Who was Pedro Reinel?
Pedro Reinel was a Portuguese cartographer active from about 1485 to 1540 who served three Portuguese kings, João II, Manuel I, and João III. He and his son Jorge Reinel ranked among the most renowned mapmakers of their era.
Questions about Pedro Reinel
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is Pedro Reinel's oldest known chart?
Pedro Reinel's oldest known chart is a signed Portolan chart tentatively dated to about 1485, one of the oldest signed charts of its kind to survive. It maps the western Mediterranean and the African coast as far as the Congo River.
Did Pedro Reinel have African ancestry?
Some evidence suggests Pedro Reinel was of African descent. Historian Rafael Moreira believes his father was an ivory carver brought from West Africa to work in Portugal's royal workshops.
What did Pedro Reinel achieve with his 1504 Atlantic Chart?
Pedro Reinel's Atlantic Chart of about 1504 was one of the first charts to include a scale of latitudes and one of the earliest to depict North America, based on the explorations of Gaspar Corte-Real. It also showed an early understanding of magnetic variation through two separate meridians, one of which was tilted 22 degrees near Labrador.
How was Pedro Reinel involved in the Miller Atlas?
Pedro Reinel worked with his son Jorge Reinel and cartographer Lopo Homem to build the Miller Atlas in 1519. The atlas's artwork was created separately by Dutch miniaturist Antonio de Holanda.
Why did Pedro Reinel take part in the Badajoz-Elvas Junta?
Pedro Reinel took part in the Badajoz-Elvas Junta in 1524, a conference called to decide whether the Molucca Islands belonged to Spain or Portugal under the Treaty of Tordesillas. He and his son had traveled to Seville in 1519 to help build a globe and charts for the Spanish-sponsored Magellan expedition.