Person

Richard Francis Burton

1821–1890 · 19th century · Also known as Sir Richard Burton

Sir Richard Francis Burton was a British explorer, soldier, linguist and writer. In 1855 he became the first European known to enter the walled city of Harar, and in 1857–1858 he and John Hanning Speke explored East Africa and reached Lake Tanganyika. He had made a disguised pilgrimage to Mecca in 1853, and he later translated the Arabian Nights and the Kama Sutra.

Richard Francis Burton
Image: Rischgitz/Stringer · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 state histories

Harar EmirateUnyanyembe

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Richard Francis Burton. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/richard-francis-burton
MLA
“Richard Francis Burton.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/richard-francis-burton. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Richard Francis Burton.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/richard-francis-burton.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Richard Francis Burton’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/richard-francis-burton (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻