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September 20, 1519: Magellan departs from Spain with five ships and a complement of 264
crew.
March 16, 1521: Ferdinand Magellan discovers the Philippines and claims it for Spain and
names it Islas de San Lazaro.
March 31, 1521: The first mass in the Philippines takes place.
April 7, 1521: Magellan arrives at Cebu and befriends Rajah Humabon, ruler of Cebu. A
significant number of Cebu natives are converted to Catholicism.
April 27, 1521: Magellan is killed in battle on Mactan Island by Lapu-Lapu. Disputes over
women cause deterioration of Spaniard-Cebuano relations and 27 Spaniards are killed. The
remaining Spaniards depart.
1522: Of the five ships that departed Spain with Magellan, only one ship returns with a crew of
18. The voyage however, is a success and the ship's cargo makes a profit of 105%.
1525: Spain sends a second expedition to the Philippines under Juan Garcia Jofre de Loaysa.
1526: A third expedition under Juan Cabot is sent but never reaches the Philippines. Instead, the
expedition spends three years in South America.
1527: From Mexico, a fourth expedition is sent under Alvaro de Saavedra and eventually reaches
Mindanao.
1529: Saavedra dies during the journey of his expedition's return to Spain.
1536: The Loaysa expedition returns to Spain. The expedition is a failure with Loaysa and many
of his crew having died in the Philippines.
February 2, 1543: Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, leader of the fifth expedition arrives in the
Philippines. He names it after the Spanish heir to the throne, Philip II. Villalobos remains in the
Philippines for eight months before being forced to leave due to lack of food.