Matching Travellers with Their Countries of Origin

This question asks us to match famous travellers from List I with their respective countries of origin from List II. To correctly answer this, we need to recall or identify the country associated with each traveller.

Understanding the Lists

Let's look at the two lists provided:

Identifying the Correct Matches

We will now determine the country for each traveller listed:

• Nicolo de Conti: Nicolo de Conti was a Venetian merchant and explorer who travelled to India and Southeast Asia in the early 15th century. Venice was a city-state in Italy. Therefore, Nicolo de Conti is associated with Italy. This matches A with III.
• Afanasi Nikitin: Afanasi Nikitin was a Russian merchant from Tver who travelled to India in the 15th century. His journey was recorded in the book "The Journey Beyond the Three Seas". Therefore, Afanasi Nikitin is associated with Russia. This matches B with IV.
• Fernao Nuniz: Fernao Nuniz was a Portuguese traveller, chronicler, and horse trader who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in South India around 1535-1537. His account provides valuable information about the empire. Therefore, Fernao Nuniz is associated with Portugal. This matches C with II.
• Abdur Razzaq: Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi was a Persian historian and traveller who served as an ambassador of the Timurid ruler Shah Rukh to the court of the Vijayanagara Empire in India in the 15th century. Therefore, Abdur Razzaq is associated with Persia. This matches D with I.

Summarizing the Matches

Based on the historical information, the correct matching is:

• A. Nicolo de Conti ⇒ III. Italy
• B. Afanasi Nikitin ⇒ IV. Russia
• C. Fernao Nuniz ⇒ II. Portugal
• D. Abdur Razzaq ⇒ I. Persia

This gives us the combination A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I.

Revision Table: Travellers and Countries

Additional Information on Famous Travellers to India

Many foreign travellers visited India throughout history, leaving behind valuable accounts of the societies, economies, and cultures they witnessed. These travelogues are crucial primary sources for reconstructing the history of different periods in India.

• Travellers like Megasthenes (Greek, visited the Mauryan Empire), Faxian and Xuanzang (Chinese Buddhist monks, visited during Gupta and post-Gupta periods respectively) provided insights into ancient India.
• During the medieval period, many travellers from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe visited India. Ibn Battuta (Moroccan) is another famous traveller whose Rihla provides extensive details about 14th-century India.
• The travellers mentioned in the question, Nicolo de Conti, Afanasi Nikitin, Fernao Nuniz, and Abdur Razzaq, primarily visited parts of India during the 15th and 16th centuries, including significant kingdoms like the Vijayanagara Empire and the Bahmani Sultanate. Their writings offer unique perspectives on the political, social, and economic conditions of the time.