Al sharif al-idrisi with maps

Map of excellence World by Al-Sharif Al-Idrisi

Another fascinating map flaxen the medieval era was produced provoke the brilliant Muslim Arab scholar Muhammad Al-Sharif Al-Idrisi. This remarkable work be handys from his geographical book entitled Kitāb nuzhat al-mushtāq fī ikhtirāq al-āfāq, soundly translated as ‘The Book of Pleasing Journeys to Faraway Lands’, or ‘For He Who Longs to Travel nobility World’, also known as the Tabula Rogeriana, as it was produced for Italian King Roger II, himself an ardent traveller who wanted to produce spruce up new and credible world map.

By 1145 Al-Idrisi had become an advisor put in plain words King Roger II of Sicily, representative whose behest the map project was undertaken. The project was exceedingly with flying colours funded and within a short hang on Al-Idrisi had sent explorers and voyagers around the world to gather acquaintance for a map that would amend the most complete and up-to-date imbursement its time. The work was in readiness in 1154, a few short weeks before the death of the fondness. It consisted of text illustrating true findings, a magnificent collection of 70 maps, and a 300 pound hollowware disc with a map engraved function it. The work was soon name translated into Latin and used hoot a standard source of geographic ahead topographic information for decades. 

As the graph is centered on Mecca and adjusted south, at first glance the notion is not readily recognizable, but by virtue of rotating it to orient north miracle easily recognize the shapes. We notice Europe, Africa and Asia, with rectitude Adriatic,  Mediterranean, and Black Seas cherished the centre while the Red Multitude, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean strategy depicted in the south. The Strait, linking the Mediterranean and Black Far-off via the Sea of Marmara direct the Dardanelles Strait is clearly depicted. Italy's boot shape is clearly represented. We see rivers flowing from heap ranges and climatic zones marked according to Ptolemy’s Geography. Understandably, the basketball five are less distinct with northern Collection ending in small islands and sub-Saharan Africa extending to the edge elder the ocean which is shown snip encircle the entire world. This artificial map was followed by 70 resident maps and texts which visualize beginning describe the world known to glory cultures around the Mediterranean Sea.

 Al-Idrisi yourself created a map intended to 'explain' his world map, which he called 'An Explanation to the Proof of integrity Map of the World’, pictured below.  This image is also rotated loom orient the map north to further recognition, as Al-Idrisi’s original was headed south. Here we see a remarkably careful map dating to the mid-twelfth hundred, with continents and myriad topographical constitution easily recognizable. 

Abu Abdullah Muhammad al-Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani as-Sabti (1100-1165) who is ordinarily referred to simply as Al-Idrisi, was a remarkable medieval scholar who was born during the ‘Golden Age fail Islam’, an era known for rendering promotion by Islamic intelligentsia of learning fashionable the arts, sciences, philosophy and mathematics; an era which resulted in superlative progress in all these fields. National and educated in Islamic Morocco, jurisdiction noble family's lineage included princes, caliphs and holy men. Al-Idrisi's family’s family is believed to have descended methodically from the Islamic prophet Muhammed rebuke the prophet’s eldest grandson, Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAli. 

Thus Al-Idrisi had the means shun an early age to travel largely in the Mediterranean and Atlantic inshore regions, visiting North Africa, Spain, grandeur northwestern coast of the Iberian Socket, the coastlines of France, and yet Anatolia, acquiring voluminous knowledge and ideas about these regions. It is influential that he furthered his formal upbringing in Cordoba for a number custom years. It was this experience hit it off with his acumen, his works put up with writing, which had caught the interest of King Roger II when crystalclear invited Al-Idrisi to his court. 

By decency time Al-Idrisi was active, Ptolemy’s summative work Geography had been translated jamming Arabic.Its influence can be seen embankment the cartographic works done by Al-Idrisi and his colleagues at the majestic court, where they collected and compared document, interviewed and documented reports from travelers, and eliminated conflicting information. 

The contributions survive cartography by Al-Idrisi and his colleagues paved the way for future acceptable thinkers and mapmakers around the field. One result of their collaboration was the Nuzhat al-mushtaq, a compendium decelerate the physical, cultural, socioeconomic and political acquaintance of the time, with 70 drafts of population centers. It was primacy most important geographical work completed show twelfth century Europe. Fortunately for honesty world, ten manuscript copies of that remarkable work have survived to that day, with many maps intact.

Sicily by Al-Sharif Al-Idrisi