Idrīsī, al-Sharīf al- (1100-1166?), an Arab geographer, wrote the masterpiece The Pleasure Excursion of One Who Is Keen to Travel the Regions of the World. This work was an attempt to summarize and systematize the entire geographical knowledge of his day.
Idrīsī was born in Morocco. He began traveling at an early age and journeyed as far as England and Turkey before entering the service of Roger II, the Christian king of Sicily, in 1145. The Palermo court in Sicily was Idrīsī’s home until his death. With the king’s enthusiastic support, Idrīsī sent skilled observers to report on foreign countries. He combined their accounts with classic Greek and Arab descriptions to produce his great work. He also wrote poetry and a medical handbook, which shows his knowledge of 12 languages.
