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Abraham Ortelius (April 2, 1527 – June 28, 1598) was a cartographer and geographer, generally recognized as the creator of the first modern atlas. He was born in Antwerp in what is now Belgium, a member of the influential Ortelius family of Augsburg.

Beginning as a map-engraver, in 1547 he entered the Antwerp guild of St Luke as afsetter van Karten. His early career is that of a businessman, and most of his journeys before 1560 are for commercial purposes. In 1560, however, when travelling with Mercator to Trier, Lorraine and Poitiers, he seems to have been attracted, largely by Mercator’s influence, towards the career of a scientific geographer; in particular he now devoted himself, at his friend’s suggestion, to the compilation of that atlas, or Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World), by which he became famous.