John Faithfull Fleet
Encyclopedia
John Faithfull Fleet C.I.E
(1847 – 21 February 1917) was an English civil servant with the Indian Civil Services and became known as a historian, epigraphist
and linguist. His research in Indian epigraphy and history, conducted in India over a thirty-year period, is published in books including "Pali, Sanskrit and Old Canarese Inscriptions", "The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of The Bombay Presidency from the earliest historical times to the Musalman Conquest", and "The Inscriptions of The Early Gupta Kings and their Successors". He was a regular contributor to works journals covering Indian history. His published well-regarded works on inscriptions in the Sanskrit
, Pali
and Kannada languages and on the history of dynasties such as the Guptas, Kadambas
, Aulikaras
, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Seunas.
, England, in 1847. He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School
in London. His five brothers included Vice-Admiral Herbert Cecil Fleet (born 1851-date of death unknown), Rutland Barrington
(1853–1922) a star in Gilbert and Sullivan
operas, and actor Duncan Fleet (born 1860, date of death unknown). He also had two sisters. His aunt Emily Faithfull
was an activist and dramatic reader.
at University College London
. In 1867, he moved to the Bombay Presidency
(then a British province in western India) and soon held the posts of Assistant Collector and then Magistrate, Educational Inspector, in the Southern Division (1872), Assistant Political Agent in Kolhapur and the Southern Maratha Country (1875), and Collector and Magistrate (1882).
Meanwhile, he continued with his interest in Sanskrit and the inscriptions that were abundant on stone and copper plate in the Bombay Presidency. He began publishing articles about the inscriptions in the mid-1860s. His studies soon led him to study another language, Kannada, both in its ancient and modern forms.
in 1878. Fleet became the first epigraphist of the Government of India when such a post was created in 1883. After three years as the epigraphist, he was appointed as the Collector and Magistrate of Sholapur in 1886.
One of his greatest works was on the hitherto uncharted Gupta
period. "The Inscriptions of The Early Gupta Kings and their Successors" (1889), forming third volume of the Corpus Inscriptionarum Indicum, was a well-regarded example of his scholarship. Meanwhile, his civil service career progressed. He was appointed the Senior Collector in 1889, Commissioner of the Southern divisions in 1891, and also Central Divisions in 1892. He was made the Commissioner of Customs in 1893.
In 1895, the best of his works, "The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of The Bombay Presidency from the earliest historical times to the Musalman Conquest", was published in the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency
. It was a synthesis of all the data that he had collected over years through epigraphic and historical sources in his areas of interest. The work deals with a number of dynasties, from the Kadambas, Ganga
s, and Lata
s, to the Chalukyas, Rashtrakuta
s, and Seuna
s. The work formed a basis for further studies of the periods covered by these dynasties.
. He was now able to devote his full time to his epigraphical studies and continued with his valuable contributions to the "Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland" and "Epigraphia Indica". In 1906, he became the Honorary Secretary of the Society and was awarded its "gold medal" in 1912.
Before his death in 1917 at age 69, he published the Ballads of the Peasantry with its music in the Indian Antiquary.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(1847 – 21 February 1917) was an English civil servant with the Indian Civil Services and became known as a historian, epigraphist
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
and linguist. His research in Indian epigraphy and history, conducted in India over a thirty-year period, is published in books including "Pali, Sanskrit and Old Canarese Inscriptions", "The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of The Bombay Presidency from the earliest historical times to the Musalman Conquest", and "The Inscriptions of The Early Gupta Kings and their Successors". He was a regular contributor to works journals covering Indian history. His published well-regarded works on inscriptions in the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
and Kannada languages and on the history of dynasties such as the Guptas, Kadambas
Kadambas
The Kadamba Dynasty was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district. The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires for over five hundred years during which time they...
, Aulikaras
Aulikaras
The Aulikaras were an ancient Indian clan. Two royal houses belonging to this clan ruled over the present-day western Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state from c. 350 CE to 550 CE....
, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Seunas.
Early life
Fleet was born to John George Fleet, a London wholesale sugar dealer and Esther Faithfull of Headley, SurreyHeadley, Surrey
Headley is a small village and civil parish in Surrey, England covering 675 hectares.The village is bordered to its west by Leatherhead, to the north by Ashtead and Langley Vale, Walton-on-the-Hill to the east and to its south by Box Hill. It is just outside the M25 motorway encircling...
, England, in 1847. He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
in London. His five brothers included Vice-Admiral Herbert Cecil Fleet (born 1851-date of death unknown), Rutland Barrington
Rutland Barrington
Rutland Barrington was an English singer, actor, comedian, and Edwardian musical comedy star. Best remembered for originating the lyric baritone roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1877 to 1896, his performing career spanned more than four decades...
(1853–1922) a star in Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
operas, and actor Duncan Fleet (born 1860, date of death unknown). He also had two sisters. His aunt Emily Faithfull
Emily Faithfull
Emily Faithfull was an English women's rights activist.-Biography:She was the youngest daughter of the Rev. Ferdinand Faithfull,and was born at Headley Rectory, Surrey. She took agreat interest in the conditions of working-women...
was an activist and dramatic reader.
Early career and interests
Fleet was appointed to the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in the year 1865, and to prepare himself for this he studied SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. In 1867, he moved to the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
(then a British province in western India) and soon held the posts of Assistant Collector and then Magistrate, Educational Inspector, in the Southern Division (1872), Assistant Political Agent in Kolhapur and the Southern Maratha Country (1875), and Collector and Magistrate (1882).
Meanwhile, he continued with his interest in Sanskrit and the inscriptions that were abundant on stone and copper plate in the Bombay Presidency. He began publishing articles about the inscriptions in the mid-1860s. His studies soon led him to study another language, Kannada, both in its ancient and modern forms.
Eminence
Fleet was soon establishing a reputation through his papers on the epigraphy and history of Southern India in fora such as the Bombay Asiatic Society and the Indian Antiquary, founded in 1872 (he later edited it from the 14th to 20th editions (1885–92)). He also published his works on the "Pali, Sanskrit and old Canarese Inscriptions" for the India OfficeIndia Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
in 1878. Fleet became the first epigraphist of the Government of India when such a post was created in 1883. After three years as the epigraphist, he was appointed as the Collector and Magistrate of Sholapur in 1886.
One of his greatest works was on the hitherto uncharted Gupta
Gupta
Gupta is a common surname of Indian origin.According to some academicians, the name Gupta is derived from Sanskrit goptri, meaning military governor. A more direct translation of the Sanskrit word gupta is 'secret' or 'hidden'. According to prominent historian R. C...
period. "The Inscriptions of The Early Gupta Kings and their Successors" (1889), forming third volume of the Corpus Inscriptionarum Indicum, was a well-regarded example of his scholarship. Meanwhile, his civil service career progressed. He was appointed the Senior Collector in 1889, Commissioner of the Southern divisions in 1891, and also Central Divisions in 1892. He was made the Commissioner of Customs in 1893.
In 1895, the best of his works, "The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of The Bombay Presidency from the earliest historical times to the Musalman Conquest", was published in the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency
Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency
Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency is a publication of the erstwhile British India first published in the year 1894 and printed at the Government Central Press, Bombay in 1896...
. It was a synthesis of all the data that he had collected over years through epigraphic and historical sources in his areas of interest. The work deals with a number of dynasties, from the Kadambas, Ganga
Ganga Dynasty
Ganga Dynasty is a name used for two unrelated dynasties who ruled parts of India:* The Western Ganga Dynasty, a kingdom in southern India, based in southern Karnataka, from the 3rd to the 10th centuries...
s, and Lata
Lata
- People :* Lata Mangeshkar, an Indian playback singer* Lata Pada, Bharatanatyam dancer* Latha Sethupathi, South Indian film actress* Lata , a famous Telugu writer- Places :* Lata Mountain, the highest point in American Samoa...
s, to the Chalukyas, Rashtrakuta
Rashtrakuta
The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian Subcontinent between the sixth and the 10th centuries. During this period they ruled as several closely related, but individual clans. Rastrakutas in inscriptions represented as descendants of Satyaki, a Yadava well known...
s, and Seuna
Seuna
The Seuna, Sevuna or Yadavas of Devagiri was an Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Tungabhadra to the Narmada rivers, including present-day Maharashtra, north Karnataka and parts of Madhya Pradesh, from its capital at Devagiri...
s. The work formed a basis for further studies of the periods covered by these dynasties.
Retirement and Death
Fleet retired from the ICS in 1897 and returned to England to settle in EalingEaling
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
. He was now able to devote his full time to his epigraphical studies and continued with his valuable contributions to the "Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland" and "Epigraphia Indica". In 1906, he became the Honorary Secretary of the Society and was awarded its "gold medal" in 1912.
Before his death in 1917 at age 69, he published the Ballads of the Peasantry with its music in the Indian Antiquary.
Fellowships
- Hon' Secretary,Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
- Member, Bombay Branch of The Royal Asiatic Society.
- Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
- Corresponding Member of The Royal Society of Science, Göttingen.
- Fellow of The University of Bombay.
External links
- Biographical sketch of Fleet in Eminent orientalists, Indian, European, American (1922, reprinted 1991)
- Fleet, J. F. "Sanskrit and Old Canarese Inscriptions" in Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (1876)
- Fleet, J. F. The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of The Bombay Presidency from the earliest historical times to the Musalman Conquest (1882)
- Fleet, J. F. Indian Epigraphy (1907)