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Jan 1, 1550
Williem Barendz is Born
Williem Barendz, an important Dutch explorer/navigator is born in Terschelling, Holland in the year 1550. He would lead a huge fleet of ships to explore the northern passage, and map the entire Mediterranean. *Please note that nobody has been able to find out Williem's excat date of birth, historians only know what the year is, and it is 1550. -Collaborative -
Holland's First Expedition to the Polar Seas commenced.
On June the 5th, 1594, Holland's first expedition to the Polar Seas begun. Holland sent three vessels , supplied by the cities of Amsterdam, Enkhuizen, and the province of Zeeland. Williem Barendz was the captain of the Amsterdam vessel, while Van Linschoten captained the other two. They visited the islands of Nova Zembla, and accurately mapped them.The objective of the mission was to sail through the the Straits of Waigatz and to the Pacific Ocean which was believed to be there. By:Yuhao -
Holland's first Expedition to the Polar Seas Returned to Amsterdam.
Barendz and Linschoten were met by violent storms and huge ice-drifts, and saw that it was impossible to achieve the objective of the expedition. They had stories to tell of the Polar bears, and the seals, and of a new and terrible kind of animal, the walrus; which half in sport, half in rage tried to sink their boats with its long tusks. Alex -
Dutch reached the East Indies by the Cape Passage
In 1595, the Dutch reached the East Indies by the Cape Passage (see picture), and began the establishment of a great institution, the "Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie" or the "VOC". In English it means: "United East Indies Company". This company was the first company to issue stock. It also possessed quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts,negotiate treaties, coin money, and establish colonies. By:Yuhao -
The Dutch Send Seven Ships to China for Trading Purposes. (By: Yuhao)
In the summer of 1595, the Dutch send 7 ships to China. The ships were loaded with broadcloths, linen and tapestries for the trade which was for opening up with China. They had their eyes on the silk, spices, tea and gold that the Chinese had. They took a long time in these mercantile arrangements that the summer was half over before the fleet started. Williem Barendz, Jan Huyghen van Linschoten, and Jacob Heemskerk were at the head of the expedition. Please note "Jul 1st" represents "summer" -
The Crew Sent to China Returns to Amsterdam
On November the 15th, 1595 the members of the China expedition were forced to return with the bear's skin and a supply of what was thought to be diamonds. This was because they lost two members of their crew. The two members were consumed by polar bears, and the captains decided it was too risky to carry on. They got back to Amsterdam, and the States-General, greatly disappointed, refused to have anything more to do directly with Arctic navigation (and trading with China). By:Yuhao -
Williem Barendz and a crew sets off to the Polar Seas (Again).
In the year 1596 Williem Barendz and others with him determined if it was possible to assay the North-east Passage again. As no sailor had assayed the North-east Passage at that time, it was every explorer's dream to navigate it. On the 18th of May. 1596, they recieved two ships from Amsterdam, and set off. Extra information: On June 19th they reached a latitude which was within ten degrees of the pole. The land found there, was given the name of Spitzbergen. By Yuhao -
Williem Barendz's crew started to return to Amsterdam from Nova Zembia
Williem Barentsz's crew went through a harsh arctic winter with rations and a frozen boat in Nova Zembla. They start their journey back with 13 crew members, including a young cabin boy. The journey back was in 2 boats that were docked, smaller than the frozen ship. Alex -
Willem Barendz dies of exaustion
On June 20th, Willem Barendz dies of exaustion in the age of 46, in one of his missions in the Northern Passage in the Arctic. He died at sea studying charts. His ship had crashed in- to a platform, and the scurvy ridden surviving crew had to sail back with smaller boats docked there. The remaing crew members arrived at Amsterdam on November 1. Alex (with a bit of help from Yuhao) -
The remaining men of Barendz`s crew arrive back at Amsterdam
Barentsz's crew went through a harsh arctic winter in Nova Zembla. Only 10-12 crew members returned, all with scurvy. They were stranded for an entire arctic winter, in their log house they built. Next June, the frost still hasn't loosened the ship, so they took 2 small boats. They returned in these boats.
Alex -
Another fleet started for the purpose of passing through the Straits of Magellan into the Pacific
*Please note "Jan 1st" is there because TimeToast needs a date. In the year 1598, another fleet departed Amsterdam in hopes of passing through the Straits of Magellan and into the Pacific Ocean. At the time, the Straits of Magellan was the only way into the Pacific Ocean. Although there is no known captian/leader of the voyage, it is one of few Dutch exploartions of the renaissance that was did not include Williem Barendz, whom was dead by the year 1598. By: Yuhao -
The last of Dutch missions to explore the Northern Passage returns to Holland
In 1598 another Dutch fleet sailed for the purpose of passing through the Straits of Magellan into the Pacific, at that time supposed to be the only way to the other ocean. Of the fleet which made this voyage one only returned to Holland. The Dutch had explored the North and the South Poles. Alex
