# Philipp Clüver > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver > Source revision: 1334843033 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) German geographer and historian (1580–1622) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) "Cluverius" redirects here. For the U.S. admiral, see [Wat Tyler Cluverius, Jr.](/source/Wat_Tyler_Cluverius%2C_Jr.) For his grandson, the U.S. diplomat, see [Wat T. Cluverius IV](/source/Wat_T._Cluverius_IV). Philipp Clüver Map from *Italia Antiqua* (1624) Clüver's *Mauritania et Africa Propria nunc Barbaria*, circa 1624 **Philipp Clüver** (also **Klüwer**, **Cluwer**, or **Cluvier**, [Latinized](/source/Latin) as **Philippus Cluverius**) (1580 – 31 December 1622) was an [Early Modern](/source/Early_Modern_period) [German](/source/Germans) [geographer](/source/Geographer) and [historian](/source/Historian). ## Life Clüver was born in [Danzig](/source/Danzig) (Gdańsk), in [Royal Prussia](/source/Royal_Prussia), a province of the [Kingdom of Poland](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth). After spending some time at the [Polish](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth) court of [Sigismund III Vasa](/source/Sigismund_III_Vasa), he began the study of [law](/source/Law) at the [University of Leiden](/source/University_of_Leiden) ([Dutch Republic](/source/Dutch_Republic)), but soon he turned his attention to history and geography, which were then taught there by [Joseph Scaliger](/source/Joseph_Scaliger).[1] Clüver received science education from his father, who was *Münzmeister* at Danzig (coin master), but when Clüver went into different studies, his father stopped supporting his studies. He therefore travelled from Leiden across [Hungary](/source/Royal_Hungary) to [Bohemia](/source/Bohemia), where he did military service for a few years. While in Bohemia, he translated into Latin a defense by Baron Popel [Lobkowitz](/source/Lobkowitz), who was imprisoned. Upon his return to Leiden, he faced sanctions by the [imperial](/source/Holy_Roman_Empire) ([Habsburg](/source/Habsburg_monarchy)) authorities for this, which however he could avoid with the help of his Leiden friends. Clüver also travelled in [England](/source/Kingdom_of_England), [Scotland](/source/Kingdom_of_Scotland), and [France](/source/Early_Modern_France). He did all travel on foot, finally returning to Leiden, where (after 1616) he received a regular pension from the university. He died in [Leiden](/source/Leiden).[1] ## Work Clüver was an antiquary, who was given a special appointment at Leiden as geographer and put in charge of the university's library, but his life's project, it developed, was a general study of the geography of [Antiquity](/source/Classical_antiquity), based not only on classical literary sources, but – and this was his contribution – supplemented by wide travels and local inspections. He became virtually the founder of [historical geography](/source/Historical_geography). Clüver's first work, in 1611, concerning the lower reaches of the [Rhine](/source/Rhine) and its tribal inhabitants in [Roman times](/source/Ancient_Rome) (*Commentarius de tribus Rheni alveis, et ostiis; item. De Quinque populis quondam accolis; scilicet de Toxandris, Batavis, Caninefatibus, Frisiis, ac Marsacis*) touched a source of national pride among the [Seventeen Provinces](/source/Seventeen_Provinces), for the Dutch were enjoying a twelve years' truce in their [Eighty Years' War](/source/Eighty_Years'_War) of liberation. Clüver's *Germaniae antiquae libri tres* (Leiden, 1616) depends on [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus) and other Latin authors. A volume on the antiquities of [Sicily](/source/Sicily), with notes on [Sardinia](/source/Sardinia) and [Corsica](/source/Corsica) (*Sicilia Antiqua cum minoribus insulis ei adjacentibus item Sardinia et Corsica*), published at [Leiden](/source/Leiden) by [Louis Elsevier](/source/Louis_Elsevier) in 1619, is a useful source, with many reference from writers of Antiquity and maps that are often detached and sold to map collectors. His *Introductio in universam geographiam*, totally 6 parts, (published posthumously from 1624) was the first comprehensive modern geography,[2] and became a standard geographical textbook. Clüver was also a prolific a writer on mathematical and theological subjects. He is remembered by collectors and historians of [cartography](/source/Cartography) for his edition of [Ptolemy](/source/Ptolemy)'s *Geographia* (based on [Mercator](/source/Gerardus_Mercator)'s edition of 1578) and for miniature atlases that were reprinted for most of the 17th century. Many of his maps were etched for him by [Petrus Bertius](/source/Petrus_Bertius). ## Bibliography - *Germania Antiqua* (1616) - *Siciliae Antiquae libri duo* (1619) - *Sardinia et Corsica Antiqua* (1619) - *Italia Antiqua* (1624, posthumous) - *Introductio in Universam Geographiam* (1624–1629) ## Gallery - *Germania antiqua*, Pl. 11 - *Germania antiqua*, Pl. 17 - *Germania antiqua*, Pl. 18 - *Germania antiqua*, Pl. 24 ## Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_1-1) [Chisholm 1911](#CITEREFChisholm1911). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fuson_2-0)** Fuson, Robert Henderson (1969). [*A Geography of Geography: Origins and Development of the Discipline*](https://archive.org/details/geographyofgeogr0000fuso). Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Company. p. [87](https://archive.org/details/geographyofgeogr0000fuso/page/87). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780697051554](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780697051554). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [421903283](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/421903283). ## References - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm), ed. (1911). "[Cluwer, Philip](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Cluwer,_Philip)". *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 571. - [Philipp Clüver in *Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie*](https://web.archive.org/web/20051028211754/http://mdz1.bib-bvb.de/~ndb/ndbvoll.html?inpAuswahl%5b%5d=8518) ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Philipp Clüver](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver). - ["Philip Cluver"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Philip_Cluver). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica)*. Vol. VI (9th ed.). 1878. p. 43. - [Maps by Philipp Cluver](http://www.mapmogul.com/en-GB/item-search/page_906) - [St John's College, Cambridge](http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/library/special_collections/early_books/pix/germans.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20091009223743/http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/library/special_collections/early_books/pix/germans.htm) 2009-10-09 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine): note on Philipp Cluver Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF 2 GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy 2 Czech Republic Spain Portugal Netherlands Norway Latvia Chile Greece Sweden Poland Vatican Israel Belgium Croatia Academics CiNii Artists ULAN RKD Artists People Netherlands Trove Deutsche Biographie DDB Other IdRef Open Library --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Philipp Clüver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Cl%C3%BCver?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.