The Catalan Atlas:  
c. 1375 (...ish) 
 
“The Catalan Atlas”, created in 1387, by Jewish cartographer 
Abraham Cresques, depicts Medieval Europe and surrounding 
regions. The making of the map was commissioned by King Charles 
V of France, who requested that a set of maps be constructed. 
Cresques was from Catalonia where cartography, compass making, and nautical technologies were all considered 
top-quality.  
 
For the late 14th Century Cresques’ atlas was considered a state-of-art piece of work given the detailing of ports, trade 
routes, seafaring routes, and resources. He also highlighted city-states and their allegiances symbolized by a flag. It also 
includes legends and text, giving the atlas a pretty familiar layout of many modern maps.  
 
Cresques was also credited with the first compass rose ever included on a map. Cresques’ work became popular for 
merchants and was highly valuable in trade. It would go on to be updated and replicated until the mid-1800s. 
 
 
Question:  
What are some pros and cons of many people using the same maps made from the same cartographer?  
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
Ibn Battuta:  
(c. 1304­1369) 
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan Muslim scholar and 
traveler. His journeys lasted for a period of almost 30 years, covering 
nearly the whole of the known Islamic world and beyond. They extended 
from North Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the 
West, to the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, Southeast 
Asia and China in the East, a distance readily surpassing that of his 
predecessors. After his travels he returned to Morocco and gave his 
account of the experience to Ibn Juzay. 
 
 
Question:  
Is there anything about Ibn Battuta’s bio that could make his 
account unreliable?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Al­Bakri  (c. 1014–1094)  
...was an  Andalusian  A  rab  h
  istorian  and the greatest  geographer  of the Muslim West.  He wrote about  Europe ,  North 
Africa , and the  Arabian peninsula . Only two of his works have survived. His most important work is his " Book of Highways 
and of Kingdoms ". This was composed in 1068, based on literature and the reports of merchants and travellers. It is one 
of the most important sources for the history of West Africa and gives crucial information on the  Ghana Empire , the 
Almoravid dynasty  and the  trans Saharan trade . 
 
Question:  
Are reports from “merchants and travellers” a good way to gather information about a particular place?  Why/why not?  
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
TImeline of West African Empires: