Batavia's Graveyard
Encyclopedia
Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny (2002) is a book by Welsh author Mike Dash
about the Dutch
ship Batavia
, shipwrecked in 1629 on a small island in the Houtman Abrolhos
atoll off the western shore of Australia.
The book retells the story of one of the largest mutinies in history, led by one of the ships officers Jeronimus Cornelisz
, who eventually oversaw the murder of at least 110 people. The book explores the background of the period in history, and many of the people involved in Holland, such as John of Leiden
who influenced the mutiny and the revolutionary and violent messianism of its Anabaptist leaders. It retells the tortuous trip from Europe to the East Indies, and a detailed account of the events which transpired on the islands after the captain and some of the crew left for Java
in an open boat, before they returned several months later. It also has information on what happened to the survivors and the rediscovery of the wreck in the 20th century.
Mike Dash
Mike Dash is a Welsh writer, historian and researcher. He is best known for his books and articles looking at unusual historical events, anomalous phenomena, and strange beliefs.-Biography:...
about the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
ship Batavia
Batavia (ship)
Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company . It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors...
, shipwrecked in 1629 on a small island in the Houtman Abrolhos
Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is a chain of 122 islands, and associated coral reefs, in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia. Nominally located at , it lies about eighty kilometres west of Geraldton, Western Australia...
atoll off the western shore of Australia.
The book retells the story of one of the largest mutinies in history, led by one of the ships officers Jeronimus Cornelisz
Jeronimus Cornelisz
Jeronimus Cornelisz was a Frisian apothecary and Dutch East India Company merchant...
, who eventually oversaw the murder of at least 110 people. The book explores the background of the period in history, and many of the people involved in Holland, such as John of Leiden
John of Leiden
John of Leiden , was an Anabaptist leader from the Dutch city of Leiden. He was the illegitimate son of a Dutch mayor, and a tailor's apprentice by trade.-Life:...
who influenced the mutiny and the revolutionary and violent messianism of its Anabaptist leaders. It retells the tortuous trip from Europe to the East Indies, and a detailed account of the events which transpired on the islands after the captain and some of the crew left for Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in an open boat, before they returned several months later. It also has information on what happened to the survivors and the rediscovery of the wreck in the 20th century.