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Olivier van Noort by Hoff,Adrianus Johanness van –

Top 10 Sensational Facts About Olivier van Noort

Olivier van Noort was a Dutch merchant pirate and captain born in 1558 in Utretcht. He was the first Dutchman to sail around the world. Olivier van Noort was Henry Hudson’s predecessor. He left Rotterdam on 2nd July 1598 with a plan, under his command, to ambush Spanish property and assets in the Pacific.

Besides that, he had a plan to trade with China and all the Spice islands during the 80 years of war between Spain and the Netherlands. During this expedition, Olivier van Noort left with four ships that were poorly equipped for what they were about to embark on in terms of the crew and the armor they had on board.

Despite his great accomplishments very little is known about Olivier van Noort’s voyage. Here are some sensational facts about him;

1. Olivier Van Noort Was The Fourth Navigator To Successfully Circumnavigate The World

Title page of Noort’s expedition by Olivier van Noort-

Being the first Dutch to sail around the world under his command with a very unruly crew ad poor armament. Olivier van Noort managed to be the fourth navigator to successfully voyage around the world which was regarded by many as a dangerous expedition. This was since the year 1520 when the little ships of Ferdinand Magellan had executed the circumnavigating the world.

2. He Was Not Well Educated

Olivier van Noort monument by Kattenkruid –

Besides Olivier van Noort’s peers, he was not well educated and mostly gathered knowledge quite a bit through the common schools that he attended. He learned how to navigate by being a mate and captain of a small schooner. In 1595, Olivier van Noort was able to own an ale house in Rotterdam.

3. Olivier Van Noort Founded His Own Trading Company

Olivier van Noort by Wende,Jacobus Cornelis –

From the money that he had managed to save over the time he served his customers, he was able to start up his very own trading company. Once he had established it, it gave Olivier the chance to petition for assistance from the people of Holland to aid in an expedition to the Chili or the islands of Moluccas.

4. His Petition For Assistance Was Granted

In Olivier van, Noort’s petition, the estate’s generals were requested to give Olivier van Noort and his trading company free access to export and import for at least 6 expeditions. Not only was this his request but also for him to be presented with ten cannons and twelve thousand pounds of gunpowder.

This strategy he put in place was in the hope of asking for too much he would be able to access at least part of what he had requested. In 1597, his petition for assistance was granted. Olivier obtained four guns, 12000 pounds of gunpowder, 6000 pounds of bullet, and a special grant that excluded him from the customary export tax for two voyages.

This was a clear indication that the voyage ahead would encounter serious trouble.

5. Olivier Van Noort Alongside His Crew Were Attacked By The Portuguese

He collaborated with Dutch merchants on the expedition they were to embark on around circumnavigating the world having a total of 248 men. Van Noort commanded the crew and their first stop was Plymouth. Here Olivier met Captain Melis, a British sailor, who had sailed around the world and was familiar with the regions with unfavorable conditions around the southern part of South America.

After sailing along Africa’s coast, they went on to Principe a Portuguese island in search of fresh water and food. They were attacked at this point by the Portuguese. This led to the death of three crew members including Olivier’s brother and Captain Melis whom they were completely dependent on to guide them through the expedition.

In vengeance, Admiral van Noort went into the interior of a Portuguese colony and set the plantations and houses he could find on fire burning them down.

6. His Men Fell Ill Due To Lack Of Fresh Provisions

The fleet sailed on and arrived at another Portuguese town to seek fresh food and water and they were received with less hostility even though they became hostile forcing the fleet to leave.

Subsequently, the men fell ill due to poor hygiene and lack of fresh provisions. After failed attempts of finding a safe place to build a fort Olivier eventually found an island, St Clara. They camped here as the ailing men nursed back to health

7. Olivier’s Fleet Instigated The Bloodiest Recorded Event In The Strait Of Magellan

The ship Mauritius sailing through Manila bay by Rijksmuseum –

Van Noort alongside his fleet sailed through the Strait of Magellan and his men murdered approximately forty congenital Selkham in what was regarded as the bloodiest recorded event. They also managed to capture a couple of ships along the Pacific coast of South America.

Due to a storm, Olivier lost two ships including his largest one, the Hendrick Frederick, which was wrecked in the Maluku islands.Van Noort established an anchorage for his last two remaining ships, Mauritius and Eendracht, at Manila Bay in the Philippines.

8. He Engaged In Pirate Activities

After mooring in the Philippines, Olivier van Noort engaged in activities that were perceived by the Spanish as pirate tendencies. He mainly targeted the sailing that accessed Manila to and from Manilla Bay.

9. Olivier Von Noort’s Ship Was Captured By The Spanish

This was however interrupted on December 14, 1600, after the naval combat of Fortune Island. The Spanish lost their flagship whose wreck was later discovered in 1992 holding treasures in gold and porcelain. But they went on to capture Olivier’s ship, Eendracht.

This rendered Olivier van Noort indefensible against them forcing him to withdraw from the Philippines and end his alleged pirate activities.

10. He Inspired More Expeditions On Circumnavigating The World

Olivier von Noort returned to Rotterdam on the 26th of August 1601 with the last of his ships, Mauritius, and 45 men out of the first 248 that embarked on the expedition. The voyage didn’t fulfill most of what was expected but it influenced and inspired other expeditions of the same nature.

The United Dutch East India Company was formed a few months later after the return of Olivier van Noort.His voyage is captured as a fictionalized tale for children in the book The Golden Keys by Hans Koning.