Renaissance Latin edition of Leo Africanus's (John Leo Africanus') famous Description of Africa , one of the most influential geographical texts of the 16th century. Hassan ibn Muḥammad al-Wazzān (later known as Leo Africanus, or John Leo Africanus) was born in Granada around 1494 and lived between Morocco, the Mediterranean, and Rome. He was a diplomat, traveler, and Islamic scholar who converted to Christianity. The text was originally written in Arabic, then rewritten by the author in Italian, and translated into Latin by European humanists.
The work is divided into 9 books: geography of North Africa and the Sahara; kingdoms and cities (Morocco, Fez, Tripoli, Egypt, etc.) peoples, languages, and customs; economy and trade; political and religious systems; wars and dynasties.