CHAPTER 3: CONTENT & CONTEXT ANALYSIS OF “FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN”

BY ANTONIO PIGAFETTA

Author’s Background
Antonio Pigafetta Famous is an Italian traveler born in Vicenza around 1490 and died in the same city in
1534, who is also known by the name of Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. Initially
linked to the order of Rhodes, which was Knight, went to Spain in 1519, accompanied by Monsignor
Francisco Chiericato, and was made available from Carlos V to promote the company initiated by the
Catholic Monarchs in the Atlantic. Soon he became a great friendship with Magallanes, who
accompanied, together with Juan Sebastián Elcano, in the famous expedition to the Moluccas begun in
August of 1519 and finished in September 1522. He was wounded at the battle of the island of Cebu
(Philippines) in which Magellan found death. The output of Seville made it aboard of the Trinity; the
return, along with a handful of survivors (17 of the 239 who left this adventure), in victory, ship that
entered in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) on September 6, the designated year. In the last years of his
life, he traveled by land from France to finally return to Italy in 1523. He wrote the relation of that trip,
which was the first around the world, Italian and with the title of Relazioni in lathe to the primo viaggio
di circumnavigazione. Notizia del Mondo Nuovo with figure you dei paesi scoperti, which was published
posthumously, in 1536.
The account of Pigafetta is the single most important source about the voyage of circumnavigation,
despite its tendency to include fabulous details. He took notes daily, as he mentioned when he realizes
his surprise at Spain and see that he had lost a day (due to its driving direction). Includes descriptions of
numerous animals, including sharks, the Storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), the pink spoonbill (Ajaja
ajaja) and the Phyllium orthoptera, an insect similar to a sheet. Pigafetta captured a copy of the latter
near Borneo and kept it in a box, believing a moving blade who lived in the air. His report is rich in
ethnographic details. He practiced as an interpreter and came to develop, at least in two Indonesian
dialects.
Pigafetta’s work instantly became a classic that prominent literary men in the West like WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE, MICHEL de MONTAIGNE, and GIAMBATTISTA VICO referred to the book in their
interpretation of the New World. Pigafetta’s travelogue is one of the most important primary sources in
the study of the precolonial Philippines.
First Voyage Around the World
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 is presently known as the Marianas Islands. Tendays 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 reffered 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 were 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.
By April 7th, Magellan and his men reached the port of Zzubu (Cebu) with the help of Raia Calambu who
offered to pilot them in going to the island. The kind 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 kind 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 kind 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 captian. Pigafetta also accounted how
Magellan’s slave and interpreter named Henry betrayed them and told the king of Cebu that they
intended to leave as soon as possible. Henry 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.
KEYPOINTS:
 Context analysis considers the following:
1. The historical context of source ( time and place it was written and the situation at the time).
2. The author’s background, intent (to the extent discernable) and authority on the subject.
3. The source relevance and meaning today.
 Content analysis, on the other hand, applies appropriate techniques depending on the type of
source (written, oral, visual. In the process students will be asked, for example, to identify the
author’s main argument or thesis, compare points of view, identify biases and evaluate the
author’s claim based on the evidence presented or other available evidence at the time.
 The account of Pigafetta is the single most important source about the voyage of
circumnavigation, despite its tendency to include fabulous details.
 Pigafetta wrote his firsthand observation and general impression of the Far East including their
experiences in the Visayas.
 In his account, they reached the Ladrones islands (island of the thieves). By March 16, 1521 they
reached the Visayas islands where he called the Philippine archipelago then as the ‘Archipelago
of St. Lazarus’. During their stay in the Visayas, Magellan ordered the first Mass and baptized
several tribe leaders whom he had made blood compact with. The battle of Mactan where
Magellan was killed was also foretold.
 In the Filipino point-of-view, the claim that the Spaniards “discovered” the Philippines is
misplaced, since civilizations were already existing at the time the colonizers came.
 It is important to note, that the accounts of Pigafetta were written in foreign perspective.
Content and Contextual Analysis
1. Provide the historical context of the reading. When and where was it written? What was the
situation at the time it was written?

2. Pigafetta’s First Voyage

Around the Globe was written
during the expedition of
Magellan-Elcano from 1519-
3. 1522.
4. Pigafetta’s First Voyage
Around the Globe was written
during the expedition of
Magellan-Elcano from 1519-
5. 1522.
Pigafetta’s First Voyage Around the Globe was written during the expedition of Magellan-Elcano
from 1519-1522.

6. What is the importance of Antonio Pigafetta’s account in Philippine history?

 It was the as it was recorded account of the Fight Of Mactan, others are fair verbal history which
is wrong. Pigafetta’s statement moreover appears that the pre-colonial Philippines had a complex
society and flourishing civilization to start with indeed some time recently the Spanish
colonization. It was the most punctual record of the Philippine islands of any European contact.
7. Explain Antonio Pigafetta’s “pananaw pangkasaysayan”.
Pansilang pananaw is the one I will use to describe Antonio Pigafettas exposition. Since it is not
written in our own dialects in the Philippines and it is programmed to be studied by foreign
individuals.

8. Enumerate and discuss all the customs you have come across the reading. Are they still being
practiced today? Support your answer.
Hospitality is the one I have come across in the reading. Until now, hospitality is still practiced
in our daily life as Filipino. The hospitality and inviting characteristics of Filipinos are seen in
how visitors are warmly welcomed at homes and open places such as airplane terminals,
eateries, and lodgings. As friendly as they are known, the kindness of Filipinos may be a
common characteristic that can be recognized through their pleasant and inspiring character.