Iberian cartography, 1400–1600

Cartography throughout the 14th-16th centuries played a significant role in the expansion of the kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula for a multitude of reasons. Primarily, the maps developed during this period served as navigational tools for maritime folk such as explorers, sailors and navigators. Mostly the expansion of the Crown of Aragon, which included the Kingdom of Aragon, Kingdom of Valencia and Kingdom of Majorca, together with the Principality of Catalonia, all of them territories with seashore on the Mediterranean Sea. The Crown of Aragon controlled the routes across the Mediterranean Sea from the Kingdom of Jerusalem to Europe, as part of the commercial trade route known as the Silk Road. They were used to make the travel occurring at the time easier by eliminating the unnecessary resources spent when the most efficient route was not taken, and after things such as wind patterns and latitude and longitude began to appear on maps. they made maritime activities such as exploration or conquest less time- and resource-consuming. Maps were also used as a method to plan out landmasses by surveyors in areas that had yet to be explored or did not have many documented statistics. This often was the case in the Americas, where the Iberian empires did not start off with much documented evidence of the landmasses.

Even still, oftentimes before the availability of maps began to increase, they were used as decorative pieces that were commonly gifted to individuals of very high social status such as kings or popes. Those particular maps frequently had descriptive legends, which usually consisted of drawings being integrated into the actual map. An example of such a map would be the heavily decorated Catalan Atlas, which was produced in 1375. It was used as a gift to the King of France from the King of the Crown of Aragon. One other purpose behind maps was propaganda, and in those circumstances they were used to possibly distort or falsify information. The Dutch used a particular map, which was known as the 'Christian knight map' for this purpose during their struggle for independence against Spain. In relation to both Spain and Portugal and their influences on each other in terms of cartography, there was one very significant and fairly obvious example that began to develop in the 15th century. The Portuguese had begun to use scales of latitude on their nautical charts, and once Portuguese cosmographers were being recruited by the Crown of Castile, the same lines began to appear on Spanish charts as well, which eventually developed into what is known as a plane chart.

Evolution of the map-making process Evolutionary-wise, the specific measurements used in sea charts began to have a practical impact on world maps beginning in the early 14th century with the inclusion of latitude and longitude. Before hand, cartographic works had been developed through less rational methods than mathematical, such as theology and cosmology, but did include statements of geography and history as well. The beginning of the 14th century also introduced the first atlas, which was created through a series of maps being bound together. The new innovation was not just for show, however, as it had many practical uses due to its improved portability and durability, as well as making it easier for the readers to see. Map-making technique began an alteration through geographical thought. While not every map looked the same, a pattern of features developed through the round shape and typical inclusion of some sort of paradise, and were found on many of the maps of that time.

To better understand the map-making process, a step back in time is required, as Claudius Ptolemaeus, better known as Ptolemy, whose eight-volume work entitled Geography played a large role in the development of cartography once it was translated into Latin in 1406. Ptolemy projected two different types of maps in his text. The first, known as a conic projection, dealt with the latitude parallels consisting of round arcs. The second, known as a pseudoconic projection, consisted of longitude lines being round. Ptolemy's work were heavily influential in Islamic science as well, whose maps were quite similar to the Portolan charts and were partly influential on the Catalan map by Abraham Cresques. In the early 14th century, many of the maps were known as T and O maps, termed because of a circle representing the earth, and within the circle a T-shape to designate the division of different known land masses, which were Europe, Africa, and Asia. This particular style was representative in the well-known Spanish Mappa Mundi which was developed a few centuries beforehand, but was also the first map to actually be printed in 1472. Some of these earlier maps relied heavily on Arabic influence, which is evident in the inclusion of frequent Arabic place names. It is thought that this information could have been gathered through experiences throughout different trade routes. The T-O style of map shows a lack of information regarding the specific details of land masses, but once trade began to flourish, so did the detail in maps. Following the simplicity of the T-O style, maps began to grow into a greater, fantasy-inspired style. Where beforehand, the descriptiveness was minimal, maps now included beautiful drawings of angels and mythical creatures, and oftentimes these maps were used to understand what was considered to be the history. In the 15th century, maps began to develop an idea and representation of distinctive frontiers. Where the previous maps had indulged in fantastical depictions, terminology began to show up much more frequently now, such as names for regions and provinces. The influence of an eastern orientation was one of the first things to change from the typical features of maps with the loss of fantastical creatures being depicted and the inclusion of more detailed landmasses, and it is possible that this was happening because Arabic influence was causing maps orientation to move away from the east and more toward the south.

Portolan charts

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