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Given the plans to make available a facsimile of the Waldseemueller's two famous maps -- the 1507 world map and the Carta Marina of 1516 -- I should point out that the Library of Congress once again in its bookstore is selling copies of the second, enlarged 2009 edition of the first-ever book on the 1507 map, entitled The Magellan Myth: Reflections on Columbus, Vespucci and the Waldseemueller Map or 1507. (originally published in July 2007) This second edition contains a long 20,000 word supplemental essay entitled: Vespucci's Dilemmas, Spanish Exploration and the Saint-Die Project which takes into account new discoveries concerning the transmission of geographical knowledge to Saint-Die especially from Portugal about the island-like configuration of the new southern continent surrounded by water on all sides or "a vast ocean" as Ringmann put it. The essay also explores more closely the awkward situation in which Vespucci found himself in the service of the Portuguese King Manuel after the publication of the much too revealing essay, Mundus Novus in 1503-1504. This publication appears to have undermined his continued service for Lisbon but his decision to return to Spanish service as opposed to his declared intention to retire to Florence surely raised Portuguese suspicions that he had been all along a spy for King Ferdinand who was well known for his large investment in espionage. This helps explains why the Spanish monarch mothballed Vespucci rather than risk his capture by the Portuguese on the high seas and then in early 1508 (after the Waldseemueller map) why the Spanish King sent Pinzon and de Solis to the SW to explore the new continent and locate the strait which the Portuguese had found. (Antonio Herrera's account of this voyage is the only credible account of this voyage). Finally, the Saint-Die scholars were well aware and their map/essay project were heavily influenced by getting started in the late summer in 1505 after word got out that King Ferdinand was going to play a bombshell French Card to outflank Lisbon by marrying the niece of Louis XII. This power play resulting in a new Franco-Spanish alliance with dynastic coloration explains a great deal, including the decision at Saint-Die to dedicate Latin translations of Vespucci's letters to King Ferdinand and then balancing that with the dedication of Cosmographiae Introductio to the son of Emperor Maxmilian (Philip) over whom Ferdinand had just triumphed in a nasty political showdown for the control of the Crown of Castile. The scholars at Saint-Die were not political neophytes, and Ringmann and Waldseemueller said and visually showed too much with their project concerning knowledge of the new southern continent to have made Lisbon happy. Quite the opposite, King Manuel must have been furious. In any case, my book is available at the Library of Congress bookstore. For those interested I can provide more information about how to obtain a copy from it or directly through me. Peter Dickson 3515 North Pershing Drive Arlington, Virginia 22201 Phone: 703-243-6641 Email: _pwdbard@aol.com_ (mailto:pwdb...@aol.com)
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