Tartary ( Latin : Tartaria ; French : Tartarie ; German : Tartarei ; Russian : Тартария , romanized : Tartariya ) or Tatary (Russian: Татария , romanized: Tatariya ) was a blanket term used in Western European literature and cartography for a vast part of Asia bounded by the Caspian Sea , the Ural Mountains , the Pacific Ocean , and the northern borders of China , India and Persia , at a time when this region was largely unknown to European geographers.
48-422: The active use of the toponym (place name) can be traced from the 13th to the 19th centuries. In European sources, Tartary became the most common name for Central Asia that had no connection with the real polities or ethnic groups of the region; until the 19th century, European knowledge of the area remained extremely scarce and fragmentary. In modern English-speaking tradition, the region formerly known as Tartary
96-546: A Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire on 31 July 1970. Fleming died on 18 August 1971 from a heart attack while on a shooting expedition near Glen Coe in Scotland . His body was buried in the graveyard of St Bartholomew’s Church in Nettlebed, where a stained glass window dedicated to his memory was later installed in the church. The gravestone has verses he wrote himself: He travelled widely in far places; Wrote, and
144-447: A body, which is commonly (but not always) known under this name. Also, in some countries (especially those organised on a federal basis), subdivisions such as individual states or provinces will have individual boards. Individual geographic names boards include: Peter Fleming (writer) Robert Peter Fleming OBE DL (31 May 1907 – 18 August 1971) was a British adventurer, journalist, soldier and travel writer . He
192-410: A conspiracy theory alleging the existence of an advanced "Tartarian Empire". [REDACTED] Media related to Tartary at Wikimedia Commons Toponymy Toponymy , toponymics , or toponomastics is the study of toponyms ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names ), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for
240-509: A flying golden ram. The name, however, is probably derived from an older language, such as Pelasgian , which was unknown to those who explained its origin. In his Names on the Globe , George R. Stewart theorizes that Hellespont originally meant something like 'narrow Pontus' or 'entrance to Pontus', Pontus being an ancient name for the region around the Black Sea , and by extension, for
288-577: A life expectancy of only two weeks. Fleming later served in Greece, but his principal service, from 1942 to the end of the war, was as head of D Division, in charge of military deception operations in Southeast Asia, based in New Delhi , India. He was scheduled to take part in the second Chindit operation, but this was cut short by the premature crash landing of a defective glider. The episode
336-534: A possible source of spiritual knowledge lacking in contemporary European society. In Five Years of Theosophy , edited by the Theosophist and scholar G.R.S. Mead , the polymath and "seer" Emanuel Swedenborg is quoted as having advised, "Seek for the Lost Word among the hierophants of Tartary, China, and Tibet." The use of "Tartary" declined as the region became more known to European geographers; however,
384-425: A proper name of any geographical feature , and full scope of the term also includes proper names of all cosmographical features. In a more specific sense, the term toponymy refers to an inventory of toponyms, while the discipline researching such names is referred to as toponymics or toponomastics . Toponymy is a branch of onomastics , the study of proper names of all kinds. A person who studies toponymy
432-612: A speculative novel called The Flying Visit in which he imagined Adolf Hitler flying to Britain to propose peace with that nation, only to have United Kingdom let him return in light of the awkward diplomatic quandary he placed the British government in. It proved bizarrely prescient in 1941 when Hitler's Deputy, Rudolf Hess , did that exact excursion into Britain and Britain found their new high ranked Nazi prisoner cumbersome for their foreign and propaganda policies. When Colin Gubbins
480-399: A toponym, its specific language, its pronunciation, and its origins and meaning are all important facts to be recorded during name surveys. Scholars have found that toponyms provide valuable insight into the historical geography of a particular region. In 1954, F. M. Powicke said of place-name study that it "uses, enriches and tests the discoveries of archaeology and history and the rules of
528-658: A wide variety of formats, including hard-copy topographic maps as well as digital formats such as geographic information systems , Google Maps , or thesauri like the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names . In 2002, the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names acknowledged that while common, the practice of naming geographical places after living persons (toponymic commemoration) could be problematic. Therefore,
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#1732766172759576-632: Is called toponymist . The term toponymy comes from Ancient Greek : τόπος / tópos , 'place', and ὄνομα / onoma , 'name'. The Oxford English Dictionary records toponymy (meaning "place name") first appearing in English in 1876. Since then, toponym has come to replace the term place-name in professional discourse among geographers . Toponyms can be divided in two principal groups: Various types of geographical toponyms (geonyms) include, in alphabetical order: Various types of cosmographical toponyms (cosmonyms) include: Probably
624-674: Is described in an appendix Fleming contributed to Michael Calvert's book on the operation. Fleming was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1945 Birthday Honours and in 1948 he was awarded the Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Rosette by the Republic of China . After the war Fleming retired to squiredom at Nettlebed , Oxfordshire and was appointed
672-554: Is in fact an inspired amateur whose quick appreciation, especially of people, and original turn of phrase, echoing P. G. Wodehouse in only a very distant and cultured way, have created a unique kind of travel book". Lattimore added that it "is only in the political news from Tartary that there is a disappointment", as, in his view, Fleming offers "a simplified explanation, in terms of Red intrigue and Bolshevik villains, which does not make sense." Stuart Stevens retraced Peter Fleming's route and wrote his own travel book. Just before war
720-461: Is usually called Inner Asia or Central Eurasia . Much of this area consists of arid plains, the main nomadic population of which in the past was engaged in animal husbandry . Ignorance surrounding Tartary's use as a place name has spawned conspiracy theories including ideas of a "hidden past" and "mud floods ". Such theories assert that Tartary (or the " Tartarian Empire ") was a lost civilization with advanced technology and culture. This ignores
768-618: The Eton College Chronicle . The Peter Fleming Owl (the English meaning of "Strix", the name under which he later wrote for The Spectator ) is still awarded every year to the best contributor to the Chronicle . He went on from Eton to Christ Church, Oxford , and graduated with a first-class degree in English. Fleming was a member of the Bullingdon Club during his time at Oxford. On 10 December 1935 he married
816-517: The James Bond novels and short stories. Peter and Celia Fleming remained married until his death in 1971. He was survived by their three children, including Lucy Fleming . Fleming was the godfather of the British author and journalist Duff Hart-Davis , who wrote Peter Fleming: A Biography (published by Jonathan Cape in 1974). Duff's father Rupert Hart-Davis , a publisher, was a close friend of Fleming. The Peter Fleming Award, worth £9,000,
864-517: The Mongol Empire . The adding of an extra "r" to "Tatar" was suggestive of Tartarus , a Hell -like realm in Greek mythology . In the 18th century, conceptions of Siberia or Tartary and its inhabitants as "barbarous" by Enlightenment -era writers tied into contemporary concepts of civilization , savagery and racism . More positive opinions were also expressed by Europeans. Some saw Tartary as
912-537: The Persian Gulf naming dispute . On 20 September 1996 a note on the internet reflected a query by a Canadian surfer, who said as follows: 'One producer of maps labeled the water body "Persian Gulf" on a 1977 map of Iran, and then "Arabian Gulf", also in 1977, in a map which focused on the Gulf States . I would gather that this is an indication of the "politics of maps", but I would be interested to know if this
960-725: The Trans-Siberian Railway to Peking as a special correspondent of The Times . His experiences were recorded in One's Company (1934). He then went overland in company of Ella Maillart from China via Tunganistan to India on a journey written up in News from Tartary (1936). These two books were combined as Travels in Tartary: One's Company and News from Tartary (1941). All three volumes were published by Jonathan Cape. According to Nicolas Clifford, for Fleming China "had
1008-514: The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names recommends that it be avoided and that national authorities should set their own guidelines as to the time required after a person's death for the use of a commemorative name. In the same vein, writers Pinchevski and Torgovnik (2002) consider the naming of streets as a political act in which holders of the legitimate monopoly to name aspire to engrave their ideological views in
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#17327661727591056-553: The dissolution of the Soviet Union . After 1830, in the wake of the Greek War of Independence and the establishment of an independent Greek state, Turkish, Slavic and Italian place names were Hellenized, as an effort of "toponymic cleansing." This nationalization of place names can also manifest itself in a postcolonial context. In Canada, there have been initiatives in recent years " to restore traditional names to reflect
1104-475: The early modern period , as understanding of the geography increased, Europeans began to subdivide Tartary into sections with prefixes denoting the name of the ruling power or the geographical location. Thus, Siberia was Great Tartary or Russian Tartary , the Crimean Khanate was Little Tartary , Manchuria was Chinese Tartary , and western Central Asia (prior to becoming Russian Central Asia )
1152-479: The philologists ." Toponyms not only illustrate ethnic settlement patterns, but they can also help identify discrete periods of immigration. Toponymists are responsible for the active preservation of their region's culture through its toponymy. They typically ensure the ongoing development of a geographical names database and associated publications, for recording and disseminating authoritative hard-copy and digital toponymic data. This data may be disseminated in
1200-564: The Indigenous culture wherever possible ". Indigenous mapping is a process that can include restoring place names by Indigenous communities themselves. Frictions sometimes arise between countries because of toponymy, as illustrated by the Macedonia naming dispute in which Greece has claimed the name Macedonia , the Sea of Japan naming dispute between Japan and Korea , as well as
1248-952: The Japanese puppet state in Manchuria , which helped contemporary readers to understand Chinese resentment and resistance, and the aftermath of the Kumul Rebellion . In the course of these travels Fleming met and interviewed many prominent figures in Central Asia and China, including the Chinese Muslim General Ma Hushan , the Chinese Muslim Taoyin of Kashgar , Ma Shaowu , and Puyi . Of Travels in Tartary , Owen Lattimore remarked that Fleming, who "passes for an easy-going amateur,
1296-529: The actress Celia Johnson (1908–1982), best known for her roles in the films Brief Encounter and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie . In April 1932 Fleming replied to an advertisement in the personal columns of The Times : "Exploring and sporting expedition, under experienced guidance, leaving England June to explore rivers central Brazil, if possible ascertain fate Colonel Percy Fawcett ; abundant game, big and small; exceptional fishing; room two more guns; highest references expected and given." He then joined
1344-435: The aspect of a comic opera land whose quirks and oddities became grist for the writer, rather than deserving any respect or sympathy in themselves". In One's Company , for example, Fleming reports that Beijing was "lacking in charm", Harbin was a city of "no easily definable character". Changchun was "entirely characterless", and Shenyang was "non-descript and suburban". However, Fleming also provides insights into Manchukuo ,
1392-454: The expedition, organised by Robert Churchward, to São Paulo, then overland to the rivers Araguaia and Tapirapé , heading towards the last-known position of the Fawcett expedition. During the inward journey the expedition was riven by increasing disagreements as to its objectives and plans, centred particularly on its local leader, whom Fleming disguised as "Major Pingle" when he wrote about
1440-556: The expedition. Fleming and Roger Pettiward (a school and university friend recruited onto the expedition as a result of a chance encounter with Fleming) led a breakaway group. This group continued for several days up the Tapirapé to São Domingo, from where Fleming, Pettiward, Neville Priestley and one of the Brazilians hired by the expedition set out to find evidence of Fawcett's fate on their own. After acquiring two Tapirapé guides
1488-531: The first toponymists were the storytellers and poets who explained the origin of specific place names as part of their tales; sometimes place-names served as the basis for their etiological legends. The process of folk etymology usually took over, whereby a false meaning was extracted from a name based on its structure or sounds. Thus, for example, the toponym of Hellespont was explained by Greek poets as being named after Helle , daughter of Athamas , who drowned there as she crossed it with her brother Phrixus on
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1536-626: The most useful geographical reference system in the world. Consistency and accuracy are essential in referring to a place to prevent confusion in everyday business and recreation. A toponymist, through well-established local principles and procedures developed in cooperation and consultation with the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN), applies the science of toponymy to establish officially recognized geographical names. A toponymist relies not only on maps and local histories, but interviews with local residents to determine names with established local usage. The exact application of
1584-414: The new map to specify the detailed topographical portrayal and after consulting with and authorization of messr. Theodor von Heuglin and count Karl Graf von Waldburg-Zeil I have entered 118 names in the map: partly they are the names derived from celebrities of arctic explorations and discoveries, arctic travellers anyway as well as excellent friends, patrons, and participants of different nationalities in
1632-470: The newest northpolar expeditions, partly eminent German travellers in Africa, Australia, America ...". Toponyms may have different names through time, due to changes and developments in languages, political developments and border adjustments to name but a few. More recently many postcolonial countries revert to their own nomenclature for toponyms that have been named by colonial powers. Place names provide
1680-546: The party began a march to the area where Fawcett was reported to have last been seen. They made slow progress for several days, losing the Indian guides and Neville to foot infection, before admitting defeat. The expedition's return journey was made down the River Araguaia to Belém . It became a closely fought race between Fleming's party and "Major Pingle", the prize being to be the first to report home, and thus to gain
1728-602: The potential use of the new Local Defence Volunteers (later the Home Guard) as guerrilla troops. His ideas were first incorporated into General Thorne's XII Corps Observation Unit, forerunner of the GHQ Auxiliary Units . Fleming recruited his brother, Richard, then serving in the Faroe Islands , to provide a core of Lovat Scout instructors to his teams of LDV volunteers. Meanwhile, Fleming wrote
1776-441: The sea itself. Especially in the 19th century, the age of exploration, a lot of toponyms got a different name because of national pride. Thus the famous German cartographer Petermann thought that the naming of newly discovered physical features was one of the privileges of a map-editor, especially as he was fed up with forever encountering toponyms like 'Victoria', 'Wellington', 'Smith', 'Jones', etc. He writes: "While constructing
1824-440: The social space. Similarly, the revisionist practice of renaming streets , as both the celebration of triumph and the repudiation of the old regime is another issue of toponymy. Also, in the context of Slavic nationalism , the name of Saint Petersburg was changed to the more Slavic sounding Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then to Leningrad following the death of Vladimir Lenin and back to Saint-Peterburg in 1991 following
1872-532: The term " Siberia " being coined for the Asian half of the Russian Empire . By the 20th century, Tartary as a term for Siberia and Central Asia was obsolete. However, it lent the title to Peter Fleming 's 1936 book News from Tartary , which detailed his travels in Central Asia. Misinterpretations of Tartary as an empire distinct from the Mongol Empire or as an archaic name for Central Asia gave rise to
1920-568: The term was still used long into the 19th century. Ethnographical data collected by Jesuit missionaries in China contributed to the replacement of " Chinese Tartary " with Manchuria in European geography by the early 18th century. The voyages of Egor Meyendorff and Alexander von Humboldt into this region gave rise to the term Central Asia in the early 19th century as well as supplementary terms such as Inner Asia , and Russian expansionism led to
1968-651: The upper hand in the battles over blame and finances that were to come. Fleming's party narrowly won. The expedition returned to England in November 1932. Fleming's book about the expedition, Brazilian Adventure , has sold well ever since it was first published in 1933, and is still in print. Fleming travelled from Moscow to Peking via the Caucasus, the Caspian, Samarkand, Tashkent, the Turksib Railway and
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2016-565: The well-documented history of Asia , which Tartary refers to. In the present day, the Tartary region spans from central Afghanistan to northern Kazakhstan , as well as areas in present Mongolia , China and the Russian Far East in " Chinese Tartary ". Knowledge of Manchuria , Siberia and Central Asia in Europe prior to the 18th century was limited. The entire area was known simply as "Tartary" and its inhabitants "Tartars". In
2064-399: Was appointed to head the new Auxiliary Units , he incorporated many of Peter's ideas, which aimed to create secret commando teams of Home Guard in the coastal districts most liable to the risk of invasion. Their role was to launch sabotage raids on the flanks and rear of any invading army, in support of regular troops, but they were never intended as a post-occupation 'resistance' force, having
2112-704: Was declared, Fleming, then a reserve officer in the Grenadier Guards , was recruited by the War Office research section investigating the potential of irregular warfare (MIR). His initial task was to develop ideas to assist the Chinese guerrillas fighting the Japanese. He served in the Norwegian campaign with the prototype commando units – Independent Companies – but in May 1940 he was tasked with research into
2160-455: Was done to avoid upsetting users of the Iran map and users of the map showing Arab Gulf States'. This symbolizes a further aspect of the topic, namely the spilling over of the problem from the purely political to the economic sphere. A geographic names board is an official body established by a government to decide on official names for geographical areas and features. Most countries have such
2208-536: Was known as Independent Tartary . By the seventeenth century, however, largely under the influence of Catholic missionary writings, the word "Tartar" came to refer to the Manchus and the lands they ruled as "Tartary". European opinions of the area were often negative, and reflected the legacy of the Mongol invasions that originated from this region. The term originated in the wake of the widespread devastation spread by
2256-408: Was the elder brother of Ian Fleming , creator of James Bond , and attained the British military rank of Lieutenant Colonel . Peter Fleming was one of four sons of the barrister and Member of Parliament (MP) Valentine Fleming , who was killed in action during World War I in 1917, having served as MP for Henley from 1910. Fleming was educated at Durnford School and at Eton , where he edited
2304-407: Was widely read. Soldiered, saw some of danger's faces, Came home to Nettlebed. The squire lies here, his journeys ended – Dust, and a name on a stone – Content, amid the lands he tended, To keep this rendezvous alone. After the death of his brother Ian in 1964, Fleming served on the board of Glidrose , a company purchased by Ian to hold the literary rights to his writing, particularly
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