van riebeeck was born in culemborg in the netherlands as the son of a surgeon. he grew up in schiedam, where he married 19-year old maria de la quellerie on 28 march 1649. (she died in malacca, now part of malaysia, on 2 november 1664, at the age of 35). the couple had eight children, most of whom did not live through infancy. their son abraham van riebeeck, born at the cape, later became governor-general of the dutch east indies.