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Trijntje KeeverTallest woman
Date of Birth: 16.04.1616
Country:  Netherlands |
Content:
The Tallest Woman
This Dutch woman lived only 17 years, but she forever entered history as The Tallest Lady. Trijntje's height was 2 meters and 54 centimeters (according to other sources, she was 2 meters and 57 centimeters tall). Unfortunately, her tall stature and the accompanying health problems were the cause of her early death. On her tombstone, her nickname - "The Great Maiden" - was engraved.
Biography of Trijntje Keever
Trijntje Keever was born in 1616 in the Dutch city of Edam, Netherlands. Her parents were Cornelis Keever and Anna Pauvels. Her father was a skipper, and her mother was a maid. They got married in 1605. When their unusually tall girl was born, her parents started taking her to carnivals and fairs, showcasing her in performances for money. By the age of nine, Trijntje had already reached a height of two meters, and people from all over the country flocked to see the extraordinary child. Even royal figures were eager to see her with their own eyes, and once, King of Bohemia, along with his wife and entourage, came to see her. She was nicknamed "The Great Maiden," but unfortunately, Trijntje's life was very short. At the age of 17, she died of cancer during one of her tours, where her parents brought her once again. Trijntje was buried in her hometown of Edam, and a painting of her in a fancy dress is still kept in the museum of the city hall. The author of the painting is unknown, but the accompanying inscription explains that the girl is depicted somewhat more beautiful than she was in real life. The painting is dated 1633, which means that Trijntje didn't have much longer to live.
There is information that Trijntje's father was also very tall, even having the nickname "Tall Man," which partly explains the reason for her tall stature. However, 2 meters and 54 centimeters is still too much to simply be the tall daughter of a tall father. It was also said that in ordinary life, Trijntje always dressed modestly, but when she appeared in public, her parents dressed her like an aristocrat, trying to show that this tall girl belonged to the upper class. One can only guess if the girl nicknamed "The Great Maiden" was happy, who from childhood exhibited herself for the amusement of the crowd, while a disease was already growing within her body. Unfortunately, history has preserved very few facts about Trijntje Keever's life, only that she was possibly the tallest woman in the world with officially documented height.
