SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY

3700 Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION AND HUMANITIES
Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy

Antonio Pigafetta, A Brief Summary of the First Voyage around the World by Magellan

This was taken from the chnronicles of contemporary voyagers and navigators of the 16 th c. One
of them was Italian nobleman, Antonio Pigafetta, who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in his
circumnavigation of the world. His work instantly became a classic that prominent literary men in the
West like William Shakespeare, Michel de Montaigne, and Giambattista Vico referred to in their
interpretation of the New World. Pigafetta’s travelogue is one of the most important primary sources in
the study of precolonial Philippines. His account was also a major referent to the events leading to
Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines, his encounter with local leaders, his death in the hand’s of Lapulapu
in the Battle of Mactan, and in the departure of what was left of Magellan’s fleet from the islands.

For Lesson 1 in Module 2, we will focus on the chronicles of Antonio Pigafetta as he wrote his
firsthand observation and general impression of the Far East including their experiences in the Visayas.
In Pigafetta’s account, their fleet reached what he called the Ladrones Islands or the “Islands of the
Thieves”. He recounted:

These people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a fish bone
at the end. They are poor, but ingenious, and great thieves, and for
The sake of what we called these three islands the Ladrones Islands.

The Ladrones Islands is presently known as the Marianas Islands. These islands are located
south-southeast of Japan, west-southwest of Hawaii, north of New Guinea, and east of the Philippines.
Ten days after they reached Ladrones Islands, Pigafetta reported that they reached what Pigafetta called
the isle of Zamal, now Samar but Magellan decided to land in another uninhabited island for greater
security where they could rest for a few days. Pigafetta recounted that after two days, March 18, nine
men came to them and showed joy and eagerness in seeing them. Magellan realized that the men were
reasonable and welcome them with food, drinks and gifts. In turn, the natives gave them fish, palm
wine (uraca), figs, and two cochos. The natives also gave them rice, cocos, and other food supplies.
Pigafetta detailed in amazement and fascination the palm tree which bore fruits called cocho, and wine.
He also described what seemed like a coconut. His description reads:

This palm produces a fruit named cocho, which is as large as the head,
or thereabouts: its first husk is green and two fingers in thickness, in it
they find certain threads, with which they make the cords for fastening
their boats. under this husk, there is another very hard, and thicker
than that of a walnut. they burn this second rind, and make with it a
powder which is useful to them. under this rind is a white marrow of a
finger’s thickness, why they eat fresh with meat and fish, as we do bread,
and it has the taste of almond, and if anyone dried it he might make bread
of it (p.72)
Pigafetta characterized the people as “very familiar and friendly” and willingly showed them
different islands and the names of these islands. The fleet when to Humunu Island (Homonhon) and
there they found what Pigafetta referred to as the “Watering Place of Good Signs”. It is in this place
where Pigafetta wrote that they found the first signs of gold in the island. They named the island with
the nearby islands as the archipelago of St. Lazarus. They left the island, then on March 25 th, Pigafetta
recounted that they saw two balanghai (balangay), a long boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaua. The
leader, who Pigafetta referred to as the king of the balanghai, sent his men to the ship of Magellan. The
Europeans entertained these men and gave them gifts. When the king of the balangay offered to give
Magellan a bar of gold and a chest of ginger, Magellan declined. Magellan sent the interpreter to the
king and asked for money for the needs of his ships and expressed that he came into the islands as a
friend and not as an enemy. The king responded by giving Magellan the needed provisions of food in
chinaware. Magellan exchanged gifts of robes in Turkish fashion, red cap, and gave the people knives
and mirrors. The two then expressed their desire to become brothers. Magellan also boasted of his
men in armor who could not be struck with swords and daggers. The king was fascinated and remarked
that men in such armor could be worth one hundred of his men. Magellan further showed the king his
other weapons, helmets, and artilleries. Magellan also shared with the king his charts and maps and
shared how they found the islands.

After a few days, Magellan was introduced to the king’s brother who was also a king of another
island. They went to this island and Pigafetta reported what they saw mines of gold. The gold was
abundant and that parts of the ship and of the housed of the second king were made of gold. Pigafetta
described this king as the most handsome of all the men that he saw in this place. He was also adorned
with silk and gold accessories like a golden dagger, which he carried with him in a wooden polished
sheath. This king was named Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan and Calagan (Butuan and Caragua), and the
first king was Raia Siagu. On March 31st , which happened to be Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered the
chaplain to preside a Mass by the shore. The king heard of this plan and sent two dead pigs and
attended the Mass with the other king. Pigafetta reported that both kings participated in the Mass. He
wrote:

…when the offertory of the mass came, the two kings, went to kiss the cross
like us, but they offered nothing, and at the elevation of the body of the Lord
They were kneeling like us and adored our Lord with joined hands.

After the mass, Magellan ordered that the cross be brought with nails and crown in place.
Magellan explained that the cross, the nail, and the crown were the signs of his emperor and that he
was ordered to plant it in the places that he would reach. Magellan further explained that the cross
would be beneficial for their people because once other Spaniards saw this cross, then they would know
what they had been in this land and would not cause them troubles, and any person who might be held
captives by them would be released. The king concurred and allowed for the cross to be planted. This
Mass would go down in history as the first mass in the Philippines, and the cross would be the famed
Magellan’s cross still preserved at present day.

After seven days, Magellan and his men decided to move and look for islands where they could
acquire more supplies and provisions. They learned of the islands of Ceylon (Leyte), Bohol and Zzubu
(Cebu) and intended to go there. Raia Calambu offered to pilot them in going to Cebu, through
Magellan’s interpreter, demanded that they pay tribute as it was customary, but Magellan refused.
Magellan said that he was the captain of a king himself and thus would not pay tribute to other kings.
Magellan’s interpreter explained to the king of Cebu that Magellan’s king was the emperor of a great
empire and that it would do them better to make friends with them than to forge enmity. The king of
Cebu consulted his council. By the next day, Magellan’s men and the king of Cebu, together with other
principal men of Cebu, met in an open space. There, the king offered a bit of his blood and demanded
that Magellan do the same. Pigafetta recounts:

Then the king said that he was content, and as a greater sign of affection he
sent him a little of his blood from his right arm and wished he should do the like.
our people answered that he would do it. besides that, he said that all the captains
who came to his country has been accustomed to make a present to him, and he to
them, and therefore they should ask their captain if he would observe the custom.
our people answered that he would; but as the king wished to keep up the custom,
let him begin and make a present, and then the captain would do his duty.
The following day, Magellan spoke before the people of Cebu about peace and God Pigafetta
reported that the people took pleasure in Magellan’s speech. Magellan then asked the people who
would succeed the king after his reign and the people responded that the eldest child of the king, who
happened to be a daughter, would be the next in line. Pigafetta also related how the people talked
about, how at old age, parents were no longer taken into account and had to follow the orders of their
children as the new leaders of the land. Magellan responded to this by saying that his faith entailed
children to render honor and obedience to their parents. Magellan preached about their faith further
and people were reportedly convinced. Pigafetta wrote that their men were overjoyed seeing that the
people wished to become Christians through their free will and not because they were forced or
intimidated.

On the 14th of April, the people gathered with the king and other principal men of the islands.
Magellan spoke t the king and encouraged them to be good Christian by burning all idols and worship
the cross instead. The king of Cebu was then baptized as a Christian. Pigafetta wrote:

To that the king and all his people answered that they would obey
the commands of the captain and do all that he told them. the
captain took the king by the hand, and they walked about on the
scaffolding, and when he was baptized he said that he would name
him don Carlos as the emperor his sovereign was named; and he name
the prince don Fernando, after the brother of the emperor, and the king
of Mazavva, Jehan: to the moor he gave the name of christopher,
and to the others each a name of his fancy.

After eight days, Pigafetta counted that all of the island’s inhabitant were already baptized. He
Admitted that they burned a village down for obeying neither the king nor Magellan. The Mass was
conducted by the shore every day. When the queen came to Mass one day, Magellan gave her an image
of the Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta himself. The king of Cebu swore that he would always be faithful to
Magellan. When Magellan reiterated that all of the newly baptized Christians need to burn their idols,
but the natives gave excuses telling Magellan that they needed the idols to heal a sick man who was a
relative to the king. Magellan insisted that they should instead put their faith in Jesus Christ. They went
to the sick man and baptized him. After the baptismal, Pigafetta recorded tha the man was able to
speak again. He called this a miracle.
On the 26th of April, Zula, a principal from the island of Matan (Mactan) went to see Magellan
and asked him for a boat full of men so that he would be able to fight the chief named Silapulapu. Such
Chief according to Zula, refused to obey the king and was also preventing him from doing so. Magellan
offered three boats instead and expressed his desire to go to Mactan himself to fight the said chief.
Magellan’s forces arrived in Mactan in daylight. They numbered 49 in total and the islanders of Mactan
were estimated to number 1,500. The battle began. Pigafetta recounted:

When we reached land we found the islanders fifteen hundred in number,

drawn up in three squadrons; they came down upon us with terrible shouts,
two squadrons attacking us on the flanks, and the third in front. the captain
then divided his men in two bands. our musketeers and cross-bow men
fired for half an hour from a distance, but did nothing, since the bullets and
arrows, though they passed through their shields made of think wood, and
perhaps wounded their arms yet did not stop them. the captain shouted not
to fire, but he was not listened to. the islanders seeing tha the shots of our
guns did them little or no harm would not retire, but shouted more loudly,
and springing from one side to the other to avoid our shots, they at the same
time drew nearer to us, throwing arrows, javelins, spears hardened in fire,
stones and even mud, so that we could hardly defend ourselves. some of them
cast lances pointed with iron at the captain-general.

Magellan died in that battle. The natives, perceiving that the bodies of the enemies were
protected with armors, aimed for their legs instead. Magellan was pierced with a poisoned arrow in his
right leg. A few of their men charge at the natives and tried to intimidate them by burning an entire
village but this only enraged the natives further. Magellan was specifically targeted because the natives
knew that he was the captain general. Magellan was hit with a lance in the face. Magellan retaliated
and pierced the same native with his lance in the breast and tried to draw his sword but could not lift it
because of his wounded arm. Seeing that the captain has already deteriorated, more natives came to
attack him. One native with a great sword delivered a blow in Magellan’s left leg, brought him face
down and the natives ceaselessly attacked Magellan with lances, swords and even with their bare hands.
Pigafetta recounted the last moments of Magellan:

Whilst the Indians were thus overpowering him, several times he turned around
towards us to see if we were all in safety, as though his obstinate fight had no
other object than to give an opportunity for the retreat of his men.

Pigafetta also said that the king of Cebu who was baptized could have sent help, but Magellan
instructed him not to join the battle and stay in the balangay so that he would see how they fought. The
king offered the people of Mactan gifts of any value and amount in exchange of Magellan‘s body but the
chief refused. They wanted to keep Magellan’s body as a memento of their victor.

Magellan’s men elected Duarte Barbosa as the new captain. Pigafetta also told how Magellan’s
slave and interpreter named Henry betrayed them and told the king of Cebu that they intended to leave
as quickly as possible. Pigafetta alleged that the slave told the king that if he followed the slave’s advice,
then the king could acquire the ships and the goods of Magellan’s fleet. The two conspired and
betrayed what was left of Magellan’s men. The king invited these men to a gathering where he said he
would present the jewels that he would send for the King of Spain. Pigafetta was not able to join the
twenty-four men who attended because he was nursing his battle wounds. It was only a short time
when they heard cries and lamentations. The natives had slain all of the men except the interpreter and
Juan Serrano who was already wounded. Serrano was presented and shouted at the men in the ship
asking them to pay ransom so he would be spared. However, they refused and would not allow anyone
to go to the shore. The fleet departed and abandoned Serrano. They left Cebu and continued their
journey around the world.

N.B. The chronicles of Pigafetta are lengthy so what is presented here is a summary of what he had
written.

What to do:

1. Look into the background of Antonio Pigafetta. Determine what personal information may have
influenced his writing of the article.
2. Content: Note how he characterized Philippine society at the time of this arrival and while in the
country.
3. What important details of pre-Spanish society and people were noted by him?
4. In terms of identity, how did he describe the Filipino people?
5. Evaluate the importance of this writing in so far as early Filipino society is concerned.