Pilot Major of Spain
The Pilot Major (Spanish: Piloto Mayor) or Pilot-Major of Spain was an important official of the Casa de Contratación, a crown agency of the Spanish Empire, with specific responsibilities in mapmaking and the licensing of all maritime pilots.[1]
On 6 August 1508, the Spanish government ordered the establishment of the Padrón Real as a template for the official map used by every Spanish ship in the 16th century to avoid confusion from a multitude of sailing charts. A commission consisting of the best pilots in the kingdom was constituted, with Amerigo Vespucci as its president and first Pilot Major of Spain, the latter an office created for Vespucci.[2] Pilots returning to Spain were required to report new geographical information to the Pilot Major, who, in twice-monthly consultations with his majesty's cartographers, would decide whether to include it in the master Padrón Real and its copies, the Padrón General.[2][3]: 72, 278 The Pilot Major was eventually given permission to sell copies of the Padrón General for his own benefit.[3]: 73, 279
The Pilot Major was also responsible for "examining and licensing all pilots of the Spanish fleet."[1]
Holders of the office include:
- Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512),[2][4] Italian explorer
- Juan Díaz de Solís (c. 1470–1516),[5] Portuguese or Spanish navigator and explorer, appointed Pilot Major in 1512 following the death of Vespucci[6]
- Sebastian Cabot[3]: 321 [7] (c. 1474–c. 1557), Venetian explorer, Pilot Major of Spain from 5 February 1518 to 25 October 1525, succeeding Díaz de Solís,[5] and again from 1533 to 1547[3]: 73 [8]
In 1519, a new position was created, Cartographer (Cartógrafo), to assume some of the responsibilities of the Pilot Major.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ash, Eric H. The History of Cartography, Volume 3, Chapter 20: Navigation Techniques and Practice in the Renaissance (PDF). University of Chicago Press. pp. 523–524. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Pohl, Frederick J.; Loeb, Captain Leonard B. (April 1957). "Americo Vespucio—Pioneer Celo-Navigator And Geographer". Proceedings. Vol. 83. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Harrisse, Henry (1896). John Cabot: The Discoverer of North America, and Sebastian, His Son. B. F. Stevens. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Pohl, Frederick J. (1944). Amerigo Vespucci: Pilot Major (2nd ed.). Columbia University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780231902861. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Giovanni Vespucci: World Map". Hispanic Society of America. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Afonso, Paulo Manuel João (2023). "The Double Nationality of João Rodrigues Cabrilho, Portuguese-Born, Naturalized Castilian. Part I – A Much Needed Review" (PDF). Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies. 48 (1): 6. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Skelton, R. A. (1966). "Cabot, Sebastian". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. 1. University of Toronto/Université Laval. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "John & Sebastian Cabot". Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ O'Flanagan, Patrick (28 June 2013). Port Cities of Atlantic Iberia, c. 1500–1900. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-4094-8011-2.