Heinrich Roth facts for kids

Heinrich Roth was a brave missionary and a very important scholar. He was born in 1620 and passed away in 1668. He was one of the first Europeans to deeply study the ancient Indian language called Sanskrit.

Early Life and Studies

Heinrich Roth was born in Dillingen, Germany, in 1620. He grew up in Augsburg. His father was a lawyer. From 1635 to 1639, Heinrich studied Rhetoric and Philosophy. He went to the University of Dillingen and a Jesuit college in Innsbruck.

In 1639, he joined the Jesuits in Landsberg. The Jesuits are a religious group within the Catholic Church. From 1641 to 1645, he taught at the University of Munich. After that, he studied Theology and became a priest in 1649.

Journey to India

In 1649, Heinrich Roth was sent on a special mission to India. This was called the "Ethiopian mission." He traveled a long way by land. His journey took him through places like Smyrna and Isfahan. He finally reached Goa, India, in 1652.

Roth first worked on an island near Goa called Salsette. He sometimes helped as an interpreter, translating Portuguese. Later, he was sent on a special trip by a local prince. This journey took him through Uttarakhand. In 1654, he arrived in Agra, a big city in the Mughal Empire.

Life in Agra and Language Learning

In Agra, Heinrich Roth became the head of the Jesuit center in 1659. He lived there during a time when Christians faced difficulties. This was under the rule of emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.

While in Agra, Roth learned several languages. He became very good at Persian, Kannada, and Hindustani. Most importantly, he spent many years studying Sanskrit. He learned from local scholars called pandits. A French explorer named Francois Bernier met Roth. He was very impressed by Roth's deep knowledge of Indian culture and religions.

Return to Europe and Later Years

In 1662, Roth traveled back to Europe. He went with another Jesuit, Johann Grueber, who was returning from China. They traveled by land through Kabul. They arrived in Rome, Italy, in February 1664.

A famous scholar, Athanasius Kircher, wrote about their journey. He also published Roth's notes on the Sanskrit alphabet. In Germany, Roth gave talks about the Mughal Empire. He tried to get his Sanskrit grammar book published. This book was the first of its kind written by a European. He had finished it in Agra by 1660. The Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I offered financial help. However, the head of the Jesuit order stopped the project.

Roth was then asked to start a Jesuit mission in Nepal. He traveled back to India through Constantinople and Surat. He returned to Agra by 1666. Sadly, he passed away in Agra in 1668 before he could go to Nepal. His grave can still be seen in Agra today.

His Important Work

Heinrich Roth's most important work was his Sanskrit grammar book. He completed it in 1660. The book was written in Latin. Its full title was Grammatica Linguae Sanscretanae Brachmanum Indiae Orientalis. The original handwritten copy is kept in a library in Rome today.

This grammar book also included early notes for a Sanskrit-Latin dictionary. It made him a true pioneer in the study of Sanskrit in Europe. He also studied the Hindustani and Devanagari alphabets. He wrote about Vedanta and Vishnu, which are important parts of Indian philosophy and religion. We also have 35 letters written by Roth. These letters describe his time in India and his journey back to Europe. They are kept in a library in Brussels.