WITSEN, NICOLAAS CORNELISZ

(1641–1717)

Merchant and diplomat in Amsterdam, of which city he was elected burgomaster several times. In 1664–1665, Witsen was a member of the Dutch em bassy to Muscovy (his Observations were not published until 1966–1967, in three volumes). His great historical, cartographical, and antiquarian interests are evident from his extensive correspon dence with many scholars (including the famous German scholar Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz [1646–1716]), and from the publication of his books on shipbuilding, Architectura Navalis . . . Ofte Aaloude en hedendaagsche scheeps-bouw [Ship’s Architecture, 2nd ed., 1690] and on Russia, Noord- en Oost-Tartarije [North and East Tartary, 2nd ed., 1705].