The correct option is Francois Bernier
Explanation
During the 17th century, several European travellers, merchants, and professionals visited the Mughal Empire. Their accounts provide valuable insights into the socio-economic and political conditions of the time. Some of these individuals were employed in the Mughal court in various capacities, including as physicians and soldiers.Detailed
- Francois Bernier (Correct): He was a French physician and traveller who arrived in India in 1658. He served briefly as a physician to Prince Dara Shukoh. Following Dara Shukoh's defeat and execution, Bernier was attached to the court of Emperor Aurangzeb. He is famous for his book Travels in the Mughal Empire, which provides a detailed critique of Mughal administration, land ownership, and military organization.
- Niccolao Manucci: He was an Italian traveller and writer. While he eventually practiced medicine later in his life, he initially served as an artilleryman in the army of Dara Shukoh. His work, Storia do Mogor, is a significant source of history for the later Mughal period, but he is primarily identified as a soldier-adventurer in the context of Dara Shukoh's service.
- Jean-Baptiste Tavernier: He was a French gem merchant and traveller who visited India six times during the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. He is best known for his expertise in the diamond trade (including the Hope Diamond) and his travelogue, The Six Voyages. He was not a physician.
- Peter Mundy: He was an English traveller and employee of the East India Company who visited India during the reign of Shah Jahan. He is known for his descriptions of the famine in the Deccan and Gujarat (1630-32) and the daily life of the common people, but he did not serve as a court physician.
Key Takeaway:
Francois Bernier was the French physician associated with Prince Dara Shukoh and later the court of Aurangzeb. Manucci served Dara Shukoh as an artilleryman.