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The International Prester John Project: How A Global Legend Was Created Across Six CenturiesMain MenuOrientation to ProjectPath One: 1122-1235Path Two: 1236-1310 ADPath Three : 1311-1460 ADPath Four : 1461-1520 ADPath Five: 1521-1699 ADPath Six: 1700-1800 ADChristopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6f Global Middle Ages
Abraham Cresques
12015-06-18T14:26:51-07:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6f528110image_header2024-02-19T19:26:22-08:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6fBorn in Mallorca, Abraham Cresques (1325-87) was a Jewish cartographer and leader of the so-called Mallorcan school of mapmaking who, in 1375, aided by his son, produced the Catalan Atlas, which features a large depiction of Prester John.
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12015-05-17T12:25:05-07:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6fMap 3.1 : Author Origins and Travel (1311-1460)Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com19plain2023-11-22T15:09:06-08:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6f
1media/Ortelius.jpg2016-07-16T11:07:30-07:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6fCartographers of the Prester John LegendChristopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com4image_header2016-07-26T18:22:30-07:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6f
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12016-04-11T11:47:03-07:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6fJewish Writers and Hebrew Scholars of Prester John Lore3plain2024-01-18T20:10:25-08:00Christopher Taylor // christopher.eric.taylor@gmail.com946e2cf6115688379f338b70e5b6f6c039f8ba6f
Cresques’ “Catalan” atlas was commissioned by Prince John of Aragon so that the crown might possess a master set of nautical charts that covers both East and West. The atlas consists of twelve leaves that are mounted on folding boards.
Named after the school that Abraham resided at in Majorca, the atlas was largely influenced by the geography of Marco Polo's Il Milione; however, the map does not position Prester John anywhere near China. The atlas does contain a large illustration of Prester John, but locates him in Nubia, accompanied with the text (qtd. in Brewer, p. 322):
A quest rey de Nubia esta en guerra e armes [ab los] chrestians de Nubia qui son so[ts] la senyoria del enperador de Etiopia e de la terra de Preste Johan
Though Prester John features prominently on the map, Cresques clearly positions Mansa Musa to command the most attention among the depicted African figures.
For more on the map, see Grosjean's edition.
Translation of legend on map of Cresques by G.R. Crone.
