A Venetian At The Mughal Court The Life and Adventures of Nicolo Manucci

An absorbing account of an almost unbelievably colourful life . . .' AMITAV GHOSH AUTHOR'An extraordinary character leaps off the pages of Marco Moneta's book . . . ' MARIKA SARDAR CURATOR AGA KHAN MUSEUM TORONTO'. . . irresistible . . . ' GIORGIO RIELLO HISTORIAN'. . . rich and accessible . . .' AMIN JAFFER CURATOR AND AUTHOR The man who witnessed India's history in the making Venetian Nicolò Manucci's story is distinct from those of other European travellers and adventurers who documented their stay in India. The young teenager who arrived on Indian shores with little education and few connections lived here till his death at the age of eighty-two. He was witness to some of the most dramatic events in the subcontinent's history. Living by his wits he started his career as chief artilleryman in Dara Shukoh's fratricidal battle against Aurangzeb for the Mughal throne. Thereafter Manucci joined Rajput general Jai Singh in his campaign to subdue the Maratha leader Shivaji. However Manucci had no stomach for a prolonged military career. With a great capacity for learning and immense good fortune he made his way into the Mughal court incredibly as a court physician to Aurangzeb's son Shah Alam. In service of the future Mughal emperor Manucci was to head back to the Deccan once again to meet the challenge posed by Shivaji's son Sambhaji. Manucci would spend the rest of his life within European settlements in Madras and Pondicherry. And his in-depth knowledge of the Mughal court would prove useful in negotiations between the Europeans and the Mughal authorities. Marco Moneta tells the gripping story of a man who was witness to the intrigues and rivalries in Mughal and European territories and who not just survived but rose to a position of influence and respect in a hostile and alien world. Review An extraordinary character leaps off the pages of Marco Moneta's book Nicolò Manucci the Venetian who spent over sixty years in India between 1656 and 1720. Moneta's book skilfully interweaves extracts from the narrative Manucci has left us known as Storia do Mogor with an overview of the varied matters that Manucci found himself a part of- from the changing politics of the Mughal court and the transformation of the European presence in the subcontinent to the advancement of medical treatments. The result is a rich history of India in a fascinating period of time. -- Marika Sardar curator Aga Khan Museum TorontoThe adventures of the Italian Nicolò Manucci traveller court doctor and diplomat in seventeenth-century India are irresistible. This remarkable book recounts in an accessible and gripping manner the dazzling life of a European during the reigns of the great Mughal emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. -- Giorgio Riello professor early modern global history European University Institute Italy and professor global history and culture University of Warwick UKAnyone interested in Mughal India will find this volume to be a rich and accessible resource. The unexpected Indian experiences of Nicolò Manucci-who finds himself witness to critical events of the day-are explained with precision and clarity providing a much-needed context for modern readers. -- Amin Jaffer author and art curatorEven though Marco Moneta'sA Venetian at the Mughal Court is based on solid historical research it reads like a wildly inventive picaresque novel. Through the eyes of Nicolò Manucci we see seventeenth century India as a richly varied cosmopolitan world filled with adventurers and saints emperors and rebels doctors and rogues. This is an absorbing account of an almost unbelievably colourful life. -- AMITAV GHOSH About the Author Marco Moneta holds a PhD in philosophy from Florence University. Before devoting himself to academic teaching and historical research he worked in the fields of industry and business consultancy. In 2006 he authored a volume on the grea