1532-1589

Spanish navigational scientist who wrote an influential book on navigation, Breve compendio de la Sphera y del arte de navegar: con nuevos instrumentos y reglas, exemplificado con muy subtiles demonstraciones (Short Compendium of the Sphere and of the Art of Navigation: With New Instruments and Rules, Exemplified with Very Simple Demonstrations). This work discusses the variability of compass readings in different parts of the world, and offers explanations counter to generalizations in other works of the era. Upon its publication, Cortes's book was considered very important, particularly to the English. Indeed, the English translation went through six editions in the sixteenth century alone.