Petrus Bertius
1565-1629, Belgian publisher and cartographer
Petrus Bertius was born at Beveren, Flanders, in November 1565. As another religious refugee, like many of his compatriots, Bertius eventually settled in Amsterdam. After finishing his studies, he was appointed a professor of mathematics and librarian at the University of Leiden.
As well as being a prolific writer on mathematical, historical and theological subjects he also gained renown as a cartographer for his editions of Ptolemy's Geographia (based on Mercator's edition of 1578) and for his input into the miniature pocket atlases first produced by Cornelius Claesz, in 1600. These popular atlases, with maps engraved by Pieter van den Keere (Petrus Kaerius) and latin text composed by Bertius, were often re-issued and enlarged over the years.
In 1618 he also became cosmographer and historiographer to Louis XIII of France, and moved to Paris, where he died in October 1629. His fame among geographers was established by his text in the pocket atlas 'Tabularum Geographicarum'. He was related by marriage to both Jodocus Hondius and Pieter van den Keere
