Barentz is credited with having sighted Spitzbergen.

The numerous islands to the north of Siberia became known through the Russian investigations of Discheneff, Behring, and their followers; while the intricate network of islands to the north of the continent of North America had been slowly worked out during the search for the north-west passage.

It was indeed in pursuit of this will-of-the-wisp that most of the discoveries in the Arctic Circle were made, and a general impetus given to Arctic exploration.
It is with a renewed attempt after this search that the modern history of Arctic exploration begins.

In 1818 two expeditions were sent under the influence of Sir Joseph Banks to search the north-west passage, and to attempt to reach the Pole.

The former was the objective of John Ross in the _Isabella_ and W.E.Parry in the _Alexander_, while in the Polar exploration John Franklin sailed in the _Trent_.
Both expeditions were unsuccessful, though Ross and Parry confirmed Baffin's discoveries.