As a descendent of the Idrisid rulers of Morocco, who in turn were descendants of Hassan bin Ali the son of Ali, and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, this Muslim Arab scholar was tilted al-Sharif al-Idrisi, but in the West he was known from a long time as Geographus Nubiensis, the Nubian Geographer.
He studied at Cordoba, lived at Marrakesh for a while, and then traveled in North Africa during his youth. He may also have travelled some in Europe as well.
He did most of his work, however for the Norman King Roger of Siqilliyah (Scicily) at the capital of Balram (Palermo) after the island had been seized by the Norman Crusaders from the Muslims.
Al-Idrisi was a scientist, a geographer and a mapmaker. His geography is a synthesis of information and cartographic traditions from both Islamic and European cultures.
More than a mere traveller and accomplished geographer, Al-Idrisi founded the discipline of mathematical geography; he created the system of cylindrical projection of the earth’s surface, later in 1569 to be claimed as his own by Fleming, Gerard Mercator.
The most important book he produced is a world geography in 1154, Nuzhat al-mushtaq fi ikhtiraq al-afaq (Entertainment for One Desiring to Travel Far).
The book was created as a description of a large map, each chapter detailing itineraries within one of 70 sections illustrated by a regional map.
He later wrote a shorter geography, known under a variety of Arabic titles and usually referred to as ‘The Little Idrisi’.
Al-Idrisi’s scientific interests embraced medical matters as well geography. His Kitab al-adawiya al-mufradad (Book of Simple Drugs) lists the name of many drugs in an many as 12 languages.
Geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi
