Mirza Sheikh I’tesamuddin was born in Nadia district to an illustrious Muslim family with a centuries—old record of service in the learned professions. The likely years of his birth and death are 1730 and 1800, respectively. After a traditional education in Persian and Arabic, he served the East India Company as a munshi for many years before he was given an appointment in the court of Emperor Shah Alam II and bestowed with the tide of Mirza. After his journey to Europe he led a life of leisure, and besides the original of this book wrote a Persian Nasabnama or genealogical account.