Francois Bernier was a French physician who traveled to India between 1656 and 1668. During his time in India, he wrote extensively about the social, political, and economic conditions of the country. His work, "Travels in the Mughal Empire," is a significant source of information about the Mughal Empire and Indian society. He was one of the first Europeans to describe the religious diversity, caste system, and the prosperity of the Mughal Empire in great detail.