Abraham Cresques (?). Atlas of Maritime Charts (The Catalan Atlas)
Culture / Site
Majorca
Medium
Illuminated parchment mounted on six wooden panels
Date
1375
Dimensions
Each panel 64.5 x 25 cm
Credit Line
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France, Ms. Espagnol 30
Section
Driving Desires
Description
This lavish map was possibly commissioned by the King of Aragon for Charles V, the king of France, and may have been produced by the Jewish cartographer Abraham Cresques. It was completed in 1375. The Crown of Aragon, a confederation of powerful territories that included parts of the Iberian Peninsula and islands in the Mediterranean, was well situated to be a commercial powerhouse. The Catalan Atlas demonstrates the significant European interest in global commerce and the prominence of West Africa in these networks of exchange. Mansa Musa, the emperor of Mali, is prominently depicted on the second panel seated on a throne and holding a golden orb in one hand. The caption reads: “This Moorish ruler is named Musse Melly [Mansa Musa], lord of Guinea. This king is the richest and most distinguished ruler of this whole region on account of the great quantity of gold that is found in his lands.”
