Alonso de Santa Cruz: The king's map-maker

Abstract

This study attempts an examination of the works of Alonso de Santa Cruz, a sixteenth-century Spanish scientist and cartographer. Despite the loss of most of his works in the intervening centuries, enough of them have survived to afford some idea of his ability and his devotion to duty. Besides examining his surviving works, a study was made of the few contemporary writers who mention Santa Cruz and his accomplishments. Valuable insights into his personality, interests, and labors were gained from his correspondence, especially that with the crown. Additional information about his scientific efforts and his personal problems was derived from a number of royal orders and correspondence concerning his governmental service. Santa Cruz' contribution to the development of the Mercator map projection is of special concern in this study. Although it cannot be proved that he actually invented this projection, there is no question that he was one of the precursors to Mercator in its development. He probably employed the technique of the Mercator projection twenty-five to thirty years prior to the construction of the famous 1569 Mercator World Map from which the projection derives its name. Although Santa Cruz' special concern was cartography, he worked in the related fields of navigation and geography as well. In addition, he was a historian of considerable contemporary renown.