First Voyage Around the World

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA -1491-1531 -Italian scholar and explorer from the republic of Venice -He
traveled with the portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew by order of the King
Charles 1 of Spain. His travelog is one of the most important primary sources in the study of pre
colonial Philippines.

FERDINAND MAGELLAN -February 3 1480- April 25, 1521 -Portuguese Explorer who
organized the Spanish Expeditions to the East Indies from 1519-1522 to search for western
route to the Maluku Islands ( the Spice Island) resulting in the first circumnavigation of the Earth.

According to the surviving journal of Antonio Pigapetta, one of the explorers that joined the
expedition of Ferdinand Magellan to discover the Spice Islands, Ferdinand Magellan was the
first European discoverer to cross the pacific ocean with a total of five vessels and step on the
land of Mactan, Cebu Philippines. In March 1521, Magellan and his men anchored at the Island
of Philippines, Cebu, and encountered the Chief of Cebu, Rajah Humabon, and converted him
into Christianity. The unintended arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippines is the opening
act of the Spanish subjugation of the Island. They were initially tasked by King Charles I to find
a new trading route in the East Indies to reach Maluku (Spice Island). But when they arrived in
the Philippines, they took advantage of Philippine’s fertile ground to cultivate and expand the
Spanish empire. 

Battle of Mactan 

On April 7, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan wanted to invade the land, and fought in the Battle of
Mactan to earn the trust of Rajah Humabon and help him subdue his opponent Chief Lapu-lapu
of Mactan. He was killed by one of the Chief of Cebu, Chief Lapu-Lapu, through a pierced
poisoned arrow on April 27. After Ferdinand Magellan's death, one of the two ships, the
survivors of the battle in Mactan, Cebu, failed to sail across the sea of the pacific ocean with
laden spices from the land of the Philippines. Only the ship of Victoria sailed back to Spain
loaded with laden spices and the first ship to circumnavigate the globe. Also, Ferdinand
Magellan's expedition established the theory that the earth could be circled by the sea and the
world is larger than he imagined. 

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On February 13, 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in the country. Legazpi was
named “adelantado” by royal decree. 
Adelantado- a military title given by the King of Spain that allows conquistadors to become
governor of a Spanish colonial Province. 

His arrival signaled the beginning of the Spanish annexation project and established
Cebu as the first Spanish settlement before they settled in Manila.  They imposed political,
economic, and cultural changes with the use of religion or what they call the Patronato Real
(Royal Patronage). And by the end of the 16th century most of the coastal and lowland areas
from Luzon to northern Mindanao were under Spanish control and accomplished the nominal
conversion of Roman Catholicism of all the local people except the Muslims of Mindanaos or
what they call the Moros.

 But how did they manage to conquer the Philippines for 3 centuries? 
For the 1st century Spaniards used the encomienda system but was then abandoned by
the 17th century because of the reported abuses.  
Religion also played a key role in their conquest as their mantra “God, Gold and Glory”
flourished for two centuries. 
“God”- the desire to spread Christianity, “Gold”- stands for attainment of precious stones and
metals for greater wealth, “Glory”- greater power and larger empire. 
But Spain knew that it was not enough to rule the country, the native constituents were
starting to revolt as a response to the abuses of Spaniards. 
Uprising of Apolinario De La Cruz