Question

Who among the following is the author of the book of travels called 'Travels in the Mughal Empire'?

• A. Francois Bernier
• B. Roberto Nobile
• C. Duarte Barbosa
• D. Marco Polo

Hint:

Francois Bernier's writings were highly influential in shaping Western political theories, such as Montesquieu's idea of “Oriental Despotism,” by arguing that the absence of private land ownership was the root cause of decline in Asia.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Identifying the Book and its Contents:
The travelogue Travels in the Mughal Empire is a historical account written in the $17^{\text{th}}$ century. It compares the economic, political, and social institutions of Mughal India with those of contemporary Western Europe, focusing on the system of state land ownership.

Step 2: Identifying the Author:
The book was written by Francois Bernier, a French physician, traveler, and philosopher. He spent twelve years in India (from 1656 to 1668). He was closely associated with the Mughal imperial court, serving as a physician to Prince Dara Shikoh and later as an associate of the intellectual noble Danishmand Khan.

Step 3: Alyzing Other Travel Writers:

• (B) Roberto Nobile was an Italian Jesuit missiory who worked in southern India, adopting local customs to spread Christianity.
• (C) Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese writer who wrote detailed descriptions of early $16^{\text{th}}$-century southern India and the Vijayagara Empire.
• (D) Marco Polo was a famous Venetian traveler who traveled across Asia in the late $13^{\text{th}}$ century and visited the coastal regions of southern India.