Map of Taprobana

Münster on India These leaves from Book V of one of the earliest editions of Cosmographia (the Latin edition from the Basel printing house of Sebastian Heinrich-Petri, 1552) are devoted to Asia ("De terris Asiae maioris"), and more specifically to India. In his text, Münster clearly follows *Strabo*, relying heavily on his Geography (Book XV: On India). *PAGE 1063* is devoted to the Mongol Empire ("Imperatorum Tartarorum"), China, and India. In his description of Mongolia and China, Münster relied largely on Marco Polo's book Il Milione ("The Million"), known in English as the "Travels of Marco Polo". Münster refers to China as Cathay -- the name by which North China was known in medieval Europe. The page describes the Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan ("Cingkis/Changius Can") and his sons. Münster lists Mongolian rulers, including Kublai Khan, Temur, and Timur (Tamerlane). *PAGE 1064* gives basic facts on India. Most of Münster's text is based on Strabo's Geography. In Book XV, "On India," Strabo writes: "India is bounded on the north from Ariana to the eastern sea, by the extremities of the Taurus, which by the natives are severally called 'Paropamisus' and 'Emodus' and 'Imaus' and o

Date

1544

Place

Sri Lanka

Archive

Wikimedia Commons

Type

map

Original size

1,212 × 1,038 pixels

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