Date:

1564

Title:

Floridae

Cartographer:

Le Moyne de Morgues, Jacques 1533-1588

Summary:

This map was an original creation by Le Moyne based on information that he gathered while living in Florida on the River May (St. Johns River) in the colony founded by Ribault and Loundonniere for French Huguenots. This colony was started two years after the Port Royal (Beaufort, S.C.) colony. In Florida they build Fort Caroline which was later raided by Pedro Mendez d'Avila who slaughtered many of the French settlers. Fortunately Le Moyne, who was an artist from Dieppe, France, was one of the ones who escaped and was thus able to complete his drawings and map and preserve them in England, where he lived until his death in 1588.

Theodore de Bry was born in Liege in 1528 but worked in England from 1586 to 1588. He was a goldsmith, engraver, and publisher. He contacted Le Moyne's widow and was able to acquire his map and drawings. Using these along with other images by John White, he began in 1590 to produce Grand Voyages (to America) in fourteen parts. After his death in 1598, these publications were completed by his sons in 1601. Later editions were published.

The Le Moyne map is not as accurate as the later Chavez map because it was probably based on information from the natives and not on actual exploration.


Note:

Image scanned from an original map in a private collection.

Reference: Tooley (2003, 2004).

Coverage Time:

1500s