periods, numerous European travellers, traders, priests, and scholars visited India. Their written accounts provide indispensable socio-political and economic historical rratives about the Mughal Empire and southern kingdoms.
Step 1: Fact-checking each traveller and their origin country
• Antonio Monserrate: He was a Spanish Jesuit priest from Catalonia (Spain) who visited the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar as part of the first Jesuit mission. Hence, matching him with Italy is incorrect.
• Duarte Barbosa: He was a famous Portuguese writer and officer who traveled to India in the early 16th century and wrote vivid accounts of the Vijayagara Empire. Hence, matching him with France is incorrect.
• Jean-Baptiste Tavernier: He was a renowned 17th-century French gem merchant and traveler who made six voyages to India during the Mughal era. Hence, matching him with Portugal is incorrect.
• Peter Mundy: He was an English merchant and traveler who visited India in the 17th century during the reign of Shah Jahan and recorded detailed observations about contemporary socio-economic life. Hence, matching him with England is completely correct.
Step 2: Determining the fil answer
Out of all the options provided, only pair (D) presents the correct correlation between the traveler and their respective home country.