'Abraham Cresques' (d.
1387) was a
Catalan Jewish Cartographer from
Palma de Mallorca, who, in collaboration with his son
Jehuda Cresques, compiled the
Catalan Atlas of
1375.
Abraham dedicated his life to the making of maps, and to the construction of clocks,
compasses, and other kinds of maritime instruments, until
1375, when he and his son received an assignment from Prince John of Aragon (later to be
John I of Aragon) to make a full series of nautical charts which represented the ''"East and the West, and everything that, from the Strait'' (of
Gibraltar) ''leads to the West"''. For this job, Abraham and Jehuda would be paid 150 Aragonese Golden Florins, and 60
Mallorcan Pounds, respectively, as it is stated in 14
th century documents from the Prince himself and his father
Peter IV of Aragon. The purpose Prince John had in mind for the charts was to give these to his cousin Charles, later to be
Charles VI, King of France, as a present. In that year
1375 Abraham and Jehuda drew the six charts of the
Catalan Atlas at their house in the Jewish quarter of
Palma de Mallorca (most likely).