--- title: Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520 author: Simeon Netchev source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19706/map-of-the-travels-of-leo-africanus-1507-1520/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) updated: 2025-11-07 --- # Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520 _Authored by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/)_ ## Image File [![Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19706.png)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19706.png) ## Image Caption The travels of [Leo Africanus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leo_Africanus/) (al-Hasan ibn [Muhammad](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Muhammad/) al-Wazzan al-Fāsī, c. 1494 - c. 1554) illuminate the cultural and political complexity of 16th-century North and West [Africa](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/africa/) at a moment of shifting imperial, commercial, and religious frontiers. Born in Granada shortly before the final fall of al-Andalus (1492) and raised in Fez under the Wattasid dynasty, he was educated as a Muslim scholar and served on diplomatic missions throughout the Maghreb and the Sahara. His extensive journeys, from Morocco and the Western Sudan to major caravan hubs along the Niger, reflected the interconnected nature of the pre-modern African world, where [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/) routes linked [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/) ports with interior kingdoms. His capture by Spanish pirates and subsequent enslavement in [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/), where he converted to [Christianity](https://www.worldhistory.org/christianity/) under Pope Leo X (r. 1513 - 1521), placed him at the intersection of African, Islamic, and European intellectual traditions. His Description of Africa (completed c. 1550), written in Italian, became [Europe](https://www.worldhistory.org/europe/)’s most influential geographical account of the continent for centuries. Drawing on personal observation, diplomatic experience, and learned scholarship, Leo Africanus provided detailed portrayals of political systems, urban life, economic networks, and religious diversity, from the scholarly centers of [Timbuktu](https://www.worldhistory.org/Timbuktu/) to the caravan routes of the Sahara. While shaped by its author’s unique position between cultures, the work offered European readers an unprecedented window into African societies, challenging misconceptions even as it contributed to new ones. Its long-lasting impact underscores how travel narratives could bridge and transform knowledge during the early modern era. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## About the Author Simeon is a freelance visual designer and history educator, passionate about the human stories that shape the past. - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeon-netchev/) ## Cite This Work ### APA Netchev, S. (2024, November 22). Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 22, 2024. . ### MLA Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Travels of Leo Africanus, 1507-1520." *World History Encyclopedia*, 22 Nov 2024, . ## License & Copyright Submitted by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/ "User Page: Simeon Netchev"), published on 22 November 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0deed.en). This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.