A History of the World in 12 Maps Read online

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  Published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, 2013

  Copyright © 2012 by Jerry Brotton

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  First published in Great Britain by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd.

  Illustration credits appear here.

  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

  Brotton, Jerry.

  A history of the world in 12 maps / Jerry Brotton.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 978-1-101-63799-9

  1. Historical geography--Maps. .Title.

  G1030.B7 2013

  911—dc23

  2013028184

  Version_1

  For my wife, Charlotte

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  List of Figures

  List of Illustrations

  Introduction

  1 Science: Ptolemy’s Geography, c. AD 150

  2 Exchange: , AD 1154

  3 Faith: Hereford Mappamundi, c. 1300

  4 Empire: Kangnido World Map, 1402

  5 Discovery: Martin Waldseemüller, World Map, 1507

  6 Globalism: Diogo Ribeiro, World Map, 1529

  7 Toleration: Gerard Mercator, World Map, 1569

  8 Money: Joan Blaeu, Atlas maior, 1662

  9 Nation: The Cassini Family, Map of France, 1793

  10 Geopolitics: Halford Mackinder, ‘The Geographical Pivot of History’, 1904

  11 Equality: The Peters Projection, 1973

  12 Information: Google Earth, 2012

  Conclusion: The Eye of History?

  Illustrations

  Notes

  Acknowledgements

  Index

  List of Figures

  1. The shield of Achilles, bronze cast designed by John Flaxman, 1824. (Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  2. Reconstruction of the world map of Dicaearchus, third century BC. (Jeff Edwards; adapted from Armando Cortesão, History of Portuguese Cartography, 2 vols. (Coimbra, 1969–71), vol. 1, fig. 16)

  3. Diagrams of Ptolemy’s first and second projections. (Jeff Edwards)

  4. Map of Palestine, St Jerome, Liber locorum, twelfth century. (British Library Add. MS 10049, fols. 64 r–v. Photo: akg-images)

  5. T-O Map, from Sallust, The Jugurthine War, thirteenth-century manuscript. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Département des Manuscrits, Division occidentale. MS Latin 6088 , fol. 33v)

  6. Drawing by John Carter, c. 1780, of the triptych containing the Hereford map. (Copyright © British Library Board. All rights reserved. Additional MS. 29942 , fol. 148r.)

  7. Modern map of East Asia showing the regional situation in the late fourteenth century. (Jeff Edwards; adapted from F. W. Moate, ‘China in the Age of Columbus’, in Jay Levenson (ed.), Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration (Washington DC, 1991), p. 338)

  8. Copy of Qingjun’s map of China, from a mid-fifteenth- century book by Ye Sheng.

  9. Depiction of the round heavens and square earth, from Zhang Huang, Tushu bian, 1613. (Photo courtesy Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University, Cambridge)

  10. ‘Yu ji tu’ (‘Map of the Tracks of Yu’), 1136. (Photo courtesy of Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard College Library)

  11. ‘Hua yi tu’ (‘Map of the Chinese and Foreign Lands’), 1136. (Photo courtesy of Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard College Library)

  12. The General Survey Map of China and Non-Chinese Territories from the Past to the Present, c. 1130. (Tōyō Bunko, Tokyo, Japan (XI-1–3))

  13. Martin Waldseemüller, globe gores, 1507. (James Ford Bell Library, University of Minnesota. Copyright © Regents of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. University Libraries. All rights reserved)

  14. T-O map from Isidore of Seville, Etymologies, 1472. (Ayer Collection, Newberry Library, Chicago. Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  15. Detail of the eastern hemisphere of the Universalis cosmographia. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C.)

  16. Detail of the western hemisphere of the Universalis cosmographia. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C.)

  17. Detail of America from Waldseemüller, world map, dated 1506 by Henry N. Stevens. (John Carter Brown Library)

  18. Detail of Hans Holbein, The Ambassadors, 1533. (National Gallery, London. Photo: akg-images)

  19. Lucas Cranach, ‘The Position and Borders of the Promised Land’, 1520s. (Copyright © British Library Board, All Rights Reserved (3041.g.6))

  20. Diagrams of different Renaissance map projections. (Jeff Edwards; adapted from Norman J. W. Thrower, Maps and Civilization (Chicago, 1996), pp. 70, 74)

  21. Gerard Mercator, pages from Chronologia, 1569. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich (BSB 2H.int.67a fol. 146–7))

  22. Model of a spiral loxodrome. (Jeff Edwards)

  23. Willem Blaeu, world map drawn on the Mercator projection, 1606–7. (Courtesy Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam)

  24. Diagram of triangles, from Jean Picard, Le Mesure de la terre, 1671. (Copyright © British Library Board. All rights reserved (1484.m.38))

  25. ‘Carte particulière des environs de Paris’, 1678. (engr. F. de la Pointe, 1678. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Cartes et Plans, Ge DD 2987 (0788 , V)))

  26. Jean Picard and Philippe de la Hire, Carte de France corrigée, 1693 edition. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (Ge. DD. 2987-777))

  27. Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis, ‘A Map of the country where the arc of the meridian was measured’, The Figure of the Earth, 1738. (Photo: ECHO/Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, Munich)

  28. César-François Cassini de Thury, ‘New Map of France’, 1744. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (Ge. BB. 565-A). Photo: akg-images/De Agostini)

  29. Diagrams of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century map projections. (Jeff Edwards; adapted from Norman J. W. Thrower, Maps and Civilization (Chicago, 1996), p. 121)

  30. Halford Mackinder on the summit of Mount Kenya, 1899. (The Geographical Journal, 15, 5 (1900), p. 469 . Photo: The Royal Geographical Society, London)

  31. ‘The Land Hemisphere’, in Mackinder, Britain and the British Seas, 1907. (H. J. Mackinder, Britain and the British Seas (Clarenden Press, Oxford, 1907), p. 4 , fig. 3)

  32. ‘Photograph of a Globe’, in Mackinder, Britain and the British Seas, 1907. (H. J. Mackinder, Britain and the British Seas (Clarenden Press, Oxford, 1907), p. 5 , fig. 4)

  33. Halford Mackinder, ‘The Natural Seats of Power’, world map, in Mackinder, ‘The Geographical Pivot of History’, 1904. (H. J. Mackinder, Britain and the British Seas (Clarenden Press, Oxford, 1907), ‘The geographical pivot of history’, p. 435)
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  34. ‘A small state threatens Germany!’ Propaganda map, Germany, 1934.

  35. Ethnic map of Slovakia, 1941. (Copyright © British Library Board (Maps Y.1911, sheet 7))

  36. Diagrams of twentieth-century map projections. (Jeff Edwards; adapted from Norman J. W. Thrower, Maps and Civilization (Chicago, 1996), p. 225)

  37. James Gall, ‘Gall’s Orthographic Projection’, 1885. (The Scottish Geographical Journal, 1:4, p. 121)

  38. ‘Index Map Showing Status of Publication of the International One-millionth Map of the World’ (IMW), 1952. (World Cartography, Volume III, copyright 1953 United Nations, New York (ST/SOA/SER. L/3). Reprinted with the permission of the United Nations)

  List of Illustrations

  1. Map of the world, probably from Sippar, southern Iraq. 700–500 BC. (British Museum, London. Photo: akg-images/Erich Lessing)

  2. Frontispiece to Abraham Ortelius, Theatrum orbis terrarum, 1584 edition. (Photo: Private Collection/The Bridgeman Art Library.

  3. Ptolemy, World map from Geography, thirteenth century. (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City, Urbinus Graecus 82, fols. 60v–61r. By permission of Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, all rights reserved)

  4a. Nineteenth-century facsimile of a thirteenth-century copy of the ‘Peutinger Map’, sheets showing England, France, the Alps and North Africa. (Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, Codex Vindobonensis 324. Photo: akg-images)

  4b. Nineteenth-century facsimile of a thirteenth-century copy of the ‘Peutinger Map’, sheets showing Iran, Iraq, India and Korea. (Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, Codex Vindobonensis 324. Photo: akg-images)

  5. Greek, Arab and Latin scribes in the Royal dīwān, from Petrus de Ebulo, Liber ad honorem Augusti, c. 1194 AD. (Burgerbibliothek, Bern, Cod. 120.II, f. 101r)

  6. , World Map, sixteenth-century copy. (Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Oriental Collections, MS Pococke 375, fols. 3v–4r)

  7. diagram for a world map, in Marvels of the Seven Climates to the End of Habitation, tenth century. (Copyright © British Library Board. All Rights Reserved. Add MS. 23379, fols. 4b–5a)

  8. Ibn Hawqal, world map, 479/1086. (Topkapi Sarayi Muzesi Kutuphanesi, Istanbul, A. 3346)

  9. Circular world map from Book of Curiosities, thirteenth century (?). (Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, MS Arab.c.90. fols. 27b–28a)

  10. Rectangular world map from Book of Curiosities, thirteenth century (?). (Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, MS Arab.c.90. fols. 23b–24a)

  11. Index of sectional maps in , Nuzhat al-mushtaq, 1154, facsimile by K. Miller, 1927. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C.)

  12a. The Hereford mappamundi, c. 1300, Hereford Cathedral, Herefordshire. (Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  12b. Detail of Christ and angels, from the Hereford mappamundi (Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  12c. Detail of Caesar sending people out to measure the world, from the Hereford mappamundi (Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  12d. Detail showing a rider and the ‘monstrous’ races of Africa, from the Hereford mappamundi (Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  13. Zonal map from Macrobius, Commentary on the Scipio’s Dream, ninth century. (Copyright © British Library Board. All Rights Reserved. MS Harl. 2772, fol. 70v)

  14. World map from Isidore’s Etymologies, c. 1130. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, MS Clm. 10058, fol. 154v. Photo: akg-images/De Agostini Picture Library)

  15. The Sawley mappamundi, c. 1190. (Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, MS. 66, p. 2. Photo: akg-images/De Agostini Picture Library)

  16. The Kangnido map (‘Map of Integrated Regions and Terrains and of Historical Countries and Capitals’), c. 1470, ink on silk. (Reproduced by permission of University Library, Kyoto, Japan)

  17. Detail of the Korean peninsula, from the Kangnido map. (Reproduced by permission of University Library, Kyoto, Japan)

  18. The Naikaku map, a copy of an official map of Korea, the Tongguk chido, 1463, by . (Reproduced by courtesy of the Cabinet Library (Naikaku Bunko), Tokyo)

  19. Martin Waldseemüller, Universalis cosmographia, 1507. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C.)

  20. Nicolo Caveri, world chart, c. 1504–5. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Cartes et Plans, GE SH ARCH 1)

  21. Ptolemy, Geography, earliest Latin manuscript. (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City, VAT. Lat. 5698. By permission of Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, with all rights reserved)

  22. Martin Waldseemüller, ‘Terre Nove’ map, from the Strasbourg edition of Ptolemy’s Geography, 1513. (John Carter Brown Library at Brown University, Providence, RI. Credit line: akg-images/ullstein bild)

  23. Martin Waldseemüller (attr.), ‘Orbis Universalis Juxta Hydrographorum Traditionem’, c. 1506, from the Nuremberg edition of Ptolemy’s Geography, c. 1513. (Courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University, Providence, RI)

  24. Henricus Martellus, world map, c. 1489. (British Library, London, Add MS 15760. Photo: akg-images/British Library)

  25. Anon., the ‘Cantino Planisphere’, c. 1502. (Biblioteca Estense, Modena, BE.MO.CG.A.2. Photo: akg-images/Album/Oronoz)

  26. Martin Behaim, terrestrial globe, 1492. (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg. Photo: akg-images/Interfoto)

  27. Antonio Pigafetta, ‘Figure of the Five Islands Where Grow the Cloves, and of Their Tree’, from volume 2 of Magellan’s Voyage: A Narrative Account of the First Circumnavigation, c. 1521. (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, MS 351 f. 85v)

  28. Nuño García de Terreño, chart of the Moluccas, c. 1522. (Biblioteca Reale, Turin. Reproduced by courtesy of the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali)

  29. Bernard van Orley, ‘Earth under the Protection of Jupiter and Juno’, tapestry from The Spheres series, c. 1525. (Copyright © Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid)

  30. Diogo Ribeiro, the ‘Castiglione’ world map, 1525. (Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Modena, C.G.A.12. Reproduced by permission of the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali)

  31. Diogo Ribeiro, ‘Universal chart in which is contained all that has been discovered in the world until now’, 1529. (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City, Borg. Carte. Naut. III. By permission of Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, all rights reserved)

  32. Gerard Mercator, Terrae Sanctae (Map of the Holy Land), c. 1538, from Henricus Hondius, Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes, c. 1623. (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  33. Gerard Mercator, Exactissima Flandriae Descriptio, wall map of Flanders in nine sheets, 1539–40. (Courtesy Museum Plantin-Moretus/Prentenkabinet, Antwerp, UNESCO World Heritage)

  34. Gerard Mercator, Orbis imago, 1538. (New York Public Library, New York. Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  35. Oronce Finé, Nova et integra universi orbis descriptio, 1531. (British Library, London. Photo: akg-images)

  36. Gerard Mercator, map of the world, 1569. (Bibliotheque Nationale, Cartes et Plans, Paris. Photo: The Bridgeman Art Library)

  37. Floor of the Burgerzaal, Amsterdam Royal Palace, with three inlaid hemispheres, 1655. (Photo © Amsterdam Royal Palace Foundation)

  38. Joan Blaeu, frontispiece to Atlas maior, 1662. (Edinburgh University, Special Collections, JZ30-40)

  39. Petrus Plancius, Insulae Moluccae, 1592. (Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, ZM2 470/1617/1)

  40. Joan Blaeu, Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula, 1648. (Kraus Map Collection, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

  41. Johannes Vermeer, The Soldier and a Laughing Girl, c. 1657. (Frick Collection, New York. Photo: akg-images/Album/Oronoz)

  42. Double portrait of Gerard Mercator and Jodocus Hondius, from L’Atlas ou méditations Cosmographiques, 1613.r />
  43. Willem Blaeu, ‘India quae orientalis’, from Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, c. 1635. (Private Collection. Photo: copyright © Bonhams, London/The Bridgeman Art Library)

  44. Hessel Gerritsz (attr.), ‘India quae orientalis’, c. 1632, from Willem Blaeu, Novus atlas, 1635. (National Library, Canberra)

  45. Joan Blaeu, chart of Sumatra and the Malacca Strait, 1653. (Bibliothèque de l’Institut de France, Paris, MS 1288. Photo: Giraudon/The Bridgeman Art Library)

  46. Joan Blaeu, world map from Atlas maior, 1664. (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C.)

  47. César-François Cassini de Thury, Carte de France, no. 1 (showing Paris), 1756. (Photo: akg-images)

  48. Louis Capitaine, Carte de la France suivant sa nouvelle division en départements et districts, 1790. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Cartes et Plans, Ge F carte 6408. Photo: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection Collection, www.davidrumsey.com)

  49. Colonel Sir Thomas Holdich, map of Africa, in ‘How Are We to Get Maps of Africa’, The Geographical Journal, 18, 6 (1901), pp. 590–601. (Photo: Royal Geographical Society Picture Library, London)

  50. Halford Mackinder, ‘Sketch map to illustrate Mr. Mackinder’s Journey to Mount Kenya’, in ‘A Journey to the Summit of Mount Kenya, British East Africa’, The Geographical Journal, 15, 5 (1900), pp. 453–76. (Photo: Royal Geographical Society Picture Library, London)

  51. First photograph of the whole earth, taken from space by the Apollo 17 crew, 1972. (Photo: NASA)

  52. Home page of Google Earth. (US Dept of State Geographers, copyright © 2012 Tele Atlas. Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO © 2012 Google)

  53. The Peters world map, 1973. (Copyright © ODT, Inc, Amherst, MA. www.odtmaps.com)

  54. Stills from the film Powers of Ten, by Charles and Ray Eames, 1968. (Copyright © Eames Office, Santa Monica)

  55. Cartogram showing the human population in the year 1500 (Copyright © SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan))