By Floris Ten Hoedt

Willem Barents was born around 1500 in Amsterdam, Holland. Barents was a Dutch navigator that wanted to finish his map. Barents died on the Artic Ocean but nobody knows how! He was married to a lady named Lisa but she left him when he decided to leave Holland to Asia. Barents was well educated because his family was very wealthy.

Barents called his ship The Mercury because he thought it looked like the most beautiful ship ever. His father built it with his friends and family.

Barents had 3 ships which set sail in different directions to try to enter the Kara Sea to go to Asia. This is his route:

Barents was actually like Marco Polo; he wanted to finish his map of Europe and Asia. Barents accidently landed on Antarctica where he had to kill 15 polar bears otherwise he would be dead. On Antarctica he got very sick so his crew quickly sailed on and take took care of the royal captain. He finally landed in Asia where everybody worshiped him. The Asian people helped Barents to become better and be able to sail on. On the way back Barents died from cancer in the middle of the ocean. This ocean is now called the Barents Ocean because he was thrown in the sea when he died.

This is Barents’ map of the world including Asia.

Timeline of explorers from 1410 to 1600.