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The First Voyage Around the World Chronicled by Antonio Pigafetta
The First Voyage Around the World Chronicled by Antonio Pigafetta
(Unang Paglalayag Paikot ng Daigdig ni Ferdinand Magellan ni Antonio Pigafetta)
(Unang Paglalayag Paikot ng Daigdig ni Ferdinand Magellan ni Antonio Pigafetta)
BACKGROUND OF MAGELLAN'S EXPLORATION
Portugal and Spain engaged in a fierce contest to see who could discover and conquer new land where they might obtain the spices sought after by European nobility. Magellan entered the conflict in 1505, making trips to Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. However, his days in Portugal were numbered because Manuel I rejected his suggestion to find a new spice route and accused him of engaging in illegal trading.
Magellan was certain that he could find a fresh path to Indonesia and India by sailing west rather than east and passing through a supposed strait through South America. He therefore renounced his allegiance to Portugal and sailed for Spain, where he obtained citizenship and Charles V's approval for five ship westward voyage.
Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521)
Fernão de Magalhães was born in Portugal and was a successful explorer and navigator who is credited with masterminding the first expedition to circumnavigate the world. He wanted to reach South-East Asia, where spices grew and gems were to be found, by sailing westwards across the Atlantic Ocean. He hoped to find a passage through South America so that he could sail all the way from the Atlantic to the ocean beyond the Americas (now known as the Pacific). Magellan was sponsored by Spain to travel west across the Atlantic in search of the East Indies. In doing so, his expedition became the first from Europe to cross the Pacific Ocean and circumnavigate the world.
ANTONIO PIGAFETTA
Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer. He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of the emperor Charles V. During the expeditions he served as Magellan’s assistant and kept an accurate journal, which later assisted him in translating the Cebuano language. Pigafetta was one of the 18 men who made the complete trip, returning to Spain in 1522.
THE EXPEDITION OF FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE EXPEDITION OF FERDINAND MAGELLAN
Magellan, in charge of five ships and 270 crew members, sailed from West Africa to Brazil and then scoured the South American coastline for a channel that would allow him to reach the Pacific. Ineffective, he went south along the Patagonian coast after searching the Rio de la Plata, a huge estuary located south of Brazil.
FIVE SHIPS IN MAGELLAN'S EXPEDITION
THE FLAGSHIP TRINIDAD
THE FLAGSHIP TRINIDAD
The Trinidad was the flag ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet in its expedition for the Spice Islands. It was the best and also the most inexpensive of the five ships.
Lead by: Ferdinand Magellan
THE SAN ANTONIO
The San Antonio was named after the thirteenth century Portuguese saint, Anthony of Lisbon but popular as Anthony of Padua. Magellan’s choice for a Portuguese saint to name this ship was probably made in consideration of his need for a compatriot to be his celestial ally and protector. The San Antonio was the largest of the five ships in Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet and the most expensive.
Lead by: Juan De Curtagena and Alvarado De Mesquita
THE CONCEPCION
The Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion was a Spanish galleon operating as part of the lucrative Manila-Acapulco galleon trade when she wrecked off the southern coast of Saipan, an island north of Guam, in what is today the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Lead by: Gaspar de Quesada
THE SANTIAGO
The Santiago was the first ship Magellan lost on his expedition, but the crew survived the shipwreck and was incorporated onto the remaining four ships.
Lead by: Juan Serrano
THE VICTORIA
The Victoria was one of five ships of Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet during the expedition to find the Spice Islands (now the Moluccas) in the early 16th century. Three years later, in 1522, the Victoria was the only one to return to Spain, making it the first ship known to successfully circumnavigate the globe. The other ships were either destroyed, captured, or deserted
Lead by: Luiz Mendoza and Juan Sebastian Elcano
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan's fleet of five ships after their departure from Spain on September 20, 1519.
Magellan, in charge of five ships and 270 crew members, sailed from West Africa to Brazil and then scoured the South American coastline for a channel that would allow him to reach the Pacific. Ineffective, he went south along the Patagonian coast after searching the Rio de la Plata, a huge estuary located south of Brazil
The Spanish captains attempt to overthrow their Portuguese leader on Easter Sunday at midnight, but Magellan put an end to the uprising, killing one of the captains and living another onshore when his ship left St. Julian in August. He searched the Rio de la Plata, a large estuary south of Brazil, for a way through; failing he continued south along the coast of Patagonia.
At the end of March 1520
The expedition set up winter quarters at Port St. Julian. On Easter day at midnight, the Spanish captains mutinied against their Portuguese captain, but Magellan crushed the revolt, executing one of the captains and leaving another ashore when his ship left St. Julian in August.
STRAIT OF MAGELLAN
On October 21, Magellan eventually located the waterway he was looking for. The area between Tierra del Fuego and the continental mainland is also known as the Strait of Magellan, and it is situated not far from the southernmost point of South America.
Only three ships made it through the passage
One was sunk and another was deserting
Magellan navigated the perilous passage in 38 days, and when he finally saw the ocean on the other side.
He was the first European adventurer to sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. His fleet accomplished the westward crossing of the ocean in 98 days, crossing waters so strangely calm that the ocean was named "Pacific" from the latin word pacificus, meaning "tranquil".
By the end, the men were out of food and chewed the leather parts of their gear to keep themselves alive.
On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed at the island of Guam.
March 16, 1521, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, working under the employ of the Spanish crown, arrived in the Philippines on an epic voyage of discovery and exploration. Early in the sixteenth century, the Spaniards began to explore the Philippines.
Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Sugbu (Cebu) while leading an expedition to the Spice Islands. As a gesture of friendship, Magellan made a blood pact with Rajah Humabon, the local chieftain of Cebu
After Humabon became a Catholic and was baptized as Carlos, more than 2,200 locals asked Magellan to conquer his adversary Lapulapu, the chief of nearby Mactan Island
Lapulapu once more refused Magellan's offer to refrain from attacking them in exchange for its oath of allegiance to Rajah Humabon, obedience to the Spanish king, and payment of tribute.
The battle did not start until the morning at Lapulapu's mocking demand. Magellan instructed the warriors of Humabon to stay abroad their ships, probably in an effort to impress them with the superiority of European armor and weapons.
To confront Lapulapu's men, Magellan and 49 of the heavily armored Spaniards plunged into the water.
April 27, 1521, Midnight of Saturday.
Along with 20 to 30 war boats (karakao) of Humabon's warriors form Cebu, Magellan lead a force about 60 armored Spanish soldiers. Three hours before dawn, they landed in Mactan. However, coral reefs and outcroppings prevented Magellan's ships from making a landfall on Mactan's shore.
They were compelled to anchor their ships "two crossbow fights" off the shore. They came up against one thousand five hundred (1,500) Lapu-Lapu's warriors who were armed with iron swords, arrows, and bamboo spears, according to Pigafetta.
Pigafetta: “When they saw us, they charged down upon us with exceeding loud cries, two divisions on our flanks and the other on our front. When the captain saw that, he formed us into two divisions, and thus digd we begin to fight. The musketeers and crossbowmen shot from a distance for about half an hour, but uselessly; for the shots only passes through the shields which were made of thin wood, and the arms [of the bearers]. The captain cried to them, "Cease firing! Cease firing!" but his order was not heeded at all.”
“When the natives saw that we were shooting our muskets to no purpose, crying out they [were] determined to stand firm, and redoubled their shouts. When our muskets were discharged, the natives would never stand still, but leaped hither and thither, covering themselves with their shields. They shot so many arrows at us and hurled so many bamboo spears (some of them tipped with iron) at the captain general, besides pointed stakes hardened with fire, stones, and mud, that we could scarcely defend ourselves.”
Ancient Filipino Weapons described by Pigafetta
Ancient Filipino Weapons described by Pigafetta
Seeing that, the captain general sent some men to burn their houses in order to terrify them. When they saw their houses burning, they were roused to greater fury. Two of our men were killed near the houses, while we burned twenty or thirty houses. A poisoned arrow struck Magellan in the leg, and two Spaniards were instantly slain in the struggle.
Seeing that, the captain general sent some men to burn their houses in order to terrify them. When they saw their houses burning, they were roused to greater fury. Two of our men were killed near the houses, while we burned twenty or thirty houses. A poisoned arrow struck Magellan in the leg, and two Spaniards were instantly slain in the struggle.
With the exception of handful who stayed to guard him, he ordered a retreat, which was followed by the majority of his soldiers. But when the natives identified him as the captain, he was the target of the assault. Magellan forces swiftly succumbed to the superior numbers of the enemy and the weight of their armor.
While some of Magellan's men perished, the majority managed to flee to the waiting ships. After Magellan's demise, the remaining members of the expedition tried to make their way back to Spain but only the little ship Victoria commanded by Sebastian del Cano was able to return safely. The eighteen survivors arrived in Seville in 1522, completing the first continuous circumnavigation of the world.
A sanctuary was provided by Humabon for nine survivors. Magellan's death resulted Lapu-Lapu, the battle's champion, ordering Humabon to execute the survivors. When Humabon objected, he sold to Chinese traders as slaves.
Ruy López de Villalobos
Ruy López de Villalobos
Several expeditions were sent by Spain in the next four decades in order to establish their claims over the Moluccas and each one of them made a stop in the Philippine islands. One expedition led by Ruy de Villalobos gave the island's name "Filipinas" in honor of the Spanish crown prince Philip II.
According to William Henry Scott:
According to William Henry Scott:
Magellan might have made a wrong assumption that led to Lapulapu's animosity.
Magellan believed that ancient Filipino culture was organized similarly to European society, with a king or queen ruling over certain area. Magellan consequently thought Rajah Humabon was aslo the ruler of Mactan because he was the monarch of Cebu.
In reference to a section of Danilo Madrid Gerona's 2016 book "Ferdinand Magellan:
In reference to a section of Danilo Madrid Gerona's 2016 book "Ferdinand Magellan:
The Armada de Maluco and the European Discovery of the Philippines, "which is based on primary sources in Spain and Portugal, Ocampo claimed that Lapulapu "was not a handsome, gym-fit warrior" when he defeated Magellan at the Battle of Mactan. At the time of the battle, he had already reached the age of 70.
Magellan was killed by a Boholano, Sampong Baha, but the honor was given to Lapu-Lapu.
When Magellan died, Antonio Pigafetta wrote down his observations as an eyewitness. "He (Magellan) was struck by an arrow on the thigh, just above the knee, " he claimed.
He stumbled and hit his other knee; he was unable to draw his sword. A man approached and cut our leader, Magellan, by the neck with a broadsword (escudo). Magellan was unable to run since an arrow had struck to his knee. When the broadsword -wielding man approached, he hacked off Magellan's neck. Sampong Baha, the one with the broadsword, was the one who actually killed Magellan. However, as a result of our Americanized education, we have a tendency to discount the local accounts.
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