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Isolario General ~ 1541-1545

     In 1901 the Geographic Society of Madrid, founded in 1876, and the Spanish Society of Commercial Geography, created in 1885, merged and became the Real Sociedad Geogrįphica. The souvenir sheet features a map from the Isolario General of Alonso of Santa Cruz (1505-1567). Charles I of Spain (Charles V or the Holy Roman Empire) did not allow the publication of the Isolario because he did not want to share such an important and beautiful production. It remained in manuscript form from 1545 until 2003 when an edition was published to commemorate the Society. The original is preserved in the Biblioteca National in Madrid.
     The map chosen for the souvenir sheet shows southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa, with the stamp focused on Spain.

SCN 3244

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