William McGuckin de Slane

William McGuckin (also Mac Guckin and MacGuckin), known as Baron de Slane (Belfast, Ireland, 12 August 1801 - Paris, France, 4th August 1878) was a nineteenth-century Irish orientalist, student of Antoine-Isaac Silvestre de Sacy, (September 1758 - February 1838), a teacher also of Jean François Champollion, who was given the French nationality since 31 December 1838, being nominated Principal Interpreter of Arabic of the French Army since 1st September 1846 till his retirement on 28th March 1872 . He was born in County Antrim. He is known for his extensive translations from Arabic literature.

While in France he got promoted to the following positions:

• Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, 24th September 1846
• Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, 26th December 1852
• Officer of the Instruction Publique
• Officer of the Order dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro, kingdom of Sartdinia
• Elected Member, 1862, of the Institut de France
• Founding Member of the Association Historique Algérienne

Works

• Translation of Ibn Khallikan's biographical dictionary, four volumes, from 1843
• Translation of Ibn Khaldun's Prolegomena, three volumes, 1863
• Translation of anonymous's El Bekri, 1065, one volume
• Translation of Ibn Khaldun's Histoire des Berbères, Algiers 1852-1856, 4 volumes

(vol. 1, vol.2, vol. 3vol. 4)