description Cresques Abraham Overview
Abraham Cresques was a 14th-century Jewish cartographer based in Majorca. He is best known for his creation of the Catalan Atlas (1375), a remarkably detailed map of the world at that time. This atlas provided one of the earliest and most comprehensive depictions of global geography, including routes to Asia and Africa. It was commissioned by the French crown and remains an invaluable resource for historians and scholars studying medieval cartography and trade networks.
insights Ranking position
Cresques Abraham ranks #3 of 345 in the Cartographer ranking, behind Charles Minard, ahead of Jacques Bertin.
help Cresques Abraham FAQ
Who made the Catalan Atlas and where did the cartographer come from?
The atlas was made by Cresques Abraham, a Jewish cartographer from Majorca. He is one of the notable named mapmakers behind medieval European cartography.
When was the Catalan Atlas created and for whom was it made?
The map dates to around 1375 and was commissioned for the French crown. That royal patronage is one reason it is treated as a major historical map.
Why is the Catalan Atlas considered unusually detailed for its era?
It was one of the most geographically comprehensive medieval world maps for its time. It presented a wide scope of place and route knowledge rather than a narrow coastal chart.
What value does the atlas have in comparing medieval map traditions?
Compared with simpler regional charts, it integrates broader world knowledge in one highly structured map. Researchers use it as a major reference point for late medieval geographic knowledge.
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