Richard Francis Burton

By Yossi Sheriff

Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton


Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS (19 March 1821 – 20 October 1890) was an English officer who travelled extensively, translated various books from Arabic, Parsi, Hindi and Urdu. Richard Burton was the first European to visit the forbidden city of Harrar and the second Christian to do the pilgrimage (Haj) to Mecca and Medina.

Richard Burton was the founder of the modern scientific discipline of Hoplology and wrote several books and manuals dealing with warfare including his never finished "Book of the sword".

Among other titles, Sir Burton was an adept fencer at the french and Italian styles of fencing.

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