Jacob van Heemskerk

Jacob van Heemskerk (3 March 1567 in Amsterdam – 25 April 1607 in Bay of Gibraltar) was a Dutch explorer and later admiral commanding the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Gibraltar. Brother of Cornelis van "Heemskerck" (historically correct spelling) himself a less renowned explorer of Brazil.

Jacob van Heemskerk was born in Amsterdam in 1567. He is described as having delicate feature, large brown eyes, a thin high nose, fair hair and beard, and a soft gentle expression. Under a quiet exterior and plain dress were a daring nature and indomitable ambition for military and naval distinction.

Van Heemskerk's early fame arose from an attempt to discover an Arctic passage from Europe to China (the Northeast Passage). Two vessels sailed from Amsterdam on 10 May 1596, under the command of van Heemskerck and Jan Rijp. Willem Barentsz accompanied Heemskerck as pilot, and Gerrit de Veer, the historian of the voyage, was on board as mate.

The masses of ice in the straits leading to the Kara Sea, and the impenetrable nature of the pack near Novaya Zemlya, had suggested the advisability of avoiding the land and, by keeping a northerly course, of seeking a passage in the open sea. They sailed northwards, and on 9 June discovered Bear Island in the Barents Sea. Continuing on the same course they sighted a mountainous snow-covered land in about 80 N. lat., soon afterwards being stopped by the polar pack ice. This important discovery was named Spitsbergen (now known as Svalbard), and was believed (incorrectly) to be a part of Greenland.

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