Pelsaert

History glossary

Also called: Francisco Pelsaert · Topic: Medieval India through Travellers' Eyes · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Through the Eyes of Travellers"

Meaning

Francisco Pelsaert was a Dutch merchant of the Dutch East India Company. He lived in Mughal India, mainly at Agra, in the early 17th century (c. 1620s). He was shocked by the poverty of ordinary people. Like Bernier later, he blamed the Mughal state for taking too much from the peasants.

Example

Pelsaert described India as "the home of stark want and the dwelling place of bitter woe". He said so much was taken from the peasants that they were scarcely left even dry bread to fill their stomachs. Historians treat this as one-sided: other evidence shows rich merchants, big peasants and a busy economy.

Don't confuse with

  • François Bernier: also stressed poverty, but he was a French doctor who came later (1656–68). He tied poverty to his idea that there was no private property in land.

Related concepts

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