SUMMARY

A great period of European discovery began in the late 1400s, headed by Portuguese, Spanish,
and Italian seafarers. Fernando de Magallanes, also known as Fernando Magellan, was a 38-year-
old Portuguese sailor and brilliant navigator who spent years exploring the Indian Ocean. He had
fallen out with the King of Portugal and now offered his competitor, King Charles I of Spain,
offered a bold plan. Magellan believed that traveling around the world and reaching the Spice
Islands from the east was possible. For millennia, it was commonly known that the Earth was
round, contrary to popular belief that it was flat. King Charles I agreed to Magellan's proposition
and assisted him in putting together an expedition.

The fleet set sail on the 20th of September of 1519 and surpassed the stormy Atlantic Ocean to
reach the site of Rio de Janeiro in modern Brazil. Magellan and men continued throughout south
until winter storm forced them to camp it Puerto San Julian now known as Argentina. At this
time, Magellan faced a mutiny led by Spanish officers convinced he was leading them to their
end. Magellan acted merciless and sent loyal men to kill one of the team leaders while other was
captured and killed.

As Magellan searched for a passage west, one ship, named Santiago was wrecked, fortunately,
the crew was saved. Meanwhile, a ship named San Antonio deserted and sailed back home but
Magellan did discover a 350-mile strait which now bears his name. Across the vast, wide ocean,
a sea seemed so calm, so he named it; Mara Pacifico means the peaceful sea, now known as
Pacific Ocean. But the Mara Pacifico was far wider and bigger than he had expected. Sailing
across the vast ocean led them to eat rats and drink dirty water which resulted to death of
nineteen crews. After more than three months, the fleet spotted land, Magellan found Guam in
the Marianas Islands.

EVENTS HAPPENED IN THE PHILIPPINES WHEN MAGELLAN ARRIVED

MARCH 17, 1521, they came upon an island named Homonhon in Samar, where they rested for
the day. Since that this date is considered to be the opening day of the Philippines.
Originally Magellan named the newly discovered archipelago in honor of St. Lazarus - San
Lazaro but later it was renamed. In 1542 the island was decided to name in honor of King Philip
II. And up to now, in all the maps of the world they are marked as Filipino.

MARCH 18, 1521, they saw 9 men in a boat approaching them and these men came from the
island Zuluan. These men were giving signs of joy for Magellan's arrival.
 There was an exchange of gifts between them. These people became very familiar and friendly
with native folks, and explained many things to them in their language, and told them the names
of some islands which they saw with their eyes before them.

MARCH 22, 1521, the above-mentioned people, who had promised to return, came about
midday, with two boats laden with the said fruit cochi, sweet oranges, a vessel of palm wine, and
a cock.
The seignior of the natives was painted (tattooed) and had many accessories like rings and
bracelets. They call the natives caphri, or heathen.

MARCH 29, 1521, the blood compact is where the Rajah and Magellan drank each other’s blood
mixed with the native wine, Atuba in southern Leyte.
They sealed an implicit political pact between Spain and the Philippines. Because of this
alliance, the Rajah allowed Magellan and his men to come ashore to celebrate mass. Rajah
Kolambu was also invited to the mass along with Rajah Siagu of Butuan, his brother. With Rajah
Siagu of Butuan, his brother. It is the first Catholic mass in the Philippines officiated by Father
Pedro de Valderama in the shore of a town named as Limasawa in the tip of Southern.
MARCH 31, 1521, • Leyte. Limasawa is known as the birthplace of Roman Catholicism in the
Philippines. Conducted near the shores of the island, the Holy First Mass marked the birth of
Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. • Magellan instructed his comrades to plant a large
wooden cross on the top of the hill overlooking the sea.
APRIL 7, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, and his fleet of ships under the flag of Spain arrived in
Cebu. Magellan was welcomed by the native chieftain of Cebu, Rajah Humabon, Magellan sent
an ambassador and the interpreter the king Rajah Humabon said that all ships were required to
pay tribute. But both parties not agreed and then there was an exchange of warnings between the
two parties.
APRIL 8, 1521, Magellan asked his Malay slave Enrique to assure the natives of Cebu that they
came as friends and were not enemies. Rajah Humabon, Cebu chieftain, welcomed them and
soon a blood compact ensued. Rajah Humabon was baptized and was named Don Carlo.
Rajah Humabon swore to help Magellan conquer his enemies. Especially the growing Muslim
community. Queen Juana also converted to Christianity and was handed a Wooden Child Jesus
sculpture.

APRIL 27, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived at the shores of Mactan three hours before sunrise.
Magellan sent a message to the natives saying that if they still refused to recognize the Spanish
king and pay them tribute, they would demonstrate how effective their swords were at wounding
people. In reply, Lapu-Lapu’s men told Magellan that although the Spaniards had lances, they,
too, were armed with bamboo and stakes hardened with fire. The natives requested Magellan’s
party to wait until morning before attacking so they could gather more warriors, to which
Magellan obliged.
When the sun rose, Magellan, including his crew of 49 (11 remained on the ship) witnessed
how the natives were highly organized at warfare. The natives shot only at their legs, for the
latter were bare; and so many were the spears and stones that they hurled at us, that we could
offer no resistance. • Native continued to retire from the shore always fighting up the knees in
the water. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a
scimitar, only being larger. That caused the Ferdinand Magellan to fall face downward, when
immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until
they killed it.

The survivors fled with only men left to crew two ships, they burned the Concepcion and
continued their search for the Spice Islands. They landed on the Muslim court of Borneo in
modern Brunei. At long last, with the help of local guides and more than two years of endless
sailing and numbered fights and mutiny, they already set their feet on Spice Islands or Maluku
Islands, today, a part of Indonesia. They traded everything out for the cloves their two ships
could carry. Returning to their home, the Trinidad ship sprang a leak and had to stay for repairs.
The fleet later tried to return to land of Spain across the vast Pacific Ocean, but most of the men
became sick or died. The survivors had to return to the island of Maluku where some of the men
and the Trinidad were captured by the Portuguese. The last remaining and smallest ship Victoria
sailed west again for home, captained by Juan Sebastian Elcano. Now they faced the Indian
Ocean which took them more than two months of battling huge waves and strong headwinds
before they passed around the Cape of Good Hope. Twenty-one men died before the landed on
the provision of Cape Verde. On 8th September of 1522, almost three years after their departure,
the exhausted survivors of Victoria ship landed their feet once again to Spain. Only 18 from the
original 270 crew returned home. Magellan and his men expedition had achieved were
remarkable. The first voyage of circum-navigation around the world.