Sir Alexander Burnes


1805 - 1841

Explorer. Born in Montrose, Burnes joined the army of the East India Company in 1821. He quickly gained familiarity with the languages of the Northwest Frontier, allowing him to travel in native dress from Peshawar (Pakistan), through Kabul (Afghanistan) and Tehran (Iran) onto Bukhara (Uzbekistan), recording the geography and history of these areas. He recounts his exploits in Travels into Bokhara (1839) and he was recognised by the Royal Geographical Society.

In 1839, he was appointed the British political representative in Kabul but was assassinated there two years later.


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