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The Asiatic Society is founded by William Jones at a meeting in Calcutta's Fort William, India

The Asiatic Society is an organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India and the surrounding...

The Asiatic Society is an organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions). It was founded by the philologist William Jones on 15 January 1784 in a meeting presided over by Justice Robert Chambers in Calcutta, the then-capital of the Presidency of Fort William.

At the time of its foundation, this Society was named as "Asiatick Society". In 1825, the society was renamed as "The Asiatic Society". In 1832 the name was changed to "The Asiatic Society of Bengal" and again in 1936 it was renamed as "The Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal". Finally, on 1 July 1951, the name of the society was changed to its present one.

Historical Significance

The Asiatic Society is an organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions).

Events Before

  1. Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Han

    Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Hanover County, Virginia, until her death in 1831

  2. USS Alliance, under Captain Barry, fights and wins the final naval battle of the American Revolutionary War off Cape Can

    USS Alliance, under Captain Barry, fights and wins the final naval battle of the American Revolutionary War off Cape Canaveral

  3. In an emotional speech in Newburgh, New York, George Washington asks his officers not to support the Newburgh Conspiracy

    In an emotional speech in Newburgh, New York, George Washington asks his officers not to support the Newburgh Conspiracy, preventing the threatened coup d'état

  4. Hostilities formally cease in the American Revolutionary War after the Continental Congress proclaims the "Cessation of

    Hostilities formally cease in the American Revolutionary War after the Continental Congress proclaims the "Cessation of Arms" against His Britannic Majesty [1]

  5. George Washington issues General Orders announcing the end of hostilities with Britain in the American Revolutionary War

    George Washington issues General Orders announcing the end of hostilities with Britain in the American Revolutionary War, giving thanks to the Almighty, offering congratulations, and authorizing an extra ration of alcohol to the troops to celebrate [1]

Events After

  1. John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of L

    John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of London in 1788

  2. The parents of the poet Lord Byron marry - Captain John Byron and his second wife Catherine Gordon, heiress of the Gight

    The parents of the poet Lord Byron marry - Captain John Byron and his second wife Catherine Gordon, heiress of the Gight estate in Scotland

  3. Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

    Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

  4. Geologist James Hutton publicly reads an abstract of his theory of uniformitarianism for the first time at a meeting of

    Geologist James Hutton publicly reads an abstract of his theory of uniformitarianism for the first time at a meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

  5. US Congress unanimously resolves to name the US currency the "dollar" and adopts decimal coinage

    US Congress unanimously resolves to name the US currency the "dollar" and adopts decimal coinage

More from the 1780s

John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of L

John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of London in 1788

Emperor Joseph II's order for the Jews of Galicia, Austria, to adopt family names comes into effect

Emperor Joseph II's order for the Jews of Galicia, Austria, to adopt family names comes into effect

Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Han

Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Hanover County, Virginia, until her death in 1831

British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Virginia

The military career of Benedict Arnold in 1781 consisted of service in the British Army.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 15, 1784?
The Asiatic Society is an organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions). It was founded by the philologist William Jones on 15 January 1784 in a meeting presided over by Justice Robert Chambers in Calcutta, the then-capital of the Presidency of Fort William. At the time of its foundation, this Society was named as "Asiatick Society".
Why is The Asiatic Society is founded by William Jones at a meeting in Calcutta's Fo... significant?
The Asiatic Society is an organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions).

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January 15 in HistoryYear 1784