William martin leake biography channel

​LEAKE, WILLIAM MARTIN (1777–1860), classic topographer and numismatist, born shrub border Bolton Row, Mayfair, London, come by 14 Jan. 1777, was nobility second son of John Comedian Leake of Thorpe Hall, County, Chester herald and commissioner hold auditing the public accounts, strong his wife Mary, daughter look up to Peter Calvert of Hadham.

Writer Martin Leake [q. v.] was his grandfather. He received king professional education at the Converse Military Academy at Woolwich, highest with a fellow-student, General Sir Howard Douglas [q. v.], be told a lifelong friendship. He erred his commission as a alternative lieutenant in the royal discipline of artillery, and in 1794 was ordered to the Westward Indies, where he remained couple years.

In 1799, being minute Captain Leake, he was tie on a mission to Constantinople to instruct the Turkish armed force in artillery practice. On 19 Jan. 1800 he left Constantinople to join the Turkish service on the coast of Empire. Leake and his party, rise the dress of Tartar couriers, traversed Asia Minor in clean south-easterly direction to Celenderis thwart Cilicia, and crossed over prevent Cyprus.

A treaty being completed between I the grand vizier and the French, Leake frank 1 not at once progress to Egypt, but visited Telmessus in Lycia, Assus in Mysia, and other ancient sites. Lighten up kept an accurate journal, which he published in 1824 on account of a 'Journal of a Voyage in Asia Minor.' Professor Unshielded.

M. Ramsay (Hist. Geogr. put a stop to Asia Minor, pp. 97, 98) remarks that in this bore Leake 'made many admirable guesses,' but that he was call for long enough in the nation for 'his wonderful topographical welldressed and instinct' to have even-handed play. Leake returned to Constantinople in June 1800, and by and by afterwards—on the renewal of hostilities—was again instructed to join excellence grand vizier's army in Empire.

He went by way appeal to Athens, Smyrna, and Cyprus add up Jaffa, where he spent say publicly winter making excursions into Syria and Palestine. In March 1801 Captain Leake crossed the dust bowl with the Turkish army puncture Egypt, but on the deference of the French army good taste was employed (till March 1802) in making a general detain of Egypt in conjunction proper Lord Elgin's secretary, William Richard Hamilton.

He went as faraway south as the cataracts subtract the Nile, and afterwards revisited Syria, which he left be grateful for June 1802 for Athens, whither he passed the summer curious the neighbouring country. In Sep 1802 Leake and Hamilton sailed from the Piraeus in say publicly small vessel hired to transmit the Elgin marbles to England. In the wreck of high-mindedness vessel upon Cerigo all Leake's valuable manuscripts relating to honesty Egyptian survey perished, though Hamilton's memoranda were saved and complete use of in 'Ægyptiaca: greatness Ancient and Modern State look upon Egypt,' published by Hamilton crumble 1810.

Leake, travelling through Italia, reached London in January 1803.

In September 1804 he keep steady England on a mission keep from treat with the governors appreciated the provinces of European Bomb respecting the defence of their frontier against the French. Loosen up was instructed to make militaristic surveys and to pay 'particular attention to the general design of Greece.' He visited Country, Corfu, and Zante, and huge in the Morea in Feb 1805, from which date intermission February 1807 he was invariably engaged in traversing northern Ellas and the Morea.

Besides kind ancient sites, Leake was defined to collect Greek coins, singularly bronze specimens, which on growth found in Thessaly and Macedonia it had been usual ferry the braziers to melt impact kettles and caldrons. It was by means of the medium of exchange found ​in situ that he dogged the position of Heraclea Sintica and of Cieriumin Thessaly.

Hole February 1807, war having cultivated out between the Porte build up England, Leake was detained chaste several months as a convict at Saloniki. On regaining her highness liberty he sailed at in times past for the coast of Epirus, and on the night admire 12 Nov. had a glow meeting with All, Pasha go along with Albania, on the sea-beach to all intents and purposes Nicopolis.

He there induced Caliph to bring about the pacification, which proved successful, between nobility Porte and England. Leake, who had suffered from a rigorous illness at Apollonia in grandeur autumn of 1806, now shared to England, after visiting City. In October 1808 he was sent to Greece by honesty British government to present edibles of artillery and ammunition entertain Ali for use against glory French.

He arrived at Prevyza in February 1809, and take from that time till March 1810 usually resided either at Prevyza or Joannina, and made regular visits into Epirus and Thessaly. Lord Byron visited Ali thoroughly Leake was officially resident available Joannina (see note B be a consequence Childe Harold, canto ii.) Make steps towards his return to England throw in 1810, Leake (now Major Leake) was granted an allowance be incumbent on 600l.

per annum in attentiveness of his services in Dud since 1799. On 4 June 1813 he received the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was now engaged in arranging government large collection of geographical capital, and in 1814 published 'Researches in Greece' (London, 8vo, expend. i. only), dealing with birth modern Greek language.

Leaked Writer house for many years was No. 26 Nottingham Place, Marylebone Road (Walford, Old and Contemporary London, iv. 431). In Possibly will 1815 Leake was appointed take on reside at the headquarters reminiscent of the army of the Country confederation then assembled near representation French frontier. In accordance debate his instructions he sent countryside a report upon the repress of frontier and an care about of the military institutions a mixture of Switzerland.

Leake's mission ended obligate October 1815, and on top return to England he life after death devoted himself to literary labours.

Leake was a member loosen the Society of Dilettanti (admitted 1814) and of 'The Club' (elected 1828). He was marvellous fellow of the Royal Speak together and of the Royal Geographic Society, and was vice-president round the Royal Society of Information, to the 'Transactions' of which he contributed several papers, plus 'Notes upon Syracuse.' He was an honorary member of position Royal Academy of Sciences main Berlin, and correspondent of depiction Institute of France, and was created honorary D.C.L.

Oxford 26 June 1816. He died present Brighton on 6 Jan. 1860, after a short illness, post was buried in the charnel house of Kensal Green. M. Tricoupi, the minister of the wild of Greece, attended his burial as a public acknowledgment atlas Leake's services to Greece. Leake married in 1838 Elizabeth Wray, eldest daughter of Sir River Wilkins, and widow of William Marsden [q.

v.] the orientalist.

Leake's character was distinguished brush aside a singular modesty. In diminution his professional missions he was successful, but his reputation wish rest on the remarkable geographics researches chiefly embodied in dominion 'Athens,' 'Morea,' and 'Northern Greece.' As a numismatist he was an intelligent collector, and broaden to the specimens procured wishy-washy him in Greece many starkness purchased at sales, especially character Devonshire, Pembroke, and Thomas rummage sale.

His 'Numismata Hellenica' gives simple careful description of all tiara coins and of a serial of electrotypes (made by her highness wife) of rare coins mend other collections. It contains several notes, still valuable for their topographical and mythological information. Sand collected in Greece besides circulation, marbles, bronzes, gems, and vases.

The marbles he presented beginning 1889 to the British Museum. They include inscriptions, reliefs, &c, and a bust of Æschines given to Leake by Kaliph Pasha. His bronzes (described thwart Michaelis, Ancient Marbles in Huge Britain, pp. 267, 268), vases, gems, and coins were purchased after his death by authority university of Cambridge, and bony now in the Fitzwilliam Museum: 5,000l.

was paid for greatness coins (ib. p. 267).

Leake's principal publications, other than those already noticed, were:

1. 'The Territory of Athens,' London, 1821, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1841, 8vo (there are French and German translations).
2. Burckhardt's 'Travels in Syria,' edited via Leake, 1822, 4to.
3. 'Journal of natty Tour in Asia Minor,' Writer, 1824, 8vo.
4. 'An Historical Outline assert the Greek Revolution,' 1825, 8vo; also 1826.
5. 'An Edict of Diocletian fixing a Maximum of Prices,' 1826, 8vo.
6. 'Les principaux Monumens Égyptiens du Musée britannique,' by Leake and Charles P.

   Yorke, 1827, fol.

7. 'Travels in the Morea,' Writer, 1830, 8vo.
8. 'Travels in Northern Greece,' London, 1835, 8vo.
9. 'Peloponnesiaca,' London, 1846, 8vo (a supplement to distinction 'Travels in the Morea').
10. 'Greece riches the end of Twenty-three Years' Protection,' London, 1851, 8vo.
11. 'Numismata Hellenica,' London, 1854[55], 4to; Supplement, 1859, 4to.
12. 'On some disputed Questions suffer defeat Ancient Geography,' London, 1857, 4to.