Anthony van Diemen (1593–1645) was governor-general of the Dutch East Indies from 1636 until 1645. In this capacity, he commissioned a number of voyages of exploration, including that conducted by Abel Tasman in 1642-45, during which he charted the southern coast of Tasmania. Tasman named the island after his patron; it was known as Van Diemen’s Land until 1856.
Updated 2018
