The Story Of The First Voyage Around The Earth

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The Portuguese were among the first Europeans to sail and discover new trade routes. Inspired by Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1466), they sailed down  the African coast to reach the east. In 1487 Bartolome Diaz rounded the Cape of Good Hope. Vasco de Gama also reach Calicot, India by sailing eastward.

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Henry The Navigator

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Vasco de Gama

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With the end of the wars among the moors in 1492, Spain sent great voyages including of the New World (America).

Christopher Columbus discovered America for Spain. From then Portugal and Spain became keen rivals in colonizing new lands. Spain and Portugal sent out their voyagers to colonize new territories to gain merchandise, spices, gold and other wealth from the orient as well as to spread Christianity among the natives.

On may 3, 1945, Pope Alexander VI attempted to settle this rivalry (between Spain and Portugal) by issuing a papal bull. It is called Inter Caeter. This divide the exploration zone of the rival countries; Spain to the west (100 league) of the Azores and Cape Verde Island and Portugal to the east. The demarcation line was drawn to identify the Spain and Portugal spheres of exploration

The two countries agreed in the Treaty of Tordesillas with the demarcation line move to 370 leagues west of cape Verde Island.

In 1505, Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) a Portuguese sailed with a fleet to the East Indies with a Portuguese viceroy in Malaca (Melaka) and spice markets of Ambon and Banda Western Indonesia.

Ferdinand Magellan

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Magellan observed wind direction and ocean tide and conceived the idea of a passage to the west (across America to reach the Spice Island).

He presented this idea to King Manuel of Portugal and ask his permission to fund him and navigate the east through west, but the king refused.

Disgusted by the king's response, Magellan renounced his citizenship and went to Spain in 1517. their he met influential persons who helped him to get support for his plan from King Charles 1 of Spain (later named Holy Roman Emperor Charles V). One of them was Bishop Juan de Fonseco (head of the Royal Council of the Indies division in charge of overseas expeditions.

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As he got Spain's support, Magellan was commissioned to find a route to Moluccas by sailing to the west. The contract of the expedition was signed on March 28, 1518. He was named as Captain-General of the expedition.

Magellan left the port of San Lucar de Barrameda Spain on September 20, 1519 with five ships namely; Trinidad, Conception,San Antonio, Santiago, and Victoria along with 250 men.

The expedition was accompanied with Fr. Pedro de Valderama (fleet chaplin), Antonio Pegafetta (chronicler of the expedition), Duarte Barbarosa (Magellan's brother in law) and Malay slave named Enrique of Mallacca (acting as interpreter).

The fleet sailed along the west coast of Africa. They reached the Canaries on September 26, cross the Atlantic Ocean and landed in South America coast (now named Pernambuco) Brazil on November 29.

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They reached Rio de Janiero on December 13 and they traded with the native Americans. They reached Rio de Plata (Magellan's ships were now at the tip of South American continent).

It was already winter and there is a strong snow storm. Some of his men asked him to return to Spain but Magellan declined and asked them to take courage.

The exploratory voyage continued (with the first signs of spring). Strong typhoon had driven ashore and destroyed the smallest ship Santiago.

Santiago was left and the four ship went farther south. The fleet came upon a strait, Magellan called it "Straight of All Saints" (now called Magellan Straight).

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Magellan sent San Antonio and Trinidad to explore the opening of the straight, San Antonio to explore the southeast and Trinidad to the southwest. But, on the night of November 29, the San Antonio piloted by Esteban Gomez (a Portuguese) deserted and sailed back to Spain.

Magellan's remaining ships reached the southern sea, he named it Pacific because it was calm when he saw it. As they navigate, they under-estimated the size of the Pacific. Time came and they were running out of supplies. Some of them started to eat rope guards and even as rats. Many of the sailors got sick with scurvy, several of them died.

On March 6,1521. They reached an Island in the Western Pacific. He called it Islas Ladrones or island of the thieves (later it was named Marianas in Honor of Maria Ana of Austria, Queen Regent of Spain) cause one of the native had stolen a boat from them.

Fro Marianas they went on voyage westward and on March 16, 1521, they saw the heights of Samar ( one of the islands of Philippines archipelago) and named the island Islas de San Lazaro because it was the feast day of San Lazaro, when they saw it. The sailors stayed overnight in Suluan island an landed in an uninhabited islet of Humunu (Homonhon) in Leyte Gulf and built tents for the sick.

On the third day they meet natives from neighboring island who arrived in a boat. Magellan traded with them, gave them red caps. mirrors, combs, small bells, ivory, fine linen cloth and other trifles. The native in return gave their cargo of bananas, fish coconuts and palm wine or tuba in local name.

The fleet landed in Masao, Butuan Agusan Del Norte Mindanao, Philippines (Some Historian claimed that it was in Limasawa, a small Island south of Leyte). Magellan make friends with the local chieftain Rajah Kulambu. The Rajah was welcomed by Magellan as he visited Magellan aboard in his ship, The chieftain gave Magellan three porcelain jars of rice, while Mgellan gave him a red-and-yellow robe and a red cap.

The decided to seal their new friendship and he performed the kasi-kasi or blood compact ceremony with Magellan on March 29.

On March 31,1521, Reverand Father Pedro de Valderama officiated a mass on Masao's shore. Magellan planted a wooden cross on the summit of a hill overlooking the sea. Magellan named the country Islas de San Lazaro.

Together with his new friend King Kulambu, Magellan, the Spanish and the native fleets landed on the place called Sugbu (now named Cebu). On that day the chieftain of Sugbu Rajah Humabon made a blood compact with Magellan after Magellan got his trust and friendship.

On April 14, 1521, Rajah Humabon and his wife were baptized in a mass held in the shore of Cebu. Humabon was renamed Carlos and his wife Juana. About 800 natives participated in the mass and underwent ritual baptism. After the mass Magellan planted a huge wooden cross and gave gift to the wife of Rajah Humabon an image of the child Jesus as a gift.

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Humabon together with Rajah Zula (one of the chieftain of other island) welcomed the visiting Spaniards but  one of the chieftain of Mactan named Lapu-Lapu (also called Cali Pulacu) hesitated.

He don't want to accept the new system as Magellan wanted to unite the local chieftains under the authority of Humabon and made Humabon a representative of the king of Spain. In order to teach Lapu-lapu a lesson, Magellan tries to invade Mactan on April 27,1521 with the army of 60 steel-clad Spaniards and 1000 Cebuano warriors.

Magellan told Rajah Humabon to stay in the boat together with his men and watch how they fight.

The Mactan natives out numbered the Spanish, repulsed the Spanish force with their spares and stakes made in bamboo, aiming their unshielded legs. The Spaniard warriors forced to go back to their boats.

A poisoned arrow hit the right leg of Magellan and a bamboo spear strucked his face. Lapu-lapu and his warrior killed Magellan. the remaining Spanish force to retreat and left Magellan's body behind. They were not able to prove to the native that they were good in battles.

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On the first day of May that year, The Cebuano natives carried a plan to massacre them. They were attending a banquet prepared for them by Rajah Humabon when they were attacked. Juan Serrano and Duarte Barbarosa were killed including 27 others.

Those who remain were forced to flee from the island. they burned the ship Conception because they were lacking of men to operate the vessel. They continued their voyage with two ships, Trinidad and Victoria. The two ships continued to Moluccas.

The expedition finally landed in Tidore an island in Moluccas. The Spanish were able to secure cargo of spices. they decided to separate ways back to Spain. The Trinidad (under Gomez de Espinosa) would sail back to Spain by crossing Pacific to Panama and Victoria (under Juan Sebastian del Cano) to sail via Cape of Good Hope (but would be sailing in a lower latitude to avoid the portiguese).

The Victoria crossed the Indian Ocean crossed the Cape of Good Hope and on September 6, 1522, with only 18 survivor, they reached San Lucar Spain, their around the world voyage lasted 2 years 11 months and 16 days.

The stories of the expedition spread. The expedition confirmed that the earth is round, and the possibility to sail around the world was true for the oceans in the world were connected.

El Cano was rewarded by Spanish Crown a motto for his shield, "Primus Circumdediste Me" (You Circumnavigate Me first).

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