Biography captain william marsden

Irish orientalist and numismatist

For other people with similar names, see William Marsden (disambiguation).

William MarsdenFRS FSA (16 November 1754 – 6 October 1836) was an Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist who served as Second, then First Secretary to the Admiralty during years of conflict with France.

Early life

Marsden was the son of a Dublin merchant. He was born in Verval, County Wicklow,^[1] and educated at Trinity College, Dublin.

Biography captain william marsden death

Upon obtaining a civil service appointment with the East India Company at sixteen years of age, he was sent to Benkulen, Sumatra, in 1771. He was promoted to the position of principal secretary to the government, and acquired a knowledge of the Malay language and the country.

After returning to England in 1779, he was awarded the Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.) degree by Oxford University in 1780^[2] and published his History of Sumatra in 1783.^[3]

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