Hamaker's father intended him for a career in business, however his evident intelligence and keen interest in ancient languages from an early age led patrons to sponsor his education at the prestigious Atheneaeum Illustre of his native Amsterdam, to study classical and oriental languages. There, under the tutelage of professors van Lennep and Wilmett he, though far from abandoning classical languages, focused on oriental studies. In 1815–1817 he was professor of Oriental languages at the Athenaeum of Franeker, and lectured on Arabic, Chaldean and Syriac. From 1817–1822 he held the post of "extraordinary" professor Oriental languages and title of Interpres Legati Warneriani at Leiden University. In 1820 Hamaker published his Specimen of a catalog of oriental manuscripts of Warner's bequest, which included descriptions of the Futuh of Baladhuri, a section of Al-Tabari's great history, the Murudj al-Dhahab of Al-Masudi, etc. In 1822 Hamaker became full professor of Oriental languages,. Hamaker belonged to a number of learned institutions and, in 1829, was honored with a knighthood of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. He spent his life of forty-six years in tireless literary inquiry. Through his lectures and writings he pioneered studies of eastern literature and languages throughout Europe and beyond. Hamaker was the first Dutch scholar to give a series of eight public lectures on the comparison of Greek, Latin and the Germanic languages with Sanskrit, thus instigating the study of Indo-Europeancomparative linguistics in Holland. He died at the family's summer residence Rhodesteyn, near the village of Nederlangbroek, nine days after his wife Johanna Camper, on the 7th of October 1835. Like some of their seven children, both parents had contracted scarlet fever to the consequences of which both succumbed. They were buried at the churchyard of Nederlangbroek. All of the seven children survived into adulthood.
Orations
Graecis Latinisque historicis medii aevi, ex ortentalibus fontibus illustrandis.
The religione Mohammedica, magno virtutis bellicae apud Orientales incitamento.
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Works
Hamaker contributed to Siegenbeek's Museum and Kampen's Magazijn, and also contributed to the 2nd part of Van Kampen's Dutch translation of J. von Muller's Algemeene Geschiedenis and published reviews in the Bibliotheca Critica nova. Among his reviews of Eastern literature, his review of a work by von Hammer, prompted a hostile reaction. Among his treatises, works and numerous memoirs included in various collections are the following:
Specimen catalogi codicum mss. orientalium libræca academiæ Lugduno Balavz, with comments and notes; Publisher; Lugduni Batavorum: Apud S. and J. Luchtmans
Diatribe philologico-critica, Monumentorum aliquot Punicorum, nuper in Africa repertorum, interpretationem exhibens, cet.
Commentalio ad locum Taky Eddini al Makrizi of expeditionibus to Græcis Francisque adversus Dimyatham , a book full of research;
Takyoddini Ahmedis al-Makrizii narratio of expeditionibus to Graecis... by Aḥmad ibn'Alī Maqrīzī, Hendrik Arent Hamaker; Publisher; apud Pieper & Ipenbuur;
Treatise on the religious, moral and social influence of poetry; in the Mnemosyne, vol. III.
Commentatio ad locum Takyoddini Ahmedis Al-Makrizi the expeditionibus a Graecis Francisque adversus Dimyatham, ab anno Christi 702–1221, susceptis,
Ince ti auctoris liber de expugnatione Memphidis et Alexandriae,
Lettre à M. Raoul Rochette sur une inscription en caractères Phéniciens et Grecs, découverte à Cyrène,
Réflexions critiques sur quelques points contestés de l'histoire orientale; pour de réponse aux éclaircissements de M. de Hammer, published in le Nouveau Journal Asiatique, issue April 1829. 1829. 8o.)
On the nature of Independence, the disposition of peoples and persons, and necessity for the Netherlands,
Commentatio in libr. the vita et morte Prophetarum, qui Graece circumfertur, cet.
Comments about the Samaritans and their correspondence with some European scholars: on the occasion of the publication of a still unknown Samaritan letter; placed in Kist and Royaards, Archive for Church. Gesch. D. V.
