Charles von Hügel

In the wake of his misfortunes in love, Hügel undertook the grand tour of Asia that would establish his renown. From 1831 to 1836, he travelled to the Near East, the Indian subcontinent, the Far East, and Australasia, before returning to Europe by way of the Cape of Good Hope and Saint Helena. He seems to have been most intrigued by the Kashmir and Punjab regions of northern India, as he chose his experiences there to form the basis of the four-volume work published in the years following his return to Europe: Kaschmir und das Reich der Siek (literally "Cashmere and the Realm of the Sikhs"). The first and third volumes are an account of Hügel's journey across northern India, including his meetings with Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler of the Punjab, in Lahore and a number of other European adventurers; the second volume provides descriptions of Kashmir's history, geography, and resources; and the fourth volume is a gazetteer.

After the final volume's publication, Major Thomas B. Jervis translated, abridged, and annotated an English edition of Hügel's work, published in London in 1845 by John Petheram.[2] Four years later, primarily on the basis of this publication, the Royal Geographical Society awarded Hügel its Patron's Medal, "for his enterprising exploration of Cashmere." Hügel entered the vale of Kashmir through Jammu region and exited the vale through Uri sector. He Reached Lahore via GT Road after reaching Lahore he set off for Mumbai to go to Austria via ship . He stayed for some days in Srinagar from Srinagar a famous pir of Naqashbandi order travelled with him to Lahore. He penned down his traveling very meticulously. His Account is interesting and gives fabulous information about the people, geography, rulers and their attitude towards their subjects. He gave the general characteristic of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs etc. Raja Zaberdast khan was the ruler of Muzaffarabad at the time of his visit to Muzaffarabad . He wrote about the deteriorating health of Zaberdast Khan and he was asked by the Muzaffarabad's Raja to do him a favor by asking Ranjeet to release his son which was Kept in srinagar by the ruler of Srinagar as a surety. After his stay in muzaffarabad he set out for Haripur. The way he took to reach Haripur was an old way. He mentioned various villages which came on his way. Abbottabad was not there at the time of his travel though he has mentioned various villages which are still in existence in the vicinity of Abbottabad and Haripur like doab and mirpur. Noting the Characteristics of the people he wrote that the people have a title of great esteem like Raja, Mir and barrons in their names but still they are subjects and subdues. In Lahore he was a guest of the Sikh Ruler Ranjeet singh. He came very close to Ranjeet Singh. Ranjeet singh Liked Hügel's vision and Ranjeet requested him to train his army and he will paid for his services but Hügel rejected Ranjeet's offer.[3] In his book he also noted down chronologically the history of establishment of Sikh power in Punjab.

From November 1833 to October 1834, Hügel toured Australia, visiting the Swan River Colony and King George Sound (Western Australia), Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), Norfolk Island and New South Wales to observe the flora and collect seeds for his garden. His large collection was later described by Endlicher et al. and his name is attached to a number of species, such as Alyogyne huegelii.

During this time, Hügel wrote a journal, later translated by Dymphna Clark,[4] which, in addition to his botanical observations, is a rare record of an aristocratic European's attitudes towards colonial Australia.

Among those well-to-do settlers whom Hügel befriended in Sydney was the family of Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes, who shared his interest in scientific and cultural matters. In general, however, Hügel's opinions of the administration, transportation, social life and missionary efforts that he encountered in Australia, and wrote about in his journal, were not favourable. Hügel took exception to the ill-treatment and exploitation of the indigenous Australians (Aborigines) whom he observed on his travels.

Hügel and his wife Elizabeth Farquharson had three children, each of whom two became notable in their own right. Friedrich von Hügel, born 1852, became a well-known Roman Catholic theologian; Anatole von Hügel, born 1854, became an anthropologist; and their daughter Pauline von Hügel, born 1858, is regarded as the founder of Corpus Christi Church in Boscombe, now part of Bournemouth, in Dorset, England.

According to Klemens von Metternich, Charles von Hügel had a natural son by Countess Jozefa Forgách de Ghymes. He was brought up in Russia and was given the name of Felix Sumarokov-Elston.[7]