Jacob Le Maire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jacob Le Maire
Born	c. 1585  (age 437) Antwerp

Jacob Le Maire (born around 1585 – died December 22, 1616) was a Dutch sailor. He sailed all the way around the world in 1615 and 1616. A narrow sea passage, called a strait, was named the Le Maire Strait in his honor. This strait is located between Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados.

There was some debate about the name. Le Maire himself suggested naming the new passage after him. The crew on his ship, the Eendracht, agreed. However, others felt it should have been named after the ship's captain, Willem Schouten. They believed Schouten's sailing skills led to its discovery. After finding the strait, the Eendracht sailed around Cape Horn. This journey proved that Tierra del Fuego was an island, not a large continent.

Early Life and Family Business

Jacob Le Maire was born in either Antwerp or Amsterdam. He was one of 22 children of Isaac Le Maire and Maria Walraven. His father, Isaac, was a very successful merchant. Isaac and Maria got married just before the Spanish attacked Antwerp in 1585. They then moved to Amsterdam.

Isaac Le Maire became very rich in Amsterdam. He was one of the people who helped start the Dutch East India Company (VOC). This company had a monopoly, meaning it was the only one allowed to trade with the East Indies. However, Isaac Le Maire had a disagreement with the VOC in 1605. For the next ten years, he tried to find ways to break their trading control.

The Australian Company and New Routes

By 1615, Isaac Le Maire started a new company called the Australian Company. His goal was to find a new sea route to the Pacific Ocean and the Spice Islands. This new route would allow him to avoid the VOC's rules. He helped prepare two ships for this journey: the Eendracht and the Hoorn.

Isaac put his son, Jacob, in charge of trading during the trip. Willem Schouten, an experienced ship master, was the captain of the Eendracht. Schouten also invested in the journey, sharing the costs equally with Isaac Le Maire.

The Voyage of Discovery

On June 14, 1615, Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten set sail from Texel in the United Provinces. On January 29, 1616, they successfully sailed around Cape Horn. They named this cape after their ship, the Hoorn, which was unfortunately lost in a fire. The city of Hoorn in the Netherlands was also Schouten's hometown.

After trying to stop at the Juan Fernández Islands in early March, the ships crossed the Pacific Ocean. They visited several islands in the Tuamotus group. Between April 21 and 24, 1616, they were the first Europeans to visit the northern Tonga islands. These included "Cocos Island" (Tafahi), "Traitors Island" (Niuatoputapu), and "Island of Good Hope" (Niuafo'ou).

On April 28, they discovered the Hoorn Islands (Futuna and Alofi). The local people welcomed them warmly, and they stayed there until May 12. After that, they sailed along the northern coasts of New Ireland and New Guinea. They also visited nearby islands, including the Schouten Islands on July 24.

Arrival in the Spice Islands

In August, they reached the Northern Moluccas, which are part of the Spice Islands. On September 12, 1616, they arrived at Ternate. This was the main office of the VOC. They were warmly greeted by important officials, including Governor-General Laurens Reael.

The Eendracht then continued its journey to Java. On October 28, it reached Batavia. Amazingly, 84 of the original 87 crew members from both ships were still on board.

Dispute and Return Home

Even though Le Maire and Schouten had found a new route, the VOC claimed they had broken its trading rules. Jan Pietersz Coen of the VOC ordered their arrest, and the Eendracht was taken away. After being released, they traveled back to Amsterdam. They sailed with Joris van Spilbergen, who was also completing his own trip around the world. Van Spilbergen had used the traditional Strait of Magellan route.

Jacob Le Maire was on the ship Amsterdam for the journey home. Sadly, he died during the trip. Van Spilbergen was with him and took Le Maire's travel report. He later included it in his own book. The rest of the crew arrived back in the Netherlands on July 1, 1617. Their journey had lasted two years and 17 days.

Jacob's father, Isaac, fought against the VOC's actions in court. It took until 1622 for a court to rule in his favor. He was given 64,000 pounds as compensation. He also got back his son's travel diaries, which he then published. His company was finally allowed to trade using the newly discovered route. However, by then, the Dutch West India Company had also claimed rights to trade in those waters.

See also

In Spanish: Jacob Le Maire para niños