Adolfo Rivadeneyra (April 10, 1841 in Santiago de Chile – February 5, 1882 in Madrid) was a Spanish diplomat, orientalist, editor and traveler.

Biography

Son of the renowned Catalan printer and publisher Manuel Rivadeneyra ( :es:Manuel Rivadaneyra), Adolfo began his diplomatic career in

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as a multilingual interpreter (he spoke fluent English, French, Italian, German, Persian, Turkish and several dialects of Arabic), became Acting Consul in

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, vice-consul in

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Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

, and

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, and subsequently was consul in

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and

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, where he ended his career in the Foreign Service in 1879. He actively participated in the Spanish cultural world of his time and was elected to the

Royal Academy of History The Royal Academy of History (, RAH) is a Spanish institution in Madrid that studies history "ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, scientific, of letters and arts, that is to say, the different branches of life, of ci ...

and appointed secretary of the Geographical Society of Madrid. In Damascus he began studying Assyrian with the help of his teacher and friend Francisco García Ayuso. As publisher, Adolfo Rivadeneyra continued to publish the series of classics of Spanish literature, entitled '' Biblioteca de Autores Españoles'', started by his father. In addition, he related his extensive travels throughout the East in several books.

Works

*''Viaje de Ceylan a Damasco. Golfo Pérsico. Mesopotamia. Ruinas de Babilonia, Nínive y Palmira'', Madrid, 1871. Modern editions: ''De Ceilán a Damasco'', 1986, Barcelona, Laertes; ''Viaje de Ceilán a Damasco : Golfo Pérsico, Mesopotamia, ruinas de Babilonia, Nínive y Palmira, y cartas sobre la Siria y la isla de Ceilán'' de Adolfo Rivadeneyra; edición, prólogo y notas de Fernando Escribano Martín. Madrid: Miraguano. 2006. . *''Viaje al interior de Persia'', Madrid, Imprenta y Esterotipia de Aribau y Cª (Sucesores de Rivadeneyra), 3 tomos, 1880.

Bibliography

*Rivadeneyra, Adolfo (2008). Escribano Fernando Martín (ed.). ''Viaje al interior de Persia'' . Miraguano Ediciones. .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rivadeneyra, Adolfo 1841 births 1882 deaths Expatriates in the Ottoman Empire Spanish male writers Spanish diplomats