Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia
The work of explorers, surveyors and spies in the race to conquer Southern Asia is vividly recounted in this history of British imperial cartography.

In the 19th century, the British and Russian empires were engaged in bitter rivalry for the acquisition of Southern Asian. Although India was the ultimate prize, most of the intrigue and action took place along its northern frontier in Afghanistan, Turkestan and Tibet. Mapping the region and gaining knowledge of the enemy were crucial to the interests of both sides.

The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India began in the 18th century with the aim of creating a detailed map of the subcontinent. Under the leadership of George Everest—whose name was later bestowed to the world’s tallest mountain—the it mapped the Great Arc running from the country’s southern tip to the Himalayas. Much of the work was done by Indian explorers known as Pundits. They were the first to reveal the mysteries of the forbidden city of Lhasa, and discover the true course of Tibet’s mighty Tsangpo River.

These explorers performed essential information gathering for the British Empire and filled in large portions of the map of Asia. Their adventurous exploits are vividly recounted in Mapping the Great Game.
1135533146
Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia
The work of explorers, surveyors and spies in the race to conquer Southern Asia is vividly recounted in this history of British imperial cartography.

In the 19th century, the British and Russian empires were engaged in bitter rivalry for the acquisition of Southern Asian. Although India was the ultimate prize, most of the intrigue and action took place along its northern frontier in Afghanistan, Turkestan and Tibet. Mapping the region and gaining knowledge of the enemy were crucial to the interests of both sides.

The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India began in the 18th century with the aim of creating a detailed map of the subcontinent. Under the leadership of George Everest—whose name was later bestowed to the world’s tallest mountain—the it mapped the Great Arc running from the country’s southern tip to the Himalayas. Much of the work was done by Indian explorers known as Pundits. They were the first to reveal the mysteries of the forbidden city of Lhasa, and discover the true course of Tibet’s mighty Tsangpo River.

These explorers performed essential information gathering for the British Empire and filled in large portions of the map of Asia. Their adventurous exploits are vividly recounted in Mapping the Great Game.
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Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia

Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia

by Riaz Dean
Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia

Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia

by Riaz Dean

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Overview

The work of explorers, surveyors and spies in the race to conquer Southern Asia is vividly recounted in this history of British imperial cartography.

In the 19th century, the British and Russian empires were engaged in bitter rivalry for the acquisition of Southern Asian. Although India was the ultimate prize, most of the intrigue and action took place along its northern frontier in Afghanistan, Turkestan and Tibet. Mapping the region and gaining knowledge of the enemy were crucial to the interests of both sides.

The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India began in the 18th century with the aim of creating a detailed map of the subcontinent. Under the leadership of George Everest—whose name was later bestowed to the world’s tallest mountain—the it mapped the Great Arc running from the country’s southern tip to the Himalayas. Much of the work was done by Indian explorers known as Pundits. They were the first to reveal the mysteries of the forbidden city of Lhasa, and discover the true course of Tibet’s mighty Tsangpo River.

These explorers performed essential information gathering for the British Empire and filled in large portions of the map of Asia. Their adventurous exploits are vividly recounted in Mapping the Great Game.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781612008158
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Publication date: 04/01/2021
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 256
Sales rank: 859,965
File size: 8 MB

Table of Contents

Maps ix

Introduction xiii

Images xvii

Part 1 The Great Game Begins

1 The Early Years 3

2 Britain Attacks to Defend India 28

Part 2 The GTS of India

3 Lambton Starts the GTS 69

4 Everest Completes the Great Arc 100

Part 3 The Pundits

5 Montgomerie's Native Explorers 127

6 Northwest Frontier and Chinese Turkestan 148

7 Tibet and Lhasa at Last 173

8 The River 200

Part 4 The Great Game Ends

9 Russia Advances into Central Asia 221

10 The Final Years 249

Epilogue 269

Timeline of Key Events 273

Glossary 277

Bibliography 279

Index 283

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