Antonio Monserrate
Also called: Monserrate · Topic: Medieval India through Travellers' Eyes · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Through the Eyes of Travellers"
Meaning
Antonio Monserrate (1536–1600) was a Spanish Jesuit priest. Jesuits were members of a Catholic Christian order of missionaries. He came to India with the first Jesuit mission to Akbar's court at Fatehpur Sikri in 1580. In Latin he wrote the Commentarius, an account of Akbar, his court and his religious debates. It is a useful outsider's view of how Akbar ruled and how open he was to other faiths.
Example
Monserrate saw the debates in Akbar's court at Fatehpur Sikri, where scholars of different faiths, including the Jesuits, argued about religion. He also noted how easy it was for ordinary people to meet the emperor.
Don't confuse with
- Roberto Nobili: also a Jesuit, but he worked in south India and translated Indian texts into European languages. He was not part of the mission to Akbar's court.
- Duarte Barbosa: a Portuguese writer of the 16th century who described trade and society in south India. He was not a priest at the Mughal court.