Kemmelberg

Petrus Plancius (Pieter Platevoet), born in Dranouter in 1552, was a Flemish astronomer, cartographer, geographer, co-founder and administrator of the VOC (Dutch United East India Company) and, finally, a well-known theologian and fanatical Calvinist preacher.

He studied theology, history, and languages in Germany and England. After completing his studies, in 1576 he was appointed preacher in the 'Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk' (later Dutch Reformed Church) in Brussels.

When Alexander Farnese, duke of Parma, took Brussels in 1585, Plancius had to leave the city and the Catholic Southern Netherlands to avoid the threat of the Inquisition. He fled to Amsterdam.

Although Peter Plancius had established himself as a preacher, he was primarily a scientific geographer, astronomer, and nautical expert.

Together with Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, amongst others, he founded the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1602, became its administrator, and was also appointed cartographer of the VOC, where he laid the foundation for more than a hundred of the company's land and sea maps. He never went on any long journeys, but instead taught skippers and helmsmen in the homeland.

Plancius' best-known map is the world map, 'Orbis Terrarum', one of his earliest productions (1590).

The world map, 'Orbis Terrarum', by Petrus Plancius, 1590.

Various versions of this map are known. According to some sources its first version is believed to be a copy of a very first existing Portuguese map. How Plancius got this map (and others) remains unknown. The story goes that, during his flight from Brussels, Plancius took then-still-secret Portuguese nautical charts with him. Later he would publish these charts in Amsterdam.

According to other sources, his world map is based on the world map by Rumoldus Mercator (Rumold De Kremer, son of Gerard), dated to 1587.

The fact is that the so-called 'Compagnie van Verre', a peaceful spice tradership which would later merge with several other trade associations to form the VOC, purchased twenty-five secret, detailed Portuguese nautical charts in Amsterdam via Plancius and his publisher and printer, Cornelis Claesz. Claesz originated from Leuven and, like Plancius, had fled to the north as a Flemish Protestant. With these charts, and the help of Plancius himself, this trade company then drew up a travel route to the Indian Archipelago.

As evidenced by a charter which was issued by the Dutch States-General in 1592, Cornelis Claesz was authorised to print or draw all twenty-five maps, and those maps were obtained by citing Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius of 'Bartolomeu Lasso, cosmographer and navigation master of the king of Spain'. Bartolomeu Lasso was Portuguese...

The famous series of nautical charts which Plancius drew based on Lasso's work was groundbreaking. These accurate maps were an important stepping stone to the voyages of discovery which were initiated by Plancius, and towards the further development of Amsterdam's naval cartography in the seventeenth century. These are the first maps to be used by the Dutch on their travels to other continents. The prosperous colonial past of today's Netherlands is largely due to Plancius' cartography.

Plancius also drew up accurate astronomical charts which were based on notes written up by sailors, and which he subsequently published.

Peter Plancius was also an ally of Prince Maurice of Orange, son of William. He died in Amsterdam in 1622.

On the Planciussquare in Dranouter a memorial plaque was installed to mark his life and ground-breaking achievements.

Commemorative monument Petrus Plancius, Dranouter.

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REFERENCES:
Koen D'haene, Een slimme jongen die goed kan vertellen, biografie over het leven van Petrus Plancius uit Dranouter (Aflevering 248 VWS-cahiers van de Vereniging van West-Vlaamse Schrijvers (VWS), 2008) (in Dutch)

Siegfried Debaeke, Hitler, soldaat in de Westhoek (2012) (in Dutch)

EXTERNAL LINKS:
Bosgeuzen (PDF) (in Dutch)
Martelaars van Reningelst (PDF) (in Dutch)
Petrus Plancius - Eerste serie kaarten (1590) (in Dutch)
Pictures of Hitler by Heinrich Hoffmann
Mesen, kleinste stad van België (in Dutch)
Expo Circus 157 (in Dutch)
RAF Operation Circus 157 - Aerial Battle of the Nations (PDF)
Stacey Jones Circus 157 (PDF) (in Dutch & English)

RELATED HISTORY FILES LINKS:
Spanish Netherlands
Modern Belgium
Modern Netherlands

 

Text copyright © Archeo Kemmelberg. An original feature for the History Files: Kemmelberg.