Bartłomiej Schachmann

Bartholomeus von Schachman (11 September 1559 – 23 April 1614), also known as Bartholomäus Schachmann, was a German explorer, art collector and mayor of Danzig.

Early life He was born on the 11th of September 1559 in Danzig (today called Gdańsk), to Caspar Schachman and Elisabeth Brandt. The Schachman brothers were travelling in a large group of dignitaries, and, according to Kiechel, had just arrived in Istanbul from Venice and were headed towards Tripoli in present-day Lebanon. He also traveled through Germany, France, Italy as well as Egypt. He collected art and souvenirs from the countries he visited. Though after his death, his collection became scattered, and no record of what it contained remains.

Later life After his travels, Bartholomeus settled down in Danzig. In 1592, on the 11th of February he married Catharina Schwartzwaldt, the widow of Michel Kerls. Schachman's political career progressed in 1594. He became a city councillor – and his status culminated in 1605, when he was elected as the city mayor. After the death of his wife Catharina on the 28th of February 1599, Bartholomeus married again, in 1600, on the 9th of October. He married Anna Blömken, and the couple had six children, though only four lived to adulthood. Bartholomeus supervised the rebuilding of the Great Council Hall and the building of the Great Armory.

Death Epitaph on Bartholomeus von Schachman, St. Mary's Church, Gdańsk Bartholomeus died on the 23rd of April in 1614. He was buried in the church of St Mary in Danzig. He commissioned an epitaph in 1607 from the sculptor Abraham van der Blocke, to memorate himself, his parents and his two wives.

Family He was married twice, first to Catharina Schwartzwaldt, then to Anna Blömken. He had six children with his second wife, but only four survived to adulthood. His only surviving son, Bartholomeus, named after his father, married in 1645, but died without offspring in 1661. His daughters Sophie, Barbara and Anna married. Barbara married twice, but died at only 25 years old, in 1634. Sophie married Philip Furtenbach, and she died in 1669. Anna married Jacob Schelle, and the couple had eleven children.