1099-1166

Arab Geographer and Cartographer

Al-Idrisi (also known by his short name Al-Sharif Al-Idrisi al-Qurtubi) was one of the most renowned Arab geographers of his day. Under the service of King Roger II of Sicily, he dispatched draftsmen around the world and used the information they returned to compile the most up-to-date world maps of his time.

Al-Idrisi was born in Sabtah, which is now the Spanish port city of Ceuta in Morocco. He is believed to be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammed's eldest grandson. Al-Idrisi graduated from the University of Cordova and spent many years traveling extensively throughout Europe and North Africa. Over the course of his many journeys, he gathered detailed information on each region and soon gained international prominence as a geographer.

King Roger II of Sicily (1097-1154) heard of al-Idrisi's cartographic expertise, and summoned him to the court in Palermo in 1145. The king...