Willem Janszoon

Willem Janszoon (c. 1570 – c. 1630) was a Dutch navigator and colonial governor. He served in the Dutch East Indies from 1603 to 1611 and again from 1612 to 1616. During this time, he was the governor of Fort Henricus on the island of Solor.

One of his most important achievements happened during his voyage from 1605 to 1606. In that time, Janszoon and his crew became the first Europeans known to have seen and landed on the coast of Australia. This discovery was a big moment in history because it was one of the earliest times Europeans learned about this part of the world.

His name is sometimes shortened to Willem Jansz, which was common during his time. Even though people often use this shorter name, in the Netherlands, it is usually said in full. The name "Jansz" is not the same as another form that looks similar but has a different meaning.

Early life

Willem Janszoon was born around 1570. Not much is known about his early life or his parents. He started working for a Dutch trading group, which later became the Dutch East India Company, in 1598. He served as a mate on a ship called Hollandia, which was part of a group of ships led by Jacob Corneliszoon van Neck traveling to the Dutch East Indies.

Around the year 1600, Janszoon had a child named Jan Willemsz. He then sailed again on May 5, 1601, as the leader of a ship called Lam, one of three ships in a fleet led by Joris van Spilbergen. Later, on December 18, 1603, Janszoon set sail for the East Indies for the third time. He was the captain of a ship named Duyfken, part of a large group of twelve ships led by Steven van der Hagen. When the other ships left Java, Janszoon was asked to search for new places to trade, especially in areas known as New Guinea and other lands to the east and south.

Exploration and discovery

First voyage to Australia

Main article: Janszoon voyage of 1605–1606

In 1605, Willem Janszoon and his crew became the first Europeans to see and land on the coast of Australia. They traveled from Bantam through several island groups until they reached what is now Queensland. Janszoon mapped about 320 kilometres (200 miles) of the coastline, thinking it was part of New Guinea.

During their journey, there were conflicts with local people, and some of Janszoon’s crew members were lost. Despite these challenges and without finding the treasures they hoped for, Janszoon returned to Banda in 1606. He named the land he discovered “Nieu Zelant,” but this name was not used; later, it was applied to New Zealand.

Second voyage to Australia

Janszoon later reported landing on an island in 1618, which is now believed to be part of the western coast of Australia. He thought it was an island but did not fully sail around it to know for sure.

Political

Around 1617–1618, Willem Janszoon returned to the Netherlands and joined the Council of the Indies. He also served as an admiral in the Dutch Defence fleet. In 1619, he received a gold chain worth 1,000 guilders—a big reward—for helping capture four ships from the British East India Company near Tiku on West Sumatra. These ships had supported the Javanese in defending Jakarta against Dutch forces. Later, in 1620, he helped negotiate with the English. Together, they sailed to Manila to stop Chinese merchants from trading with the Spanish. Janszoon was promoted to vice-admiral and then admiral. Toward the end of his life, he governed Banda from 1623 to 1627. He is believed to have passed away in 1630.

Records

The original journal and log from Willem Janszoon’s 1606 voyage have been lost. However, a map called the Duyfken chart, which shows where Janszoon first landed in Australia, survived. This map was used to make early maps of the Pacific Ocean. It was copied around 1670 and eventually ended up in the Imperial Library in Vienna, where it was forgotten for many years. The information from Janszoon’s maps was also used in important maps placed in a grand hall in Amsterdam.

Imperial Library Vienna Atlas Blaeu Prince Eugene of Savoy Royal Palace Amsterdam