John Baillie of Leys (1772-1833)

John Baillie entered the service of the East India Company as a soldier, eventually achieving the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and was appointed Professor of Arabic and Persian and of Mohammedan Law at Fort William College, Calcutta from 1801-1807. During the Mahratta War 1807-1815 he was captain and political agent in Lucknow during the Mahratta War. On his retirement he became an MP, first for Heddon in England 1820-1830 and then for Inverness 1830-1832. He published "The Five Books upon Arabic Grammar" (1801).