Mercator

The Flemish cartographer who invented the "Mercator projection."

Life

Leuven scholar

Mercator was born in Rupelmonde in Flanders, studied at the University of Leuven, and became a maker of maps and globes. In 1544 he was arrested and imprisoned for several months on suspicion of Protestantism.

Imprisoned

In 1552 he moved to Duisburg in Germany. In 1569 he published a world map drawn on a new projection, on which the route of navigators sailing on a constant compass bearing is a straight line, greatly aiding ocean navigation.

Mercator projection

In his later years he compiled a collection of maps and was the first to call such a collection an "Atlas." He died in 1594.

Legacy

The Mercator projection is still used today for nautical charts and many online maps.

Major works & achievements

• World Map (1569)
• Atlas

Did you know? He named his collection of maps an "Atlas" after Atlas, the legendary King of Mauretania, not the giant of Greek mythology who holds up the sky.

Key dates

• 1538Drew his first world map
• 1544Arrested and imprisoned
• 1552Moved to Duisburg
• 1569Published his world map in the Mercator projection
• 1594Dies; the atlas is published the following year