FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE

WORLD BY ANTONIO
PIGAFETTA
LESSON 2. ASSIGNMENT

ANGELIKA ORTEGA BSARCH 1A | READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY | MARCH 12,

2022
Antonio Pigafetta is a Venetian scholar who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on
his mission. He was one of the survivors of Magellan's and His troops' voyage around the
world.

Antonio Pigafetta is the author of the book The First Voyage Around the World,
which served as the major source for the chronicle of Magellan's voyage. This book
contains information on significant events that occurred throughout their exploration.

Ferdinand Magellan is a Portuguese explorer who transmitted to Spain, his

country's main adversary, after being denied permission to explore by the Portuguese
rulers. He embarked on an expedition from Spain to the East Indies in search of treasure
islands via the West Sea route. He was the first European to command a journey to the
Pacific Ocean.

SEPTEMBER 20, 1519

Magellan’s expedition of five ships in total with 270 men set out from Sanlucar in south-
west Spain. The voyage is supported by the Habsburg emperor Charles V and is financed
by German banking finance. The crew members were gathered from all around Europe
and even Africa, and the ship is outfitted for a two-year cruise.

They first cross the Atlantic Ocean and they arrived at Brazil. And going down,
southward, looking for a passageway to Eastern route which Magellan refers to. For about
a year in South America, they found the Strait of Magellan, where it took them 38 days to
cross the strait, until they arrived in what we call now as the Pacific Ocean. It was
Ferdinand Magellan who named the said ocean, upon which he called it Mar Pacifico
which means “tranquil or calm.” It was out of their expectation that this calm ocean that
they’re crossing would be a very vast ocean by which it took them 99 days to cross the
Pacific Ocean.

During the few months of exploration, they experienced a series of storms.

MARCH 6, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan and his troop landed in Guam. They had an unfortunate experience
when they thought that the natives from Guam stole something from them. So, as a
revenge, they burned the houses of the natives. And when they departed from that place,
they called it Islas de Ladrones or Ladrones Island.

During their flee in the Pacific Ocean, they only have three surviving ships out of
five: the Concepcion, Victoria, and Trinidad. One of the ships lost its function while the
other one fleet away from the voyage back to Spain. In the long run, they were out of food
after crossing the Pacific Ocean.

MARCH 16, 1521

Ferdinand Magellan and his troop landed on the island of Homonhon in Samar.

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MARCH 18, 1521
On Homonhon Island, Ferdinand Magellan and his crew eventually have their first
encounter with Filipinos.

MARCH 28, 1521

While at sea of southern entrance to Suriago Strait, they noticed a blaze of a bonfire,
which showed out to be Mazaua (which is currently known as Limasawa), where they
anchored. Ferdinand Magellan and his troop were treated well with hospitality by the
natives. There he established good relations with Rajah Colambu.

MARCH 31, 1521

Magellan authorized a Mass to be held on this day, an Easter Sunday, which was
celebrated by Father Pedro Valderrama, the Andalusian chaplain of the expedition and the
sole priest at the time. The First Holy Mass, held near the island's coastlines, marked the
beginning of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines.

APRIL 6, 1521
Magellan and his troop departed from Limasawa.

APRIL 7, 1521
Magellan and his troop arrived at the port of Cebu.

APRIL 14, 1521

Rajah Humabon, his wife, and a large number of his local warriors accepted Christianity
and were baptized as a result. Rajah Humabon was then renamed Don Carlos, as well as
Rajah Colambu who was renamed Don Juan. Rajah Humabon also agreed to serve under
the flag of Spain with the condition to companionship against Lapu-Lapu, the Rajah of
Mactan.

APRIL 27, 1521

According to Pigafetta, Magellan brought a small company of 60 men to Mactan three
hours before daybreak, and because it was perhaps too early to combat, he sent message
to Lapu-Lapu, offering him the choice of recognizing the Spanish king and paying
homage, or learning the unpleasant way how their curved swords pierced. In other words,
Magellan attempted to reason with Lapu-Lapu and persuade him to support Spain's ruler.
As a result, Lapu-lapu was asked to participate in the colonization and conquering of the
Philippines by Spain at the time. Lapu-Lapu, on the other hand, refused, prompting
Magellan to threaten him.

During the conflict, Magellan and his men reasoned that by torching the natives' homes,
they would make them fearful and run. Instead of being astonished, the natives became
enraged and murdered a number of men, including Magellan.

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When so many natives showered down upon them, Magellan was unfortunately
struck through the right leg with a poisoned arrow. Magellan then ordered a frontal
assault but some of the men fleet away and only fifteen men remained with Magellan. The
vessels' cannons couldn't help them since they were too far away. Magellan had already
received a fatal wound from the locals. When the locals spotted the injured Magellan, they
assaulted him with their swords and stabbed him. The remaining Magellan's members
decided to escape after witnessing the events. According to Pigafetta, the natives attacked
Magellan with iron and bamboo spears and cutlasses until he was dead, despite the fact
that he served as their mirror, light, comfort, and real guide.

MAY 1, 1521

After Magellan's death, his troops returned to Rajah Humabon, who invited them to a
feast. They had no idea it was a trap set by Rajah Humabon's people to kill them. Twenty-
seven men were slaughtered, and the remaining survivors, including Pigafetta, managed to
flee. At the moment, the Concepción has been abandoned. Only approximately 110 men
survived where João Carvalho was elected captain-general.

NOVEMBER 8, 1521
Magellan's surviving men arrived in Moluccas on the ships Victoria and Trinidad. They
had trade spices there.

DECEMBER 18, 1521

The Trinidad and the Victoria pull anchor to depart, but the Trinidad releases a leakage.
As a result, they decided to split the route, leaving the Trinidad and the soldiers on board
for repairs while the Victoria returned to Spain.

DECEMBER 21, 1521

The Victoria, commanded by Elcano, takes out for a nine-month journey back to Spain
through the Cape of Good Hope, with 47 of the original members of the troop and
thirteen natives on deck (eighteen of them were Christians while three
were Indonesian survivors). Gómez de Espinosa remains behind with 53 men to make
repairs to the Trinidad before trying to return over the Pacific to Spain, in which the cargo
will be transported via the Isthmus of Panama and returned to Spain.

APRIL 6, 1522
During the voyage, the Trinidad was erroneously reported as having been seized by the
Portuguese fleet. Only four of the Trinidad's men returned to the Iberian Peninsula.
Espinosa is held captive in the east for four and a half years before being returned to
Spain.

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SEPTEMBER 6, 1522
Victoria was able to return to Spain courtesy to Sebastian Elcano's guidance. Only
eighteen of the 270 men on Magellan's trip across the world survived and returned to
Spain. After being released from being arrested and imprisoned during their travels, a
total of thirty-five men were able to return to Spain.

Concludingly, there is a lot of significance to the first voyage around the world.
First, the relevance of geography was addressed and clearly demonstrated. Second, there
was a significant update to the world map as a result of Magellan's exploration. Third, the
circumnavigation of Magellan and his troop also decisively refuted the flat Earth theory.
Lastly, this voyage, of course, brought Christian Catholicism to the Philippines.

Furthermore, this provides us with deep understanding about the differences

between Discovery and Rediscovery. Most often, we refer to Magellan when we are asked
about the person who discovered the Philippines. But being knowledgeable about the
expedition, we will know that there are already inhabitants or Filipinos when Magellan
arrived in the Philippines.

Moreover, it also highlights the importance of journal writing and historical

recording. Antonio Pigafetta is highly credited for recording the important events during
his exploration with Magellan. It is also through him that the Spaniards acquired the idea
that the Philippines is existing. It also clearly dictates that Lapu-Lapu himself did not kill
Magellan, but according to the writing of Pigafetta, Lapu-Lapu’s people were the ones who
killed Magellan.

Antonio Pigafetta is widely recognized for documenting key events during

Magellan's journey. It was also through him that the Spaniards learned of the existence of
the Philippines. It also plainly states that Lapu-Lapu did not kill Magellan; rather,
according to Pigafetta's narrative, Lapu-people Lapu's were the ones who killed Magellan.

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References

Dire straits: The story of Ferdinand Magellan's Fatal voyage of discovery. HistoryExtra.
(2022, January 10). Retrieved March 12, 2022, from
https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/ferdinand-magellan-fatal-voyage-
discovery-first-circumnavigation-globe-story-facts-timeline/

Pigafetta, A. (2018, December 3). Chronology of the voyage. De Gruyter. Retrieved

March 12, 2022, from
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.3138/9781442684928-004/html?
lang=en

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