1780 Gongora y Lujan de Almodovar Map of the Philippines

This is an extremely scarce 1790 map of the Philippines prepared for Pedro Jiménez de Góngora y Luján, Duque Almodóvar del Río. The map embraces most of the Philippines from northern Luzon to just south of Mindanao, and west to Palawan.

Sources

Most scholarship suggests this map is derived from Pedro Murillo Velarde's 1734 Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Islas Filipinas, but we do not find this to be a supportable position. The present map offers both greater and lesser detail than the Velarde, with significant corrections in Mindanao, Luzon, Palaway, and among the lesser islands. The present map includes mountains and volcanos not present on the Velarde. Here too, major river systems are enlarged to exaggerate both their course and navigability. Likely he is drawing from latter sources including British and Spanish nautical charts of the late 18th century.

Publication History and Census

This map was made to illustrate Historia política de los Establecimientos Ultramarinos de las Naciones Europeas, published in Madrid between 1784 and 1790. This map appeared in the final volume, published in 1790. No engraver is credited. The separate map is rare both in institutional collections and to the market.