First Voyage Around the

World
Course Facilitator: Naomi Jemera, M.A.
About the Author
• Antonio Pigafetta (1491-C.1534), born around
1490 in the town of Vicenza, Venice, Italy,
was the eldest son of Giovanni Pigafetta to
second wife Angela Zoga.
• He studied astronomy, geography, and
cartography and during his younger years
worked in the ships owned by the Knights of
Rhodes.
About the Author
• His biographers described him as a well-
educated young man possessing an avid
curiosity of the world around him.
• He joined the delegation of Monsignor
Francesco Chieregati when the latter was
assigned as Papal Nuncio to Spain in 1519. It
was during this time when Pigafetta became
acquainted with the lucrative spice trade and
heard the news of the voyage to be
undertaken by Ferdinand Magellan.
About the Author
• He presented his credentials to Magellan and
to the Casa de la Contratacion, the office in
charge of voyages to the New World.
• Pigafetta survived the challenges and
catastrophes that the expedition encountered
along the way, including being wounded in
the Battle of Mactan.
• He was among the 18 survivors who returned
to Spain on September 6, 1522, aboard the
Victoria with Juan Sebastián Elcano.
 • In 1517, Portuguese
Ferdinand Magellan
convinced the Hapsburg
monarch, Charles, to
finance an ambitious
undertaking:
• That he would discover a
new route to the fabled
Spice Islands by sailing
west across the Atlantic, to
South America, from
where he could then sail
to the desired destination
without running afoul of
his countrymen Spain's
fiercest rivals.
Historical Context
“Inter Caetera”
“... Out of our own sole largess and certain knowledge and out of the fullness of our apostolic power,
by the authority of Almighty God conferred upon us in blessed Peter and of the vicarship of Jesus
Christ, which we hold on earth, do by tenor of these presents, should any of said islands have been
found by your envoys and captains, give, grant, and assign to you and your heirs and successors,
kings of Castile and Leon, forever, together with all their dominions, cities, camps, places, and
villages, and all rights, jurisdictions, and appurtenances, all islands and mainlands found and to be
found, discovered and to be discovered towards the west and south, by drawing and establishing a
line from the Arctic pole, namely the north, to the Antarctic pole, namely the south, no matter whether
the said mainlands and islands are found and to be found in the direction of India or towards any other
quarter, the said line to be distant one hundred leagues towards the west and south from any of the
islands commonly known as the Azores and Cape Verde. With this proviso however that none of the
islands and mainlands, found and to be found, discovered and to be discovered, beyond that said line
towards the west and south, be in the actual possession of any Christian king or prince up to the
birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ just past from which the present year one thousand four hundred
ninety-three begins. And we make, appoint, and depute you and your said heirs and successors lords
of them with full and free power, authority, and jurisdiction of every kind…” —Pope Alexander VI, “Inter
Caetera”
Its “God, Gold, and Glory” mantra in the age of exploration
flourished in the first two centuries of Spain’s colonial rule.
 • Magellan and his men pushed on and, on
March 16, 1521, came across Homonhon, an
isle off the Pacific-facing coast of Samar, a
much larger island in the archipelago yet to be

Entrenchment
named the Philippines.

• Pigafetta, whose journals provide a fascinating,

first-hand account of this historic voyage.
Entrenchment
• On Easter Sunday, in a portent
of impending Christianity, the
priest accompanying the
expedition celebrated mass on
Limasawa.
• Acting as the translator and
interpreter was Magellan's
Christianized Malayan slave,
Enrique de Malacca.
Entrenchment
• Cebu was ruled by Rajah Humabon.
• Humabon complained to Magellan about a petty ruler from
nearby Mactan Island across the straits from Cebu--by the
name of LapuLapu who would not bow to either the cross or the
Spanish crown.
Entrenchment
as dawn broke on April 27,
1521, Magellan and his armed
party of sixty waded ashore on
Mactan and there engaged
Lapulapu and his men.
• Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s arrival in the
country on February 13, 1565 signaled
the beginning of the Spanish
annexation project on the islands.
• Legazpi was named “adelantado” of
the newly conquered territory for
Spain.
• He then established Cebu as the first
Spanish settlement
• Spain’s overarching influence in native life was also felt in other fronts, like education.
• The religious authorities built schools for basic instruction and catechism.
Relevance
Key source in Philippine
historiography.
a. marking of navigational routes
b. survey of natural resources
c. initiation of political and trade
contacts