Igor de Rachewiltz
Encyclopedia
Igor de Rachewiltz is an Italian
historian
and philologist
specializing in Mongol studies
.
Igor de Rachewiltz was born in Rome
, the son of Bruno Guido and Antonina Perosio. The de Rachewiltz family was of Polish noble
roots. His grandmother was a Tatar from Kazan
in eastern Russia
who claimed lineage from the Golden Horde
. In 1947, he read Michael Prawdin
's book Tschingis-Chan und seine Erben (Genghis Khan
and his Heritage) and became interested in learning the Mongolian language
. He graduated with a law degree from a university in Rome and pursued Oriental studies
in Naples
. In the early 1950s, de Rachewiltz went to Australia
on scholarship. He earned his PhD
in Chinese history from Australian National University
, Canberra
in 1961. His dissertation was on on Genghis Khan's secretary, 13th century Chinese scholar Yelü Chucai. He married Ines Adelaide Brasch in 1956; they have one daughter.
Starting in 1965 he became a fellow at the Department of Far Eastern History, Australian National University (1965–67). He made a research trip to Europe
(1966–67). He published a translation of The Secret History of the Mongols
in eleven volumes of Papers on Far Eastern History (1971–1985). He became a senior Fellow of the Division of Pacific and Asian History at the Australian National University (1967–94), a research-only fellowship. He completed projects by prominent Mongolists Antoine Mostaert
and Henri Serruys
after their deaths. He was a visiting professor at the University of Rome three times (1996, 1999, 2001). In 2004 he published his translation of the Secret History with Brill
; it was selected by Choice
as Outstanding Academic Title (2005) and is now in its second edition. In 2007 he donated his personal library of around 6000 volumes to the Scheut Memorial Library at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
. Currently de Rachewiltz is an emeritus Fellow in the Pacific an Asian History Division of the Australian National University. His research interests include the political and cultural history of China
and Mongolia
in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, East-West political and cultural contacts, and Sino-Mongolian philology generally.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
historian
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
specializing in Mongol studies
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
Igor de Rachewiltz was born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the son of Bruno Guido and Antonina Perosio. The de Rachewiltz family was of Polish noble
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
roots. His grandmother was a Tatar from Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
in eastern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
who claimed lineage from the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
. In 1947, he read Michael Prawdin
Michael Prawdin
Michael Prawdin was the pseudonym of Michael Charol , a Russian-German historical writer.Born in the Ukraine, Charol came to Germany after the Russian Revolution. He studied in Germany, and wrote in German. In 1934 he made a plea for the 'factual novel'.Prawdin made himself an international...
's book Tschingis-Chan und seine Erben (Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
and his Heritage) and became interested in learning the Mongolian language
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
. He graduated with a law degree from a university in Rome and pursued Oriental studies
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. In the early 1950s, de Rachewiltz went to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on scholarship. He earned his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Chinese history from Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in 1961. His dissertation was on on Genghis Khan's secretary, 13th century Chinese scholar Yelü Chucai. He married Ines Adelaide Brasch in 1956; they have one daughter.
Starting in 1965 he became a fellow at the Department of Far Eastern History, Australian National University (1965–67). He made a research trip to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(1966–67). He published a translation of The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary work...
in eleven volumes of Papers on Far Eastern History (1971–1985). He became a senior Fellow of the Division of Pacific and Asian History at the Australian National University (1967–94), a research-only fellowship. He completed projects by prominent Mongolists Antoine Mostaert
Antoine Mostaert
- Brief Biography :Born in Bruges, 10 August 1881; studied Latin and Greek during his Secondary education. He joined the CICM Missionaries, and was ordained priest. As a seminarian in Belgium he studied Chinese, which he came to know well; he also began to learn Mongolian using Isaac Jacob...
and Henri Serruys
Henri Serruys
Henri Serruys, born in Ostende in 1796, died , was a Belgian unionist politician.He was a rentier who became a politician.-Political career:He became communal councillor of Ostende in 1831 and burgermeister of the city between 1835 and 1861.-See also:...
after their deaths. He was a visiting professor at the University of Rome three times (1996, 1999, 2001). In 2004 he published his translation of the Secret History with Brill
Brill Publishers
Brill is an international academic publisher founded in 1683 in Leiden, the Netherlands. With offices in Leiden and Boston, Brill today publishes more than 134 journals and around 600 new books and reference works each year...
; it was selected by Choice
Choice magazine
CHOICE Magazine is a publication of the Australian Consumers' Association, a non-profit organisation founded in 1959 to research and advocate on behalf of Australian consumers. The organisation trades as CHOICE and is similar to Consumer Reports in the United States...
as Outstanding Academic Title (2005) and is now in its second edition. In 2007 he donated his personal library of around 6000 volumes to the Scheut Memorial Library at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
. Currently de Rachewiltz is an emeritus Fellow in the Pacific an Asian History Division of the Australian National University. His research interests include the political and cultural history of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, East-West political and cultural contacts, and Sino-Mongolian philology generally.
Sources
- "Igor de Rachewiltz", Research School of Pacific and Asian StudiesResearch School of Pacific and Asian StudiesThe Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies was founded in 1946 as an institute of advanced study at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.-History:...
(RSPAS), Australian National University (ANU) - "Igor de Rachewiltz", Ferdinand Verbiest Institute, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenThe Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...