Who was Willem Janszoon and what did he do?
(Image: Rupert Gerritsen) Willem Janszoon was born some time around 1570, probably in Amsterdam, and died in 1630. He was a Dutch navigator and colonial governor, and is believed to have possibly been the first European known to have seen the coast of Australia.
When did Willem Janszoon see the coast of Australia?
Janszoon served in the Netherlands East Indies in the periods 1603–1611 and 1612–1616, including as governor of Fort Henricus on the island of Solor. He is the first European known to have seen the coast of Australia during his voyage of 1605–1606 .
When did Willem Janszoon join the Dutch East India Company?
Janszoon is first recorded as entering into the service of the Oude compagnie, one of the predecessors of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), in 1598 as a mate aboard the Hollandia, part of the second fleet under Jacob Cornelisz. van Neck, dispatched by the Dutch to the Dutch East Indies.
When did Willem Janzoon return to the Netherlands?
In 1611, Janzoon returned to the Netherlands, believing that the south coast of New Guinea was joined to the land along which he had sailed, and Dutch maps reproduced that error for many years.
Willem Janszoon. Willem Janszoon (1570-1630), also known as Willem Jansz was was a Dutch navigator and colonial governor. He was aboard the Hollandia, part of the second fleet dispatched by the Ductch to the Dutch East Indies (what is now Indonesia) in 1598.
Where did Jan Janszoon go on his voyage?
Janszoon served in the Netherlands East Indies in the periods 1603–11 and 1612–16, including as governor of Fort Henricus on the island of Solor. He was the first European to see the coast of Australia during his around the world voyage of 1605 – 1606.
Was Willem Janszoon in Torres Strait?
Janzsoon and the Duyfken were actually in Torres Strait in March 1606, just a few weeks before Torres sailed through. In 1611 Willem Janszoon returned to Holland believing that the south coast of New Guinea was joined to the land along which he sailed.