ABSTRACT
This chapter documents the historical significance of nautical rutters in maritime knowledge circulation and their impact on European empires, focusing on Dutch traveler Jan Huyghen van Linschoten (1563–1611). It describes how Van Linschoten obtained and published Portuguese and Spanish nautical rutters in the Dutch Republic in 1595–1596, which catalyzed Dutch expansion to Asia. The chapter examines his movements during his Iberian career and emphasizes the transformation of Iberian nautical rutters into cohesive maritime knowledge for navigators. Rather than as a mere spy, Van Linschoten is viewed as a facilitator of knowledge transfer between Iberia and Northern Europe. Ultimately, the chapter highlights the broader relevance of nautical rutters for early modern global and imperial historians.
