Who hired Muhammad al-Idrisi to create his collection of maps?

• A. King Roger II of Normandy
• B. King Philip II of France
• C. Emperor Charlemagne
• D. Queen Victoria

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how geographic knowledge was produced and funded in history. Muhammad al-Idrisi was brought to life by the patronage of a ruler who valued learning and navigation. He was invited by Roger II, the Norman king who ruled Sicily in the mid-1100s, to gather information from travelers and scholars and turn it into a comprehensive atlas. In Roger II’s cosmopolitan court in Palermo, Idrisi spent years compiling data from across the Islamic world and beyond, resulting in a world map and accompanying description that became highly influential. This shows how a powerful ruler’s support can directly shape the creation and reach of geographic knowledge.

Among the options, the correct idea is that Idrisi produced his atlas under the sponsorship of Roger II of Sicily—the Norman king who governed that region—rather than any of the other figures listed. Charlemagne lived many centuries earlier, and neither Philip II of France nor Queen Victoria is connected to Idrisi’s work. The title “King Roger II of Normandy” is a common mix-up; the ruler who commissioned Idrisi was the Norman king of Sicily.