Robert Schlagintweit facts for kids
Robert Schlagintweit (born October 24, 1833 – died June 6, 1885) was a German explorer. He traveled a lot in Central Asia and also wrote books about his trips to America. Robert was one of three brothers, along with Hermann and Adolf. They were hired by the British East India Company to study the Earth's magnetic field in parts of Asia. These brothers were the first Europeans to cross the Kunlun mountains. They also explored the area between the Karakoram and Kunlun mountains.
Life and Adventures
Robert was the fourth of five Schlagintweit brothers from Munich, Germany. When he was young, he joined his brothers Hermann and Adolf in their studies of the Alps mountains. Together, they wrote a book in 1854 about the geography and geology of the Alps.
In 1854, a famous scientist named Alexander von Humboldt suggested the Schlagintweit brothers for a special job. The East India Company hired Hermann, Adolf, and Robert to do scientific research in their lands. Their main task was to study the Earth's magnetic field. For the next three years, they traveled through many places. They explored the Deccan Plateau in India. Then they went up into the huge Himalayas, Karakoram, and Kunlun mountains. Hermann and Robert were the first Europeans ever to cross the Kunlun mountains.
After his adventures in Asia, Robert went back to Europe. In 1863, he became a professor of geography at the university of Giessen. He also made several trips to America between 1867 and 1870. He started in Boston, giving twelve lectures about the mountains and geography of high Asia. He then gave talks all over the United States. Robert also explored the Pacific coast. He wrote several books about America, including The Pacific Railroads in North America (1870) and California (1871). He also wrote about The Mormons (1874) and The Prairies of the American West (1876).
