Gerard Mercator

Gerard De Kremer, known as Gerard Mercator is a geographer, cosmographer, cartographer who was born on 5 March 1512 in Rupelmonde. He spent his childhood in Gangelt, where his father was a cobbler and where Gerard attended Latin school himself. He continued his studies in Leuven and Latinized his name. He has two sons and was considered to be Ptolemy of his time known from the “mercator projection.” He’s also the originator from the word “atlas”, which would encompass everything of the universe and earth. He kept going and the maps would later be of great importance to mapmakers in the Netherlands. He became known for his 5 wall maps and an unfinished cosmography, or in short a pair of globes. His inventions could have an impact on prosperity. In 1552 he moved to Duisburg where he died in 1594 at an age of 82.