CONTENT PRESENTATION AND

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPORTANT

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Antonio Pigafetta’s “The First Voyage Around the World.”
By: Mary Ross Molina
Arvhie Palaypay
FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATION AROUND
THE WORLD
FERDINAND MAGELLAN – JUAN
SEBASTIÁN EL CANO
 THE CREW
• The crew of about 237 included men from several nations.
• Spanish authorities were wary of Magellan
-included about 40 Portuguese
-among them Magellan's brother-in-law Duarte Barbosa, Juan
Serrano, a relative of Francisco Serrão, Estêvão Gomes and
also Magellan's indentured servant Enrique of Malacca.
 THE FLEET

overtaken burned
abandoned

shipwrecked
• In September 1519 Magellan’s fleet sailed from Sanlúcar
de Barrameda, Spain, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The
fleet reached South America a little more than one month
later. There the ships sailed southward, hugging the coast
in search of the fabled strait that would allow passage
through South America.
• On October 21, 1520 Magellan finally entered the strait
that he had been seeking and that came to bear his name.
The voyage through the strait was dangerous and cold,
and many sailors continued to mistrust their leader and
grumble about the dangers of the journey ahead.
 Magellan: Circumnavigating the Globe
• After more than a month spent traveling the strait, Magellan’s
remaining fleet emerged in November 1520 to behold a vast ocean
before them. They were the first known Europeans to see the great
ocean, which Magellan named Mar Pacifico, the Pacific Ocean.
• Little was known about the geography beyond South America at that
time, and Magellan optimistically estimated that the trip across the
Pacific would be rapid. In fact it took three months for the fleet to
make its way slowly across the vast Mar Pacifico.
– 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 that we call these three islands the Ladrones
Islands.”
The Ladrones Islands

The Ladrones Islands is

presently known as the
Marianas Islands.
– Ten days after they have reached Ladrones Islands, Pigafetta
reported that they have what he 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.
– On MARCH 18, nine men came to them and showed joy and
eagerness in seeing them. Magellan realized that the men
were reasonable and welcomed them with food, drinks and
gifts.
– Pigafetta detailed in amazement and fascination the palm
tree which bore fruits called cochos and wine.
 – He characterized the people as “very familiar and friendly” and willingly
showed them different islands and the names of these islands. The fleet
went to Humunu Island (Homonhon) and there they found what he referred
to as the “Watering Place of Good Signs.” for it is in this place that they
found the first signs of gold in the island. They named the island together
with a nearby island as the archipelago of St. Lazarus.
– On March 25th, Pigafetta recounted that they saw two balanghai
(balangay), a long boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaus. The leader whom
he referred to the king became closely bonded with Magellan as they both
exchanged gifts to one another.
– After a few days, Magellan was introduced to the king’s brother who was
also a king of another island where Pigafetta reported that they saw mines of
gold. The gold was abundant that parts of the ship and of the house of the
king were made of gold. This king was named Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan
and Calagan (Butuan and Caragua), and the first king was Raia Siagu.
– On March 31st (Easter Sunday), Magellan ordered the
chaplain to preside a Mass by the shore. The king heard about
this plan and sent two dead pigs and attended the Mass with
the other king. Pigafetta then 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
our Lord they were kneeling like us, and adored our Lord with
joined hands.” This was the first Mass in the Philippines, and
the cross would be famed Magellan’s Cross which is still
preserved at present day. This was the same cross which
Magellan explained to the kings as a sign of his emperor who
ordered him to plan it in the places where he would reach and
further explained that once other Spaniards saw this cross,
then they would know that they had been in this island and
would not cause them troubles.
MAGELLAN’S CROSS IN CEBU
– By April 7th, Magellan and his men reached the port of Zzubu (Cebu)
with the help of Raja Humabon who offered to pilot them in going to
the island. The king of Cebu demanded that they pay tribute as it was
customary but Magellan refused. 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.
– On April 14, Magellan spoke to the king and encouraged him to be a
good Christian by burning all of the idols and worship the cross instead.
The king of Cebu was then baptized as a Christian. After 8 days, all of
the island’s inhabitant were already baptized.
– When the queen came to the Mass one day, Magellan gave her an
image of the Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta himself.
 – On 26th of April, Zula, a principal man 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 name Silapulapu (Lapulapu).
Magellan offered 3 boats instead and went to Mactan to fight the said
chief.
– They numbered 49 in total and the islanders of Mactan were
estimated to number 1,500. Magellan died in battle. He was pierced
with a poison arrow in his right leg. The king of Cebu who was baptized
offered help but Magellan refused so that he could see how they
fought.
– The king also offered the people of Mactan gifts of any value and
amount in exchange of Magellan’s body but the chief refused and
wanted to keep Magellan’s body as a memento of their victory.
– Magellan’s men then elected Duarte Barbosa as the new
captain.
– Pigafetta also accounted how Magellan’s slave and
interpreter named Enrique betrayed them and told the king of
Cebu that they intended to leave as soon as possible. Enrique
and the king of Cebu 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 left on board the ship and was not able to join
the 24 men who went to the gathering because he was
nursing his battle wounds.
– The natives had slain all the men except the interpreter and
Juan Serrano who shouted at the men on this ship to pay
ransom so that he would be spared but he was left on the
island for they refused to go back to shore.
– The fleet abandoned Serrano and departed. They left Cebu
and continued their journey around the world.
– After Magellan’s death, a series of men took command of
the expedition, but none of them stayed in charge for longer
than a few months. As one of the few remaining men, Juan
Sebastian el Cano took charge of one of the two surviving
ships, the Victoria, later that year. He safely brought the
expedition home to Spain in September 1522, despite scurvy
and starvation.
– On September 8, 1522, the crew of the Victoria cast anchor
in the waters off of Seville, Spain, having just completed the
first circumnavigation of the world.