Origins & Early Life

Jodocus Hondius (Latinised version of his Dutch name: Joost de Hondt) (17 October 1563 – 12 February 1612) was a Flemish engraver and cartographer. He is sometimes called Jodocus Hondius the Elder to distinguish him from his son Jodocus Hondius II. Hondius is best known for his early maps of the New World and Europe, for re-establishing the reputation of the work of Gerardus Mercator, and for his portraits of Francis Drake. He inherited and republished the plates of Mercator, thus reviving his legacy, also making sure to include independent revisions to his work.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

One of the notable figures in the Golden Age of Dutch cartography (c. 1570s–1670s), he helped establish Amsterdam as the centre of cartography in Europe in the 17th century. Jodocus Hondius was born in Wakken in the County of Flanders (now Belgium), the son of Olivier de Hondt and Petronella van Havertuyn. He was raised in Ghent and trained there as an engraver, developing the drawing skills that supported his later work. By the early 1580s he was working as an engraver and also producing scientific instruments and globes.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1584 he left Flanders for London with his sister Jacomina...

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