Otto M. Schwarz

Mundus Novus

Mundus Novus ('New World') is a travelogue in the form of letters sent by the sailor and explorer Amerigo Vespucci in 1502 to the Florentine nobleman Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco di Medici. The life and discoveries of Amerigo Vespucci are surrounded in misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Originally from Florence, he was sent by the Medici banking family to Seville, where he worked as the director of the local branch. The first major voyages to the New World were financed and planned from here. Vespucci is credited with four journeys to America. Mundus Novus describes his third voyage, which he undertook to South America on behalf of the king of Portugal. Vespucci arrived on the Brazilian coast on 7 August 1501 after a long and hazardous voyage. He described the flora and fauna, the weather, the lives of the natives and their customs and spoke for the first time-in contrast to Christopher Columbus-of a new continent, indeed a new world. This travelogue appeared in various languages and fortunately spread very quickly. Maps were redrawn and Martin Waldseemüller, at Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, used Mundus Novus as the basis for his Cosmographiae Introductio in which the name 'America' first appeared for the newly-discovered land.