1099-1165 Or 1166
Geographer

Mapmaking. Known as one of the greatest medieval geographers, Abu Abdullah al-Idrisi is best known for his Kitab Nuzhat al-Mashtaq ft Ikhtiraq al-Afaq (Amusement for One Who Desires to Travel Around the World, 1154), which includes detailed maps of the Mediterranean region.

Early Life and Career. Born in Ceuta, North Africa, al- Idrisi was educated at Cordoba. He visited Asia Minor when he was only sixteen, and continued his extensive travels around the Mediterranean, observing the flora and fauna of Muslim lands.

Court Geographer. In about 1145 al-Idrisi was invited to work at the court of the Norman king Roger II in Palermo, Sicily, where Roger formed the Academy of Geographers and invited other scholars to help al-Idrisi create the most scientifically accurate map in the world and to gather together all available geographical information. The result was Kitab Nuzhat al-Mashtaq fi Ikhtiraq al-Afaq...