His name at birth was Gerard de Cremer or de Kremer. A final one carried him off in 1594 at the age of 82 and he was buried in the Salvatorkirche in Duisburg. Gerardus Mercator was a 16th-century geographer, cosmographer and cartographer from the County of Flanders. It employed straight lines spaced in a way that provided an accurate ratio of latitude and longitude at any point and proved a boon to sailors, though he never spent a day at sea himself. 1606. Gerardus Mercator was born at Rupelmonde, Flanders (now Belgium) into a German family. Mercator is the Latin form of this name and means “merchant”. Died: 2-Dec - 1594. Mercator is known for his world map of 1569 titled (in an English translation) New and more complete representation of the terrestrial globe properly adapted for use in navigation, https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/gerardus-mercator-7508.php Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Gerardus Mercator … Wikipédia en Français. Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Gerardus Mercator … Gerardus Mercator was a Flemish cartographer, geographer and cosmographer. Mercator was born Gerhard Kremer on March 5, 1512, in Rupelmonde, Flanders, and changed his name when he became a student at the University of Louvain in1530. Gerardi, de quo mox, admodum iuventis, scripsit Notas in Sphaeram Ioh. His uncle enrolled him at a monastic school, and Mercator … He assisted the duke in establishing a grammar school by helping to design its curriculum. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In 1534 Mercator married Barbara Schellekens, by whom he had six children. Born as Geert de Kremer on March 5, 1512, in Rupelmonde, County of Flanders (modern day Belgium), the son of a shoemaker was the family’s seventh child and lived in Gangelt during most of his childhood. Mercator grew up in the Duchy of Julich and was educated Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands where he received training in the Christian doctrine as well as Latin and other … He was the seventh child of his parents. Gerardus Mercator was born on March 5, 1512, in a St. Johann hospice in Rupelmonde, Glanders, in the Burgundian Netherlands, now in Belgium. Gerardus Mercator was born on March 5, 1512, and died December 2, 1594. Corrections? (1512–1594) Dutch cartographer and geographer Mercator, originally named Kremer, was born at Rupelmonde, now in Belgium. English: Map of the Turkish Empire, from the Mercator 'Atlas' Published by Jodocus Hondius Amsterdam, 1606 . 1556332. After two years of study which led him to Antwerp and Mechelen he emerged from his personal crisis, fortified in his faith, with less enthusiasm for philosophical speculation. After learning the basic skills of an instrument… The son of a cobbler, Mercator grew up in a poor family. II. Gerardus Mercator, original name Gerard De Cremer, or Kremer?, (born March 5, 1512, Rupelmonde, Flanders [now in Belgium]—died December 2, 1594, Duisburg, Duchy of Cleve [Germany]), Flemish cartographer whose most important innovation was a map, embodying what was later known as the Mercator projection, on which parallels and meridians are rendered as straight lines spaced so as to produce at any point an accurate ratio of latitude to longitude. Father Occupation: Artisan, Cleric His father was a poor shoemaker. His father was a cobbler named Hubert Kremer and his mother was Emerentia. Mercator Background. Mercator was born on March 5, 1512, in Rupelmonde, Flanders (now in Belgium). He studied with the cosmographer Gemma Phyrisius at the University of Louvain and gained practical experience as an instrument maker and surveyor. These globes demonstrate the free and graceful italic lettering with which Mercator was to change the face of 16th-century maps. He is most renowned for creating the 1569 world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines—an innovation that is still employed in nautical charts. first map made history: it was the first to use the term North America and the first to depict the New World as stretching from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Education He matriculated from the ‘University of Louvain’ on August 29, 1530 with philosophy and humanities. He was the first to … He was the seventh child of his parents. Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594) Dutch cartographer, philosopher and mathematician – Gerardus Mercator was born in Rupelmonde (former castle in Kruibeke, Belgium) on March 5th, 1512 and died in Duisburg (city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) on December 2nd, 1594 at the age of 82. Read more on Wikipedia. Such maps were first developed by Gerardus Mercator, the foremost geographer of the 16th century. From humble beginnings in what is now Belgium, Mercator was educated in philosophy and religion and mathematics, and completed his first map of the world in 1538. The Symbolism of a Medieval Haircut. Mercator was born in 1512 in Flanders as Gerard de Cremere, but In 1552 Mercator moved permanently to Duisburg in the Duchy of Cleve. Richard Cavendish | Published in History Today Volume 62 Issue 3 March 2012 Omissions? Cause of death: unspecified. On the one hand, it is undisputed that he was born in the Nether-lands, that his education was completed there, that he lived there during the earlier part of his career, that he was married there, and that all his children, six in number, were born there. © Copyright 2021 History Today Ltd. Company no. Gerardus Mercator, original name Gerard De Cremer, or Kremer?, (born March 5, 1512, Rupelmonde, Flanders [now in Belgium]—died December 2, 1594, Duisburg, Duchy of Cleve [Germany]), Flemish cartographer whose most important innovation was a map, embodying what was later known as the Mercator projection, on which parallels and meridians are rendered as straight lines spaced so as to … In 1552 Mercator moved to Duisburg in the Duchy of Cleves in Germany, where he enjoyed the favour of the duke. The combined work of these three men soon made Leuven an important centre for the construction of globes, maps, and astronomical instruments. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gerardus-Mercator, Gerardus Mercator - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). He was the youngest of seven children. He is best known for his work in cartography, particular the world map of 1569 based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines. By the time he was age 24, Mercator was a superb engraver, an outstanding calligrapher, and a highly skilled scientific-instrument maker. Mercator is the Latin form of this name and means “merchant”.. Once there, he became a well-known figure. Gerardus Mercator (; 5 March 1512 – 2 December 1594) was a 16th-century geographer, cosmographer and cartographer from the County of Flanders. After being accused of heresy in his homeland, he moved with his family to Duisburg in 1552, where he became professor of cosmography at the newly founded university. Born 5 March 1512 Rupelmonde, Burgundian Netherlands (now Belgium) Died 2 December 1594 Duisburg, Duchy of Cleves (now Germany) Summary Gerardus Mercator was a Flemish map-maker and geographer who is best known for the map projection which bears his name. Born: 5 March 1512 in Rupelmonde, Flanders (now Belgium) Died: 2 Dec 1594 in Duisburg, Duchy of Cleves (now Germany) Gerard Mercator's parents were Hubert and Emerentia Kremer. At the University of Louvain (1530–32) he was a pupil of Gemma Frisius. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Gerardus Mercator, original name Gerard De Cremer, or Kremer (born March 5, 1512, Rupelmonde, Flanders [now in Belgium] — died December 2, 1594, Duisburg, Duchy of Cleve [Germany]), Flemish cartographer whose most important innovation was a map, embodying what was later known as the Mercator projection, on which parallels and meridians are rendered as straight lines spaced so as to … Frisius and Mercator also frequented the workshop of Gaspar à Myrica, an engraver and goldsmith. "Mercator was born in the town of Rupelmonde where he was named Gerard de Kremer or de Cremer. In September 1536 Mercator married Barbara Schelleken and their first child, a son Arnold, was born on 31 August 1537. In 1535–36 he cooperated with Myrica and Frisius in constructing a terrestrial globe and in 1537 its celestial counterpart. Gerardus Mercator, also called Gerhard Kremer, and born Gérard de Crémère (1512 – 1594), was a Flemish geographer and mathematician from Belgium.He explored Flanders and made globes about the earth and the sky. Matriculated from the University of Louvain in 1532 from the County of Flanders ( modern-day Belgium ) manual or sources... Kremer born March 5, 1512 in Rupelmonde, now in Belgium, admodum iuventis, Notas. Lutheran, although it appears that he was Buried in the Duchy of Cleves in Germany, where he the. With which Mercator was born at Rupelmonde, now in Belgium the Salvatorkirche in Duisburg mapping. From Flanders gerardus Mercator graduated from the University of Louvain in Belgium,... 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