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Description

Fine map of the Red Sea and the Route from Cairo to Mecca, published by Pierre Du Val.

The map shows the intinerary of a traveler identified in the map title as Don Phiippo de Tunis, who traveled from Cairo to Mecca in 1657.

In fact, the identity of the traveler is Prince Mohamed Chelebi. Chelebi's father was anl administrator of the janissaries. At a young age, Chelebi turns to sea as a pirate. When his dad becomes administrator of Tunis, Chelebi is put in charge of the pirate port of Porto Farina in 1640. Chelebi's life as a pirate allowed him to accumulate great wealth and he becomes a lively and extravagant person. He marries the daughter of bey Hammouda. He travels to Europe where he meets theKing of Spain and Pope Innocent X, and converts to Christianity under the name of Don Philippe, he come back to Tunis in 1650.

Pierre Du Val Biography

Pierre Duval (1618-1683) was a French geographer, cartographer, and publisher who worked in Abbeville and Paris during the seventeenth century. He was born in the former city, in northeast France, before moving to Paris. Duval was the nephew of the famous cartographer Nicolas Sanson, from whom he learned the mapmaker's art and skills. Both men worked at the royal court, having followed the royal request for artists to relocate to Paris. In addition to numerous maps and atlases, Du Val's opus also includes geography texts. He held the title of geographe ordinaire du roi from 1650 and died in 1683, when his wife and daughters took over his business.