Tractatus de globis et eorum usu, published in 1594, provided the essential manual for the terrestrial and celestial globes created by Emery Molyneux. Authored by Robert Hues, this work sought to improve the practical application of astronomical navigation for English sailors, ultimately seeing publication in several languages across Europe as the era of global exploration intensified.
Academic Foundation
Born in 1553 in Hertfordshire, Robert Hues pursued his education at St Mary Hall and Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating in 1578. During his time at the university, he demonstrated proficiency in Greek. He later became a fellow of the University of Oxford, where he spent his final years engaged in mathematical discourse with associates.
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Hues gained expertise in navigation through schooling provided by Walter Raleigh. Between 1586 and 1588, he participated in a circumnavigation of the globe with Thomas Cavendish, documenting latitudes and conducting astronomical observations. A subsequent voyage in 1591 led him through the South Atlantic and the Equator. During this expedition, he gathered data on compass variations and observed Southern Hemisphere stars, including the Southern Cross. Following the death of Cavendish in 1592, Hues returned to England.
Scientific and Social Circles
Throughout his career, Hues maintained connections with influential figures, including the poet George Chapman and the Earl of Northumberland. During the period when the 9th Earl of Northumberland was confined in the Tower of London, Hues served as a companion alongside Thomas Harriot and Walter Warner. He later acted as a tutor to the Earl’s sons, Algernon Percy and Henry Percy, during their studies at Oxford in 1622 and 1623.
Fast facts
- Born: 1553
- Died: 24 May 1632
- Birthplace: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- Place of Death: Oxford, United Kingdom
- Burial location: Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
- Primary occupations: Mathematician and geographer
- Education: St Mary Hall and Brasenose College, Oxford
Questions readers ask
What was the primary purpose of Hues's 1594 book?
It was written to explain the use of terrestrial and celestial globes produced by Emery Molyneux and to promote astronomical navigation.
Where is Robert Hues buried?
He is buried at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.
Achievements
- Recorded as mathematician and geographer
