The ‘Charts of the Rutters of India’ of D. João de Castro of the General Library of the University of Coimbra: new data

Abstract

This article analyses one of the most famous codices of the General Library of the University of Coimbra: the ‘Charts of the Rutters of India’ of D. João de Castro. Despite the fame of these drawings, there is still a lack of information about the codex itself, its internal structure, material condition and provenance. Therefore, this article aims to provide a thorough evaluation of the folios of this 16th century manuscript, proposing new hypothesis about its origin and whereabouts.