Petrus Plancius

Petrus Plancius (1552 – May 15, 1622) was a Dutch astronomer, cartographer and clergyman.

He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders.

He studies theology in Germany and England.

At the age of 24 he becomes a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church.

Because of fear for religious prosecution by the Inquisition he flees from Brussels to Amsterdam after the city falls into Spanish hands in 1585.

There he becomes interested in navigation and cartography and, being fortunate enough to have access to nautical charts recently brought from Portugal, he is soon recognized as an expert on the shipping routes to India.

He strongly believes in the idea of a North East passage until the failure of Willem Barentsz's third voyage in 1597 seems to preclude the possibility of such a route.