Garcia de Orta wrote a landmark book (published 1561) that details the medicinal properties of Indian plants & minerals and native diseases. De Orta’s Jewish family was converted to Christianity forcibly but were suspected of being secret Jews. The inquisition in Portugal targeted the converted Jews. He escaped to India and served the Portuguese viceroy. Later, he became the court physician of the Ahmednagar Sultan.
He became famous and the Portuguese gave him a lease to the then tiny island of Bombay (one of the 7 islands that make up modern Bombay) in 1553. Apparently, his family remained closet Jews. His sister was burnt at stake in Goa in the Portuguese Inquisition. He was convicted after his death in 1568 – his body was exhumed and burnt. The Portuguese would later acclaim de Orta as a hero.
De Orta had a background in the Greek-Arab school of medicine, of Galen & Avicenna. In India, he also interacted more with Muslim physicians though his book features some Ayurvedic practitioners. His work draws attention to the other traditional medical practice in India – the Unani (Greek) school, which was developed by Indian Muslim physicians adapting Greek-Arab medicine to Indian conditions. The image is that of de Orta’s statue in Lisbon. Note the herbs in his hand.
Source: Jonathan Gil Haris, “The First Firangis”
Garcia de Orta wrote a landmark book (published 1561) that details the medicinal properties of Indian plants & minerals and native diseases. De Orta’s Jewish family was converted to Christianity forcibly but were suspected of being secret Jews. The inquisition in Portugal targeted the converted Jews. He escaped to India and served the Portuguese viceroy. Later, he became the court physician of the Ahmednagar Sultan.
He became famous and the Portuguese gave him a lease to the then tiny island of Bombay (one of the 7 islands that make up modern Bombay) in 1553. Apparently, his family remained closet Jews. His sister was burnt at stake in Goa in the Portuguese Inquisition. He was convicted after his death in 1568 – his body was exhumed and burnt. The Portuguese would later acclaim de Orta as a hero.
De Orta had a background in the Greek-Arab school of medicine, of Galen & Avicenna. In India, he also interacted more with Muslim physicians though his book features some Ayurvedic practitioners. His work draws attention to the other traditional medical practice in India – the Unani (Greek) school, which was developed by Indian Muslim physicians adapting Greek-Arab medicine to Indian conditions. The image is that of de Orta’s statue in Lisbon. Note the herbs in his hand.
Source: Jonathan Gil Haris, “The First Firangis”
