A Spy, a Map, and the Quest for Power in 16th-Century Europe
In 1502, as Europeans hungrily looked to the vast new continent across the Atlantic Ocean, innovative maps of these unfamiliar territories became objects of power and intrigue. Alberto Cantino, an Italian spy, acquired a Portuguese map showing stunning finds in the New World.
This story appears in the March/April 2017 issue of National Geographic History magazine.
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