MARTIN, a celebrated geographer and navigator, born at Nurnberg about 1436. He entered into the service of Portugal in 1479, and in 1484 sailed in the fleet of the great captain Diego Cam, which was sent to explore the western coast of Africa. In 1485 he returned to Lisbon, where, on account of his scientific services and charts, the honour of knighthood was bestowed on him by the king, with splendid ceremony. He married the daughter of Job Huester, at Fayal, in 1486. For several years after he was employed in the construction of maps and charts at Lisbon, where he is said to have met Columbus. In the year in which that celebrated navigator sailed to discover the New World, Behem visited his native city, where he resided a year, and constructed a terrestrial globe, some fortunate conjectures in which have been made the foundation of an erroneous theory as to his share in transatlantic discovery. He afterwards resided chiefly at Fayal; but died at Lisbon in 1506, leaving no monuments of his science except this globe, and various maps and charts. The utter silence of the Portuguese government as to his supposed share in the discoveries of Columbus, is sufficient evidence that Behem had no claim to that honour.

(τ. s. t.)