Cornelis de Houtman, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetCornelis de Houtman
Dutch explorer
Date of Birth: 02-Apr-1565
Place of Birth: Gouda, South Holland, Netherlands
Date of Death: 01-Sep-1599
Profession: explorer
Zodiac Sign: Aries 
About Cornelis de Houtman
- Cornelis de Houtman (2 April 1565 – 1 September 1599), brother of Frederick de Houtman, was a Dutch explorer who discovered a new sea route from Europe to the East Indies, and who thus begun the Dutch spice trade.
- At the time, the Portuguese Empire held a monopoly on the spice trade, and the voyage was a symbolic victory for the Dutch, even though the voyage itself was a disaster.
- Houtman was also a spy, having worked against the Portuguese by bringing back to the Netherlands privileged nautical information obtained during his stay in Portugal.
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