UPSC Prelims 2018 Q73: Medieval History – Medieval Culture & Historiography
- (a) Francois Bernier
- (b) Jean - Baptiste Tavernier
- (c) Jean de Thevenot
- (d) Abbe Barthelemy Carre
Answer: (b) Jean - Baptiste Tavernier
Explanation
Foreign Traveller Who Wrote on Indian Diamonds
| Traveller | Nationality | Known for | Diamond focus? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Francois Bernier | French | Physician-philosopher; Travels in the Mughal Empire (1670); court of Aurangzeb; theory of Oriental despotism | NO - general travelogue |
| (b) Jean-Baptiste Tavernier | French | Six Voyages (1676); merchant-jeweller; visited Golconda diamond mines; wrote extensively about diamond trade, mines and famous stones (Koh-i-Noor mentioned) | YES - primary diamond-focused traveller |
| (c) Jean de Thevenot | French | Travels in the Levant, Persia, India (1663-67); geography and manners | NO - not diamond-focused |
| (d) Abbe Barthelemy Carre | French | Travels (1672-74); missionary observations | NO - not diamond-focused |
Answer: (b) Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Bernier's Travels focus on Mughal politics, court life and Oriental despotism - not diamonds.
- (b) CORRECT. Tavernier, a French merchant-jeweller, made six voyages to India and wrote extensively about the Golconda diamond mines and famous stones.
- (c) Incorrect. Thevenot's travels are general observations on India and Persia, not specifically about diamonds.
- (d) Incorrect. Abbe Carre was a missionary observer; not a diamond specialist.
Key point
Tavernier = diamond specialist. Six Voyages (1676). Merchant-jeweller. Visited Golconda mines. Wrote on Koh-i-Noor and other famous stones. Sold the Tavernier Blue (later Hope Diamond) to Louis XIV.
Remember
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a 17th-century French merchant-jeweller, made six voyages to India between 1631 and 1668 and wrote extensively about the Golconda diamond mines and India's diamond trade in his Six Voyages (1676). He described famous stones including the Koh-i-Noor and sold the Tavernier Blue (later recut into the Hope Diamond) to King Louis XIV of France.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the four French travellers - Bernier (politics), Tavernier (jewels), Thevenot (general), Carre (missionary).
- Assuming any diamond-related account is by Bernier - Bernier described court and politics; Tavernier described commerce and jewels.
- Missing Tavernier's most famous gemological legacy - selling the Tavernier Blue diamond (recut into the Hope Diamond) to Louis XIV.
Exam tip
Foreign travellers to India by focus: Ibn Battuta (Tughlaq era), Abdur Razzaq (Vijayanagara), Nicolo Conti (15th c.), Bernier (Mughal politics), Tavernier (Mughal jewels/mines), Manucci (Mughal court medicine), Fa Hien/Hiuen Tsang (Buddhism/Gupta/Harsha).
Sources
- Jean-Baptiste Tavernier - Les Six Voyages (English translation by V. Ball)
- NCERT Class 12 - Themes in Indian History (Chapter on Foreign Travellers' Accounts)