{{Short description|16th-century Spanish government position}} The '''Pilot Major''' (Spanish: '''''Piloto Mayor''''') or '''Pilot-Major of Spain''' was an important official of the ''Casa de Contratación'', a crown agency of the Spanish Empire, with specific responsibilities in mapmaking and the licensing of nautical pilots.<ref name=Ash>{{cite book |url=https://press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/HOC_V3_Pt1/HOC_VOLUME3_Part1_chapter20.pdf |title=The History of Cartography, Volume 3, Chapter 20: Navigation Techniques and Practice in the Renaissance |first=Eric H. |last=Ash |publisher=University of Chicago Press |pages=523–524 |accessdate=21 October 2024}}</ref>

On 6 August 1508, the Spanish government ordered the establishment of the Padrón Real as a template for the official map used by every Spanish ship in the 16th century to avoid confusion from a multitude of sailing charts. A commission consisting of the best pilots in the kingdom was constituted, with Amerigo Vespucci as its president and first Pilot Major of Spain, the latter an office created for Vespucci.<ref name=USNI>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1957/april/americo-vespucio-pioneer-celo-navigator-and-geographer |title= Americo Vespucio—Pioneer Celo-Navigator And Geographer |first1=Frederick J. |last1=Pohl |author-link1=Frederick J. Pohl |first2=Captain Leonard B. |last2=Loeb |date=April 1957 |volume=83 |magazine=Proceedings |publisher=United States Naval Institute |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref> Pilots returning to Spain were required to report new geographical information to the Pilot Major, who, in twice-monthly consultations with his majesty's cartographers, would decide whether to include it in the Padrón Real, later called the Padrón General.<ref name=USNI/><ref name=Harrisse>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kpYwAQAAMAAJ&q=Pilot-major |title=John Cabot: The Discoverer of North America, and Sebastian, His Son |first=Henry |last=Harrisse |author-link=Henry Harrisse |year=1896 |publisher=B. F. Stevens |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref>{{rp|pp=72, 278}} The Pilot Major was eventually given permission to sell copies of the map for his own benefit.<ref name=Harrisse/>{{rp|pp=73, 279}}

The Pilot Major was also responsible for "examining and licensing all pilots of the Spanish fleet."<ref name=Ash/>

Holders of the office include: * Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512),<ref name=USNI/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJp1AAAAMAAJ&q=pilot+major |title=Amerigo Vespucci: Pilot Major |first=Frederick J. |last=Pohl |publisher=Columbia University Press |edition=2nd |year=1944 |isbn=9780231902861 |page=184 |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref> Italian explorer * Juan Díaz de Solís (c. 1470–1516),<ref name=HSA/> Portuguese or Spanish navigator and explorer, appointed in 1512 following the death of Vespucci<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://asphs.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/BSPHS48_The_double_nationality_of_Joao_Rodrigues_Cabrilho-1.pdf |title=The Double Nationality of João Rodrigues Cabrilho, Portuguese-Born, Naturalized Castilian. Part I – A Much Needed Review |first=Paulo Manuel João |last=Afonso |journal=Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies |volume=48 |issue=1 |year=2023 |page=6 |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref> * Sebastian Cabot<ref name=Harrisse/>{{rp|p=321}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cabot_sebastian_1E.html |title=Cabot, Sebastian |first=R. A. |last=Skelton |encyclopedia=Dictionary of Canadian Biography |volume=1 |publisher=University of Toronto/Université Laval |year=1966 |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref> (c. 1474–c. 1557), Venetian explorer, Pilot Major of Spain from 5 February 1518 to 25 October 1525, succeeding Díaz de Solís,<ref name=HSA>{{cite web |url=https://hispanicsociety.org/exhibition/current-exhibitions-works-on-loan/treasures-on-the-terrace_highlights-from-the-hispanic-society-museum-and-library/vespucci/ |title=Giovanni Vespucci: World Map |date=17 September 2020 |publisher=Hispanic Society of America |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref> and again from 1533 to 1547<ref name=Harrisse/>{{rp|p=73}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03126d.htm |title=John & Sebastian Cabot |encyclopedia=Catholic Encyclopedia |accessdate=20 October 2024}}</ref>

In 1519, a new position was created, Cartographer (''Cartógrafo''), to assume some of the responsibilities of the Pilot Major.<ref>{{cite book|first=Patrick |last=O'Flanagan|title=Port Cities of Atlantic Iberia, c. 1500–1900|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WrG9Apm7VfgC&pg=PA46|date=28 June 2013|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-4094-8011-2|page=46}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Maritime history of Spain Category:History of cartography