Jacob Roggeveen

After completing his education he married Marija Margaerita Vincentius, but unfortunately she died in 1694.

A few years later he married Anna Adriana Clement but she too died soon after the marriage.

He kindled controversy when he supported the liberal preacher Pontiaan van Hattem and published his leaflet ‘De val van 's werelds afgod’. He had published just one part when it was confiscated by the city council and burned. Fearing for his safety he fled to a nearby town and published the other parts there, again kindling controversy.

He was born on 1 February 1659 to Arend Roggeveen and Maria Storm in Middelburg, the Netherlands. His father was a mathematician who also had interests in astronomy, geography, philosophy and the theory of navigation.

His father was very much fascinated with the idea of discovering the mythical Terra Australis and along with a group of friends presented this idea to the States General of the Netherlands along with a request for a Charter. The charter was granted, but Arend Roggeveen and his friends were unable to finance the expedition and it did not take place. He died after a few years with his dream unfulfilled.

Jacob attended the Latin School and later went to the Academy of Saumur in France (the Protestant University). In 1690 he graduated as a doctor of the law from the University of Harderwijk.

He applied for a job with the Dutch East Indies Company and was accepted. From 1707 till 1714 he served as a Raadsheer van Justitie ("Council Lord of Justice") at Batavia, Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta).

In 1715, he returned to Middleburg. He had become very wealthy by way of his job with the company though his personal life was fraught with sorrows—he had been widowed twice by now.

Over the next few years he gave serious thoughts to embarking on the exploration his father had once dreamed of. Even though he was well into his fifties by now, he decided to go ahead with the expedition to discover the Terra Australis.

He approached the Dutch East Indies Company with the proposal of making an exploratory voyage to the unknown regions of the Pacific Ocean. This was within the boundaries defined in the company’s charter, and they put three ships at his disposal for the discovery voyage. Thus he revived his father’s dream project.

On 1 August 1721 he left on his expedition as the commander over three ships: the Arend ("eagle"), the Thienhoven, and the Africaansche Galey, with a total of 223 men on crew. He was 62 years old at that time, much older than most of the other explorers of that time.