Gerard Mercator

Gerard Mercator (1512–1594) was a Flemish cartographer, engraver, and geographer, born in Rupelmonde in the County of Flanders. He studied at the University of Leuven, where he trained in mathematics, geography, and instrument making. By the 1530s he was producing globes, scientific instruments, and maps, quickly gaining a reputation for precision and skill. His early works included a 1537 map of the Holy Land and a 1538 world map that adopted the name “America” for the New World.

Mercator is best known for creating the Mercator Projection, first used in his 1569 world map, which preserved accurate compass bearings and proved invaluable for navigation. He later moved to Duisburg in the Duchy of Cleves, where he continued his publishing work and began compiling his monumental Atlas, the first to apply that title to a collection of maps. Although he died in 1594 before completing it, his sons and grandsons carried the project forward, ensuring its influence. Mercator’s projection and atlases became foundational tools in both geography and navigation, securing his place as one of the most important figures in the history of cartography.