BALDAEUS (Baelde), Philippus. Delft bapt. 24.10.1632 — Geervliet 1671. Dutch Priest and Traveller. Son of Jan Baelde, a merchant, and Maria Junius, of Flemish origin, lost early his parents (1636). After Latin school in Delft studied at Groningen and, in 1650-54, Leiden universities. In 1654 he got a post of prediger in India and married Maria van Castel, but she died soon in Batavia, and B. married again with Elizabeth Tribolet. From 1656 he served in Ceylon, first near Galle. Participated in the campaign of van Rijklof van Goens in Ceylon and South India. Then in Negapatnam (1658) and Jafnapatnam preaching Protestant confession to Catholics. In 1662 participated in the conquest of Cochin and served further in Ceylon and South India until 1665. He tried to become familiar with local languages (Tamil, also Sanskrit) and religions in order to be better capable of converting Non-Christians, too. In 1666 returned to home and concentrated in writing. From 1669 until his early death prediger in Geervliet.
Publications: Naauwkeurige beschrijvinge van Malabar en Choromandel en het eylant Ceylon, nevens de afgoderije der Oost-Indische Heidenen. 1–3. Amsterdam 1672, new ed. with study by A. J. de Jong. 85+236 p. ’s-Gravenhage 1917. Soon translated into German (1672) and English (A True and Exact Description of the Most Celebrated East-India Coast of Malabar and Coromandel and also of the Isle of Ceylon. 1704), new English transl. of part 2, 1960.
Sources: Mulert, N.N.B.W. 2, 1912, 81f.; *S. Kratzsch, “Die Darstellung der zehn Avatāras Viṣṇus bei Ph. B. und ihre Quellen”, Wiss. Beitr. Halle 1:25, 1984, 105-119; *P. J. Veith, De Gids 31, 1867, 193-231; Dutch Indology homepage with further references. Picture in his book, also in Wikipedia.
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