India is known as the world’s spiritual leader. In ancient times, India’s educational system was superior to that of all other countries. Perhaps this is why so many international visitors come to India to learn about the Indian educational system.

List of Foreign Travellers who came to India in the Medieval Period

Foreign Travellers before 1500

NameCountryTimeRuler / DynastyBook / Remarks  
Al-MasudiArab957Muruj-ul-Zehab
Al-beruniUzbekistan1024-30Sultan MahmudTahqiq-i-Hind
Marco PoloItaly1288-92Pandya KakatiyaBook of Sir Marco Polo
Ibn-e-BatutaMorocco1333-42Mohammad Bin TughlaqRehla
Shihabuddin al-UmariDamascus1348Masalik albsar fi-mamalik al-amsar
Nicolo ContiItaly1420-22Dev Ray I
Tsang Hi (Mahuan)China1421-31Jalaluddin of Bengal
Abdur RazzakIran1442-43Dev Ray II
Athnasius NiketinRussia1470-74Mohammad III, Bahmani
Vasco da GamaPortugal1498Zamorin
Foreign Travellers before 1500

Foreign Travellers 1500-1600

NameCountryTimeRuler / DynastyBook / Remarks  
Ludovico de VarthemaItalyGujrat, Vijayanagar
Duarte BarbosaPortugal1500-16Krishna Dev Ray
Domingo’s PaesPortugal1520-22Krishna Dev Ray
NunizPortugal1535-37Achyut Dev Ray
Anthony MonserratePortugal1578-82Akbar
Ralph FitchEngland1585-91Akbar
John MildenhallEngland1603Akbar1st recorded burial of an Englishman in India
Ceaser FredrisehVijay Nagar
John LinscotenDutchVijay Nagar
Lama TaranathTibetEastern India
Foreign Travellers 1500-1600

Foreign Travellers 1600-20

NameCountryTimeRuler / DynastyBook / Remarks  
William HawkinsEngland1608-13JahangirKing James I
William FischEngland1608-12Jahangir
John JurdanPortugal1608-17Jahangir
Nicholos DoughtonEngland1608-15Jahangir
Nicholos WithurgtonEngland1612-16Jahangir
Thomas CoryatEngland1612-17Jahangir
Thomas RoeEngland1615-19JahangirKing James I
Pal CanningEngland1615-25Jahangir
Edward TerryEngland1616-19Jahangir
Francisco PaelsertDutch1620-27Jahangir
Foreign Travellers 1600-20

Foreign Travellers after 1620

NameCountryTimeRuler / DynastyBook / Remarks  
Pietra Della VelleItaly1622-60Jahangir
John LoyattDutch1626-33Shahjahan
John FryerEngland1627Shahjahan
Peter MundyItaly1630-34Shahjahan
John Albert de MandestoGermany1638visited Surat
Baptiste TavernierFrance1641-87Shahjahan Aurangzeb
Nicolao ManucciItaly1656-87Dara Shikoh
François BernierFrance1658-68AurangzebPhysician of Dara Sikho
Jean de ThevnotFrance1666-68Aurangzeb
John FryerEnglish1672-81Surat and Bombay
Gammilly CareriItaly1695-97Bijapur
Foreign Travellers after 1620