John Staples Harriott facts for kids

John Staples Harriott (born 1780, died 1839) was a British army officer. He worked for the East India Company in India. He became known for owning a very old and important book called the Jami' al-tawarikh. Harriott also studied the Roma people, sometimes called Romani. He tried to connect them to an old legend from Persia, but this idea is now considered incorrect.

His Life and Career

John Staples Harriott was the son of another man named John Harriott. In 1796, when he was about 16, he joined the East India Company as a cadet. This company was very powerful and managed trade and parts of India for Britain.

He quickly moved up in rank:

• In 1798, he became a lieutenant.
• By 1806, he was a captain.
• In 1817, he became a major.
• He continued to rise, becoming a lieutenant-colonel in 1823 and a colonel in 1829.

In 1803, Harriott fought in the Battle of Delhi. During this battle, he sadly lost one of his legs. He spent much of his life living in Calcutta, India. Eventually, he reached the high rank of Major General.

Later in his life, around 1819 and 1820, Harriott became interested in the Romani language. He collected many Romani words in Hampshire, England. He shared some of his findings with the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1822. By 1830, records show he was a member of the Royal Asiatic Society.

The Jami Al Tawarikh Manuscript

John Staples Harriott is famous for being one of the owners of a very important old book called the Jami' al-tawarikh. This book is a key historical manuscript that tells the story of the Mongols.

It's not fully clear how Harriott got this special book. However, some records suggest he found it in a place called Danapur, India, in 1813. Years later, in 1838, another scholar named William Hook Morley saw the manuscript in the Royal Asiatic Society's collection.

After that, the manuscript was kept at the British Museum starting in 1948. It was on loan there for some time. Eventually, it was sold to someone whose name is not publicly known.

His Published Works

Harriott also wrote several books and papers:

• Pauperism and the Poor Laws (published in 1821)
• Observations on the Oriental Origin of the Romnichal, Or Tribe Miscalled Gypsey and Bohemian (published in 1830)
• A paper about the Kabir panths, which was translated into French (published in 1832)
• Remarks Relative to the Actual Condition of Ireland, Made During a Late Sojourn in that Country

Images for kids

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  Père-Lachaise Cemetery