1799 227 years ago Notable Births August 20

James Prinsep, English orientalist and scholar (died 1840)

On August 20, in the year 1799, James Prinsep, English orientalist and scholar (died 1840). This event is recorded as a Notable Births event in the history of August 20, one of 496 recorded events on this date across all of history.

1 notable person is associated with this event, including James Prinsep. Learn more below.

James Prinsep was an English scholar, orientalist and antiquary. He was the founding editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and is best remembered for deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India. He studied, documented and illustrated many aspects of numismatics, metallurgy, and meteorology apart from pursuing his career in India as an assay master at the mint in Benares.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on August 20, 1799 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Notable Births event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
  • 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 28 June 2026.

On This Date in History 496

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Notable Deaths 2015 Aug 20 Egon Bahr, German journalist and politician, Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany (born 1922)
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Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 20 B. K. S. Iyengar, Indian yoga instructor and author, founded Iyengar Yoga (born 1918)
Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 20 Buddy MacMaster, Canadian singer-songwriter and fiddler (born 1924)
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Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 20 Don Hassler, American saxophonist and composer (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 20 Elmore Leonard, American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter (born 1925)
Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 20 Marian McPartland, English-American pianist and composer (born 1918)
Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 20 John W. Morris, American general (born 1921)
Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 20 Ted Post, American director and screenwriter (born 1918)
Historical Events 2012 Aug 20 A prison riot in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, kills at least 20 people.
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Historical Events 2011 Aug 20 First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard.
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Notable Deaths 2010 Aug 20 Đặng Phong, Vietnamese economist and historian (born 1937)
Notable Deaths 2009 Aug 20 Larry Knechtel, American keyboardist and bass player (born 1940)
Notable Deaths 2009 Aug 20 Karla Kuskin, American author and illustrator (born 1932)
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This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

People Involved

James Prinsep

English scholar, orientalist and antiquary(1799–1840)

birth

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