The Royal Asiatic Society was founded in 1823 by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Henry Colebrooke and a group of likeminded individuals. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV in the same year "for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia". Throughout the course of the Society's history many distinguished scholars have contributed to its work, including Sir Richard Burton (1821-90) the noted explorer and first translator of the Arabian Nights and Kama Sutra and Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943) the renowned archaeologist and explorer of the 'Silk Road'. The Royal Asiatic Society is affiliated to associate societies in India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, and it provides a forum for those who are interested in the history, languages, cultures and religions of Asia to meet and exchange ideas. The Society offers lectures and seminars and it provides facilities for research and publishing.