FIRST

FIRST VOYAGE
VOYAGE
AROUND
AROUND THE
THE
WORLD
WORLD BY
BY
MAGELLAN
MAGELLAN
by A N T O N I O P I G A F E T T A
WHO IS ANTONIO PIGAFETTA?

• He is an Italian scholar and explorer from the Republic of

Venice.
• He accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in his fateful
circumnavigation of the world. During the expedition, he
served as Magellan's assistant and kept an accurate journal.
• Works: First Voyage Around the World
• His work became a classic that prominent literary men in the
West like William Shakespeare, Michel de Montaigne and
Giambatista Vico referred to the book in their interpretation
of the New World.
• His travelogue is one of the most important primary sources
in the study of the precolonial Philippines.
THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY
MAGELLAN
• This book was taken from the chronicles of contemporary voyagers and
navigators of the sixteenth century.
• This was written by Antonio Pigafetta on his accounts of Magellan’s voyage.
• It includes the events leading to Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines, his
encounter with the local leaders, his death in the hands of Lapu-lapu’s forces
in the Battle of Mactan, and what was left of Magellan’s fleet from the
islands.
• This book was published after Pigafetta returned to Italy.
START OF THE
VOYAGE
Ladrones Islands
Isle of Zamal
“Island of Thieves”
Presently known as Marianas Islands
Location: south-southeast of Japan
west-southwest of Hawaii
north of New Guinea
east of Philippines

Uninhabited Island

March 18 – nine (9) 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. In return, the natives gave them fish, palm wine(uraca), figs and
two cochos. The natives also gave them rice, cocos and other food supplies.
Pigafetta characterized the people as “very familiar and friendly”
 Humunu Island
“Watering Place of Good Signs”
Where they found the first signs of gold in
(Homonhon) the island

March 25
• they saw two ballanghai (balangay) which is a long boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaua.
• The king who owned these ballanghai was Raia Siagu
• He sent men to the ship of Magellan.
• Magellan and his men welcomed them and gave them gifts.
• Raia Siagu offered to give a bar of gold and chest of ginger which Magellan declined.
• Magellan instead, asked for money for the needs of his ships.
• The king responded to his request and gave them food in chinaware.
• Magellan exchanges gifts of robes in Turkish fashion, red cap and gave the people knives
and mirrors. They expressed that they want to be brothers.

Zuluan and Calagan

• Magellan met Raia Siagu’s brother, Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan and Calagan.
• They saw mined of gold. Gold was abundant that the parts of ship and the house of the second
king was made from gold.
• Pigafetta also described the king as the most handsome of all men in his place.
March 31
• It was Easter Sunday and the first Mass in the Philippines happened
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.
• After the Mass, ordered the cross that they brought, be planted on the ground with
nails and crown in place.
• The cross, nail and crown were signs of his emperor and he was ordered to plant it to
places he would reach.
• The cross is beneficial to them because once the Spaniards see this cross, they would
know that they have been in this land and would not cause them troubles.
• In present day, we know this place as the Magellan’s Cross.
 Cebu (Zzubu)
• Largest and richest of islands
• Magellan arrived on April 7 with the help of Raia Calambu
• The king of Cebu demanded that they should pay tribute as it was customary. However, Magellan
refused and said that he was a captain of a king himself thus, he would not pay tribute to other
kings.
• With the help of Magellan’s interpreter, he explained that Magellan was an emperor of a great
empire and it would be better to make friends with them than to forge enmity.
• The king of Cebu consulted his council and on the following day, decided to have a blood compact
with Magellan
• The following day, Magellan spoke before the people of Cebu about peace and God.
• Magellan continued preaching about faith and people were reportedly convinced.
• The people wished to become Christians through their free will and not because they were forced
or intimidated.

April 14
• Magellan gathered the people with the king and other principal men of the islands. He spoke and
encouraged the king 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 the inhabitants of the island were all baptized. They burned down villages for
neither obeying the king nor Magellan. Masses were already conducted by the shore everyday.
 One day, the Queen came to the Mass and Magellan gave an image of
the Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta himself.
The king of Cebu swore that we would always be faithful to
Magellan.

Magellan reiterated that all newly baptized Christians need to burn their idols. However, some
natives gave excuses such as they need the idol to heal a sick man. Magellan insisted that they
should put their faith in Jesus Christ. They went to the sick man and baptized him. After the
baptism, the man was able to speak again. Pigafetta called this a miracle.

April 26
• 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 Silapulapu (Lapulapu).
• Magellan offered three boats instead and joined them fight.
• They arrived in daylight and they numbered 49 in total while the islanders of Mactan were
estimated to number 1,500.
DEATH OF MAGELLAN
• Magellan died in that battle. He was pierced with a poisoned arrow in
his right leg.
• He was targeted because the natives knew that he was the captain
general.
• The king of Cebu could have sent help, but Magellan instructed him to 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. However, the chief refused and wanted to keep the body as a memento of their victory.

AFTER MAGELLAN’S DEATH

• Duarte Barbosa – was elected as the new captain by Magellan’s men
• Pigafetta also told how Magellan’s interpreter and slave, Henry, betrayed them.
He told the king of Cebu that if he followed his advice, the king would acquire the ships and
goods of Magellan’s men. The king invited 24 men to a gathering where he would present the
jewels that he would send to the king of Spain. However, the natives killed all of the men except
Henry and Juan Serrano who was already wounded. Juan Serrano was held captive and asked
for ransom for him to be free. However, Magellan’s men refused and did not allow anyone to go
to the shore. They departed and abandoned Serrano. They left Cebu and continued their
journey around the world.