Al-Idrisi
Arab geographer and cartographer who created the most accurate world map and geographical encyclopedia of the pre-modern era.
Who or what
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad al-Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani al-Sabti (1100–1165) was an Arab geographer and cartographer who worked at the court of King Roger II of Sicily.
He created the "Tabula Rogeriana" (Nuzhat al-Mushtaq), a world atlas with 70 regional maps and a silver celestial globe.
Why it mattered
Al-Idrisi gathered geographical data by interviewing travelers and merchants from across the known world, synthesizing Islamic, Greek, and European knowledge.
His maps were the most accurate of their time and remained authoritative in Europe for three centuries.
Key works and moments
The Tabula Rogeriana was accompanied by a silver celestial globe weighing 400 kg, showing the known world in unprecedented detail.
His atlas accurately showed the sources of the Nile, the Baltic Sea, and the Volga River.
Further detail
The world was divided into 7 climatic zones (following Ptolemy), each subdivided into 10 sections, with detailed regional maps and a global overview.
His work synthesized data from Greek (Ptolemy), Islamic (Ibn Hawqal), and European sources with original travel reports.
Legacy
Al-Idrisi's maps influenced European cartography for 300 years and were used by explorers including Columbus.
His work remains a valuable historical record of 12th-century geographical knowledge.
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