LESSON 3

MAGELLAN’S Voyage
around the world
 Learning Outcomes

Analyze the content, context and perspective of

the document.

Discuss Magellan-Elcano expedition and

experience based on the journal.

Explain the importance of Pigafetta's account on

the study of Philippine history.
 Historical Context
 One of the benefits that Europeans gained from expeditions was
the discovery of products that were not available in their country.

 They mostly accumulated porcelain, silk, incense, herbs,

perfumes, fabrics, carpets and spices.

 Out of all of them, spices had the highest demands due to its
functions for food preservation, flavoring and medicine
 The merchants used this
chance to monopolize the
selling of Asian spices to the
European markets.

 Its route went to either the

Silk Road or the Arabian-
Italian trade route
 The Routes
 Both of them were expensive to come across because they were
disrupted by war, natural disasters and bandits.

 In 1453, the Ottoman Empire of the Constantinople (present day

Turkey) closed the land route to the Spice Islands.

 As a result, the European kingdoms looked for ways to purchase

Asian goods from the source. They decided to look for the island
themselves.
 Prince Henry The Navigator
 He was a central figure in the early days
of the Portuguese Empire.

 He was also the central figure for the 15 th

century European maritime discovery and
expansion.

 Birth: March 4, 1394

 Death: November 13, 1460
 Prince Henry The Navigator
 He put up a maritime school that trained future sailors who
would discover an eastern route to the Spice Islands.

 Other routes were also discovered which were ways to other

SEA islands via Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

 Portugal became successful economically.

 Battle of Granada (1942)
 Queen Isabella of Castile and King
Ferdinand II of Aragon (couple) led Spain
to victory against the Moors in Granada.

 This solidified Spain’s world power

which led them to expand their economy
outside the Iberian Peninsula.
 Inspired by Portugal
 Spain was immensely inspired with Portugal’s economical
success and they aspire to have a fair share in the spice trade.

 As a solution, they financially supported the trans-Atlantic

voyages of Christopher Columbus from 1492 to 1502; which
resulted in the discovery of the territories on the other side of
the Atlantic Ocean.
 Christopher Columbus
 He was an explorer and colonizer
from Italy who completed four
voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.

 Those four trips across the Atlantic

Ocean from Spain were in the
years: 1492, 1493,1498 and 1502
 Decades later, the Spanish monarch also supported
the plan of Ferdinand Magellan to go to the East by sailing westward,
a proposal that Portugal refused to
finance
 Ferdinand Magellan
 He was an explorer from Portugal
who organized the Spanish
expedition to the East Indies from
1519 to 1522.

 It became the first

circumnavigation on Earth,
completed by Juan Sebastian
Elcano.
 Magellan-Elcano Expedition
August 20, 1519

- They left the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda in Seville.

They were accompanied with around 270 men of different races.

- Their main objective was to search for the new maritime

path to the Spice Islands that would not violate Spain's treaty
with Portugal.
 Magellan-Elcano Expedition
They suffered man-made challenges and out of the five ships
(Trinidad, San Antonio, Conception, Santiago, and Victoria) only
three(3) reached Philippines.
- Trinidad
- Conception
- Victoria
 Magellan-Elcano Expedition
September 7, 1522-

- Elcano and 17 survivors arrived in Spain aboard the ship

Victoria.

- One of the survivors was Antonio Pigafetta, the assistant to

Magellan who kept a journal that became the main source of what
we know about the first encounter of the Spaniards and the
Filipinos.
 Antonio Pigafetta
 He was born around 1490 in
Vicenza, Venice, Italy.
 He was the eldest son of Giovanni
Pigafetta to second wife Angela
Zoga.
 He excelled in astronomy,
geography and cartography.
 He also worked in ships owned by
the Knight of Rhodes.
 About the Author
1519
 He joined the delegation of Monsignor Francesco Chieregati
when he was assigned as Papal Nuncioto Spain.

 That was also time when he was introduced to news of

Magellan’s expedition.

 He was often described as a young and well-educated man by

his biographers.
 About the Author
 After receiving an approval from the Spanish monarch, he left
Barcelona and went to Seville.

 He presented his credentials to Magellan and to the Casa de la

Contratacion, the office in charge of voyages to the New
World.

 He became one of the sobresalientes (supernumeraries), or

men coming from prominent families who will join the trip for
the love of adventure and for the advancement of military
service.
 About the Author
 From Seville, he reported to his Majesty King Carlos Vand
gave him a handwritten account of what happened to them
during the journey before returning to Italy.

 After his work there, he joined the Knights of St. John of

Jerusalem in its battle against Turkey. And he died sometime
in 1534.
 About the Book
 Title
-Magellan's Voyage Around the
World
 Author
-Antonio Pigafetta
 Content
-It was about the challenges in the
expedition and their experiences in each
place they set foot.
 The Manuscript
 When he returned to Italy, many associates asked him to write a
formal account of the Magellan expedition and have it published.

 After doing it, he presented his draft to:

-Pope Clement VII-Philippe de Villiers L'Ise
-Adam (grandmaster of the Knights of Rhodes)
-Louis of Savoy (King Francis I mother from France)
 The Manuscript
 Unfortunately, he was unable to find a financier its
publication.

 During that time, the accounts of Maximilianus Transylvanus

and Peter Martyr were already out and interest on Magellan
expedition had died down.

 1536
A condensed version of his manuscript was published in
Venice by Jacques Fabre.
 The Copies

THREE FOURTH
COPIES ORIGINAL COPY

(Italian, Spanish and

(In French) (Venice) Venetian
 The Copies
 In French
-Two are kept in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris

-The third copy was originally owned by Sir Thomas

Phillipps, a British collector.

-Beinecke Rare Book bought Sir Thomas' copy and it is now

kept in the Manuscript Library of Yale University in New
Haven
 The Copies
 In multiple languages
-The fourth copy can be found in the Ambrosian Library in
Milan.

 1800
-Carlo Amoretti published the full Italian version.

 1819
-James Alexander Robertson made the English version based on
the Ambrosian copy and it appeared in The Philippine Islands.
 The Content
 Pigafetta's account had the clearest and most comprehensive
foundation of information that dealt with Magellan's Expedition.

 It recounted the individual fates of the Five ships (Trinidad, San

Antonio, Concepcion, Santiago and Victoria).

 It clearly narrated their challenges like food shortage, spread of

diseases, the crew's low confidence towards Magellan's leadership
and the people’s hostile attitudes.
 The Content
 His travelogue contributed immensely to the enrichment of the
Philippine historiography.

 It provided the Filipinos a glimpse of the political, economic and

social conditions of the islands, particularly in the Visayan region
during the 16thcentury.

 He creatively described the physical appearance, social life,

religious beliefs and cultural practices of the people they've
encountered in Samar, Leyte and Cebu.
 The Content

 He got all this information through Magellan’s slave/interpreter,

Enrique de Malacca.

 Pigafetta also gave us an eyewitness account of the death of

Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.
 Summary of Excerpts
 March 16, 1521 -They came to Zamal (present day Samar), which was
300 leagues away from Latroni.

 March 17, 1521 -The captain general desired to land to the right side
of the above mentioned island. It was for them to be secure, have
access to water and take a rest.

 March 18, 1521 -They saw a boat coming towards them with nine
men. The chief of the nine men went tithe captain-general and told
them that they were reasonable men and ordered food to be served
before them.
 Summary of Excerpts

 When they saw the captain's courtesy, they presented fish, a jar of
palm wine (called uraca),bananas and coconuts..

 Pigafetta described the coconut as multifunctional fruit as people get

everything from that it. From its roots to the actual tree, the natives
made use of it for their food, shelter and cooking.
 Summary of Excerpts
 The locals became familiar with them. Through getting to know them
personally, they weren't afraid to show the locals their spices.

 The island they were staying at was called Homonhon. Then, they saw
the clearest water they have ever seen and they called it Acquada da li
buoni Segnialli (the Watering-place of Good Signs). There were also
first signs of gold found in those districts
 Summary of Excerpts

 March 22, 1521 -The men from a few days ago came back with two
boats with coconuts, sweet oranges, a jar of palm wine and a rooster.
They stayed there for a week.

 The captain there always visited the sick and gave them coconut water
every morning.
 Summary of Excerpts
 An adventure isn't complete without discovering new kinds of people,
in terms of appearance.

 He narrated that there are people living near that island who have large
earrings, so large it can pass their arms. They were called caphri. They
were also dark, fat and painted. They also have dark and longhair and
used daggers ornamented with gold.

 The caphri used coconut oil to protect themselves from the sun and
wind.
 Summary of Excerpts
 April 7, 1521 -Pigafetta and the other men entered the port of Zubu,
where they saw many homes built upon logs.

 The captain-general ordered the ships to fling their banners. They

followed it as well as firing their artillery which scared the people.

 The captain sent his foster-son as ambassador tithe king of Zubo

along with an interpreter.
 Summary of Excerpts
 April 10, 1521 -One of their men died during the previous night so
Pigafetta and the interpreter asked the king where they could bury the
body.

 The deceased was buried in the square with as much pomp as possible.

 POMP (ceremony and splendid display, noun) especially at a public

event
 Summary of Excerpts
 Then, they consecrated the place, and buried another man in the
evening.

 They carried a quantity of merchandise ashore which they kept in a

house.

 He described the people there as people who live in accordance with

justice, and have weights and measures.

 He noticed how they adore peace, ease and quietness.

 Summary of Excerpts

 April 10, 1521-They showed the locals a shop full of their

merchandise. For the metals, iron and other large things that they have,
the traded it for gold.

 The locals were kind enough to give them rice, swine, goats and other
food.
 Summary of Excerpts
 April 14, 1521 - 40 men were ashore, two of whom were completely
armed and preceded the royal banner. When they reached the land
where all the artillery was fired, the people followed them in hither and
thither (various directions).

 The captain told the king through the interpreter that he thanked God
for inspiring him to become a Christian. Through that way, he would
conquer his enemies with ease. Some of his chiefs do not want to be a
Christian because they are as good as their captain, too
 Summary of Excerpts
 A large cross was set up in the middle of the square.

 If they wished to become a Christian, they must burn all their idols and
set up a cross in the place.

 After being baptized, they were named as follows:

-Don Carlo (the King)
-Don Fernando (the Prince)
-Johanni (King of Mazaua)
-Fernando (chief)
-Christoforo (the Moro)
 Summary of Excerpts
 After the mass, the captain invited the king and some chiefs for dinner.
They refused but they still accompanied them to the shore.

 The ships discharged all the mortars and they all took leave of one
another.

 After dinner, the priest and his other men went to shore to baptize the
queen, along with forty other women.

 She was shown an image of our Lady, a wooden baby Jesus and a
cross.
 Summary of Excerpts
 The names are as follows:
-Johanna (the queen)
-Catherina (the wife of the prince)

 He described the queen as young and beautiful and was covered with
black and white cloth. Her mouth and nails were red and wore a large
hat of palm leaves, like a tiara of the Pope.

 They baptized 800 hundred souls.

 Summary of Excerpts

 All of the people in the island were baptized in less than a week.

 The Moros and heathens were hard to convince as they have their own
beliefs and idols.

 But Pigafetta later told that the Moros were harder to convince than the
heathens.
 The Battle
 April 26, 1521 -Zula, chief of Mactan was supposed to send two goats
to the captain-general but he was stopped by another chief named
Cilapulapu (simply Lapu-Lapu).

 He requested the captain to send him one boatload of men the next
night in order to fight Lapu-Lapu. But the captain-general insisted to
send three boatload of men.

 April 27, 1521 -Sixty men, from the traveler’s side, were armed with
corselets and helmets.
 The Battle
 The natives shot only at their legs through spear sand stones. The fight
continued for more than a good crossbow fight from the shore.

 The natives used the same spears up to six times without making any
mistakes.

 An Indie hurled a bamboo spear into the captain’s face, but the latter
immediately killed him with his lance.

 The Christian king tried to aid the captain, but he died on the spot.
 Result

 Eight of their men were killed with Magellan in that battle and four
Indians, who became Christians were also killed.

 On the enemy's side, only fifteen were killed.

 Relevance
 Pigafetta's chronicle contributed immensely to European historiography as
it preserved and popularized the achievements of the Magellan-Elcano
expedition.

 This expedition proved that the Earth is not flat but an oblate spheroid.

 Magellan and his men completed the first circumnavigation of the world.

 It also confirmed that the Portuguese route is not the only way to go to the
Spice Islands.
 Relevance
 The account of Pigafetta also enriched Philippine historiography
because it contained important details and events in the 16th century.

 It highlighted social and cultural practices along with religious beliefs.

 In Pigafetta's narrative, Lapu-Lapu is the most prominent Filipino

character. He was the first Filipino who led the resistance movement
against the Spanish rule and successful thwarted the first attempt of the
Spaniards to take over the Philippines.
 The Moluccas Island

 Pigafetta was not the only one who

wrote about the expedition.

 Maximilanus Transylvanus’ De
Moluccas Insulis (The Moluccas
Islands) came off the press. 
 The Moluccas Island
 He based his narrative on the interviews that he conducted with the
survivors of the Victoria ship.

 The prominent interviewees are as follows:

Juan Sebastian Elcano
Francisco Albo
Hernando de Bustamante

 Peter Martyr d'Anghiera, an Italian-born historian from Spain wrote

accounts of the Spanish explorations of the New World from 1511-
1530which he divided into decades.
 THANK YOU!!
LESSON 3
MAGELLAN’S Voyage
around the world