Jamiel James Arceno Readings in Philippine History

BSN1B MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

First Voyage Around the World

By Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta was born in 1491, in the province of
Vicenza in Italy. He is also known as Antonio Lombardo
or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. Antonio Pigafetta also
died in Vicenza, Italy in 1534. He was a scholar and
explorer from the Republic of Venice. He was a seafarer
and geographer.
One of the facts about Antonio Pigafetta is that he was
part of the first world circumnavigation that was started
by the Portuguese explorer named Ferdinand Magellan.
He traveled with Ferdinand Magellan and his crew by
order of the King Charles I of Spain on their voyage to
the Indies. During the expedition, he served as Magellan’s
assistant and kept an accurate journal which later assisted
him in translating one of the Philippine languages,
Cebuano. It is the first recorded document concerning this
Author's background
language.
This first world voyage was one of the greatest
achievements in the history of navy exploration. This
voyage began to sail in 1519 with five ships. However, its
leader was killed in 1521, and the next year, only one ship
returned to Spain with a few men. Antonio Pigafetta was
one of the few survivors.
Many years later, Antonio Pigafetta’s chronicles about his
detailed journey about the first trip around the world was
rescued in 1797, and it is currently considered as one of
the most important documentary evidences about various
discoveries in terms of world geography within the
sixteenth century. It is known as “First Voyage Around
the World” in English. This is one of the most valuable
contributions of Antonio Pigafetta.
Historical background of the Antonio Pigafetta was a key player of one of the most
document amazing world exploration trips. He was born in Vicenza
in 1492, and he was an Italian seafarer and geographer.
The relevance of his own venture, fundamentally lies in
the fact that he took part to the first globe
circumnavigation, between 1519 and 1522, and he was
able to accomplish it after the murder of Ferdinand
Magellan, leaving a detailed description of the journey in
the Report of the first trip around the world, a lost
manuscript that was rescued later, in 1797, and today is
considered one of the most important documentary
evidence relating the geographical discoveries of the
Sixteenth Century.
Antonio Pigafetta, fascinating and fleeing personality, for
Jamiel James Arceno Readings in Philippine History
BSN1B MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

scholars he still represents a partial mystery. About he too

little is known to define a satisfactory profile on the
biographical side. Documents and the testimony of
contemporaneous are scarce, and his own character
primarily appears from what he wrote in his own report.
His own narration about the first world circumnavigation
was one of the greatest achievements in the history of
navy exploration and discovery.
In this narration can be found descriptions of peoples,
countries, goods and even the languages that were
spoken, of which the seafarer was trying to assemble
some brief glossaries.
Pigafetta tells how, being in Barcelona in 1519, he heard
about Magellan’s expedition, and being wishful to learn
about the world, he asked for and obtained the permission
to join in the voyage.
Magellan’s fleet weighed anchor from Seville on August
10th of the same year with five smaller vessels, heading
towards Canary Islands and down along the African
coast, and across the Equator. From there they sailed
towards Brazil coast, where they stayed for some time,
making supplies and weaving friendly contacts with the
cannibalistic natives who dwelled there.
Moving on, then they arrived in Patagonia, where they
spent winter months in a desolate solitude. They met local
people, who looked like giants in their eyes full of
wonder, because of their robust body types.
They survived the mutiny of one of the captains and some
disgruntled sailors, and continued the exploration of the
coast. One of the vessels was drowned, but the whole
crew managed to be saved.
They preceded until the discovery of the strait, named
after, Magellan himself, on October 21st 1520, and went
through, although one of the ships deserted, sailing back
to Spain.
Finally, they arrived in the Philippines, where they
became acquainted with the natives who proved
hospitable and welcomed them as guests in the king’s
palace. The indigenous people, affected by the celebration
of Mass and the crucifix planted in the island, promised to
convert to Christianity.
Quickly they developed commerce and trade, and the
king, the queen and other notables of Cebu were
converted, until the entire population rapidly followed
them in the new religion.
Shortly after what happened in the disastrous episode that
Jamiel James Arceno Readings in Philippine History
BSN1B MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

changed the course of the expedition. Magellan took part

in a conflict between some local tribes and was killed.
The rest of the expedition managed to escape and retired,
preparing to leave, but a trap set by Magellan’s interpreter
and the king of Cebu, led to another massacre of the
Europeans.
The surviving ships continued toward Borneo and to the
city of Brunei, where they managed to stock up, then
from there, traveling southbound, they came to the
Moluccas, 27 months after the departure from Spain,
finding a warm welcome by an astrologer king who had
predicted their arrival.
But at this point, despite the perspective of good business
and the rich exchanges that would lay ahead, their desire
to return to Spain urged them and pushed them to a quick
return.
1. The good traits and physical appearance of
Content Analysis:  Filipinos were identified and recognized. It was
Understanding the historical said in the book that the Spaniards observed that
information. Filipinos were very hospitable.
A. Identify and describe the 2. Introduces the personalities, crucial bravery and
customs and traditions guaranteed defense of the Philippines. . Even in
mentioned in the document that that time, Filipinos already have a form of
have: government even before the civilization.
3. The ways and means of trading system, mostly the
1. Socio-cultural significance things that carried out of the country. Discovery of
the different kinds of products in the Philippines
2. Political significance such as fabrics, herbs, perfume, porcelain, carpets
3. Economic significance and other products. The Spaniards also noticed
that Philippines were rich in gold, spice, coconut,
and silk.
a) March 16, 1521 (Magellan and his crew arrived
B. Identify and describe the on the small island of Homohon), March 18, 1521
mentioned: (Natives found Magellan and his crew), March 22,
a. Dates 1521 (Natives bought gifts to Magellan and his
crew), March 25, 1521 (Magellan and his crew
b. Places went southwest), March 28, 1521 (Magellan and
c. Personalities his crew met Rajah Kulambo), March 29, 1521
(Magellan establishes a friendship treaty with the
chief Rajah Kulambo), March 31, 1521 (First
Catholic Mass held in Limasawa), April 7, 1521
(Magellan entered Cebu), April 27 (Magellan
Magellan dies in battle of Mactan island against
chieftain Lapu-Lapu)
b) Seville in Spain, Brazil, Puerto San Julian, Strait
of Magellan, Guam in Mariana Islands,
Jamiel James Arceno
BSN1B
Contextual Analysis:
What are the factors that could
have influenced Antonio
Pigafetta in the writing of the
document?  Explain.
What are the relevance /
contribution of the document in
Philippine history?
What are the author's main
arguments?
Readings in Philippine History
MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)
Homonhon island in Samar, Cebu Island, Island of
Mactan in Cebu, Palawan Island, Borneo Island,
Maluku Islands, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Verde.
c) Ferdinand Magellan, Antonio Pigafetta, Juan
Sebastian Elcano, King Charles I of Spain, Rajah
Humabon, Datu Lapu-Lapu, Datu Zula.
The factor that may have influenced Pigafetta into writing
this account was to document their expedition and
initially his own perspective of his experience.
Everything from the beginning of their expedition was
narrated by Antonio Pigafetta which includes detailed
descriptions of peoples, countries, goods and even the
languages that were spoken, of which the seafarer was
trying to assemble some brief glossaries. His difficult
experiences and life at sea is probably what kept him
writing the account.
The relevance of the document lies in the fact that
Antonio Pigafetta took part to the first globe
circumnavigation, between 1519 and 1522, and he was
able to finish it after the murder of Ferdinand Magellan,
leaving a detailed description of the journey reporting the
first trip around the world. The document also gave
enough information about what was in the past about the
Philippine history. We were able to gain knowledge about
our ancestors’ pre-colonial tradition and culture.
The account of Antonio Pigafetta met discrepancies
against several Filipino historians on two arguments:
The first argument was against Masao, some Filipino
historians have long contested the idea that Limasawa
was the site of the first Catholic mass in the country.
Historian Sonia Zaide identified Masao (also Mazaua)
in Butuan as the location of the first Christian mass.
The basis of Zaide's claim is the diary of Antonio
Pigafetta, chronicler of Magellan's voyage. In 1995
then Congresswoman Ching Plaza of Agusan del
Norte-Butuan City filed a bill in Congress contesting
the Limasawa hypothesis and asserting the "site of the
first mass" was Butuan. The Philippine Congress
referred the matter to the National Historical Institute
for it to study the issue and recommend a historical
finding. Then NHI chair Dr. Samuel K. Tan reaffirmed
Limasawa as the site of the first mass.
The second argument was against Bolinao, Odoric of
Pordenone, an Italian and Franciscan friar and
missionary explorer is heartily believed by many
Pangasinenses to have celebrated the first mass in
Jamiel James Arceno Readings in Philippine History
BSN1B MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

Pangasinan in around 1324 that would have predated

the mass held in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan. A
marker in front of Bolinao Church states that the first
Mass on Philippine soil was celebrated in Bolinao Bay
in 1324 by a Franciscan missionary, Blessed Odorico.
However, there is scholarly doubt that Odoric was
ever at the Philippines. Ultimately, the National
Historical Institute led by its chair Ambeth Ocampo
recognized the historical records of Limasawa in
Southern Leyte as the venue of the first Mass, held on
March 31, 1521.
Magellan’s voyage leads the vast geographical knowledge
of mankind and proved once and for all that the Earth is
spherical in shape. Since his discovery of the Philippines,
it broadened the archipelago into the awareness that
Europeans paved the way to Spanish colonization and
Your own overall observation
civilization. The socio-economic status also improved
and insights on the primary
Pigafetta’s own narration about the Philippines: it tells us
source
about culture and languages that we all had in our past.
The account of Antonio Pigafetta is a major aid in
discovering our original roots of being a Filipino, it is
interesting to ponder what we could have been if
Magellan did not discover the Philippines.