Kaagi: The Philippines and the First Circumnavigation
Those in the west,
- What had happened in the Philippines in 1565 were brought by the events
in 1521. Because Magellan’s voyage had already mapped the places the
Spaniards would claim for colonial purposes.
- To the natives of the Visayas, Luzon, and Mindanao, the impact is more
painful. It opened the way to colonization and the end of our way of life that
we knew.
- They not only introduced Christianity, but they introduced various other
things including their settlement patterns (part of their catechism). So, you
can only imagine, that would have changed a lot of their customs, traditions,
and day-to-day behavior.
- Before the expedition, there were people who theorized that the world
was round. Also, this journey pushed human capacity forward.
- We need to understand that Europe was at the Age of Exploration when
mercantilism was at its height. When we say mercantilism, it meant that the
wealth of countries was determined by their gold reserves. Then, if you had
products equivalent to gold, that, too, determined a country’s wealth. Also,
during that time, Europeans were craving for spices. They realized that
(Insular Southeast) Asia produced prized spices (endemic only in this area).
- Spices were treated like gold in Europe. And the weight of spice compared
to the weight of gold, you can have more spices than the weight of gold.
- They were looking for the Maluku. Spain believed that the Maluku was part
of its territory (under the Tordesillas Treaty). So, to be able to reach that
part of the world, the only route was via Portuguese waters (i.e. Indian
Ocean). Since it did not want to trespass its rival Portugal, Spain, instead,
searched for an alternative route to the Maluku. (The Maluku) is now part
of Indonesia, located just down south of Mindanao.
- The two rival countries sealed an agreement called the Treaty of Tordesillas
which was sanctioned by the Pope in Rome. This divided the world between
Spain and Portugal. (Under the treaty), territories towards the east (of the
demarcation line), would be explored by Portugal.
especially in South America, by Spain.
- Magellan has a sense of adventure. He subscribed to the theories of
scientists that the planet is round.
- We have to understand that Magellan was a former Portuguese sailor. He
had been to various Portuguese outposts such as in India, and of course, in
Melaka. That’s how he got a certain geographic knowledge of Southeast Asia
and of course, of the Philippines in that very early stage of the Portuguese
incursion to Southeast Asia.
- For the very first time, he would prove that there was indeed a westward
rout (from America) to the east (i.e. Asia). But the king of Portugal didn’t
believe it. Magellan then switched allegiance to Spain. The king and queen
of Spain welcomed his idea. So, they gave him five ships and his own crew
for the expedition.
- On September 20, 1519, the five ships on the so-called Armada de Maluco
(a.k.a., Magellan-Elcano expedition) left Seville.
- There was Trinidan, the flagships of the Armada de Maluco. Her captain
was Magellan himself. It also had San Antonio, Concepcion, the Santiago,
and the Victoria.
- Among the approximately 270 crew members of the Armada de Maluco
was an officer named Duarte Barbosa, Francisco Albo, Gines de Mafra, and
the writer, the Italian nobleman, Antonio Pigafetta.
- The expedition also had Fr. Pedro de Valderrama, their chaplain.
- And Magellan’s servant – Enrique de Malacca, whose mother tongue was
Malay and enabled the expedition to communicate with various people in
Southeast Asia.
- The expedition carried substantial quantities of what is called dadivas,
meaning to say, ‘giveaways’.
- The Magellan expedition, while in the east (i.e., the Philippines), relied
more on diplomatic approach. The other thing that they carried would be
armaments (weapons and equipment), but unlike what we always thought
that the expedition was aimed at conquest, the armament that they carried
were not actually designed for prolonged warfare. Therefore, it shows that
the expedition was not meant to be a conquering expedition by the cargo
itself.
- The Philippines already had a rich tradition and flowering culture even
before the arrival of the Magellan-Elcano expedition. These are seen in our
boat-building traditions, gastronomical traditions, body ornaments and our
social-political organization prevailing during the pre-Hispanic times.
- In the 1950s, Filipinos had the idea about the existence of the Boxer Codex.
It further confirms Pigafetta’s observations such as the tattooed Visayans,
our ancestors donned gold accessories, and sported clothes made of China
silk.
- Our ancestors in the coastal communities called ilawud (‘downstream’)
and highlands called ilaya (‘upstream’) had civilization because of their
frequent interactions. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription even shows the
diplomacy and connection of our ancestors among various polities and
kingdoms in proto-historic Philippines and Southeast Asia.
- As early as 900 A.D, the Laguna Copperplate Inscription already recorded
how connected our ancestors were as far as Java, Indonesia. Supporting this
fact was our ancestor’s knowledge of Javanese script called kawi inscribed
in various pre-colonial artifacts discovered in Butuan, and, most notably, the
Laguna Copperplate Inscription. Even the language used in the artifacts is
Malay (ancient lingua franca of Southeast Asia).
- There was already trading going on among the peoples of the islands and
also internationally with the Chinese, with the Arabs, with the Vietnamese,
and with the Thai. In other words, a maritime culture.
- Most Filipino thought that when the Magellan-Elcano expedition arrived,
they were powerful. But that was not how Pigafetta wrote it in his account.
They were traversing the Pacific, unknown to them, for 100 days. They were
starving and dehydrated. Then they arrived in Guam. There, the inhabitants,
the Chamorros, climbed their undocked ships and allegedly robbed them.
They were surprised of the Chamorros. They fought them, and,
unfortunately, killed some.
- HOMONHON ISLAND, GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR
- On 16 March 1521, when they sighted Samar, they were reluctant to
disembark. They were afraid and fearing for their lives because they thought
the inhabitants might be hostile, too, like the Chamorros.
- They anchored near Suluan but later they determined that the nearby
island of Homonhon would be the more ideal place to land.
- Recently, a Spanish account (i.e., Alcina’s Historia de la Bisaya) was
revisited which explains why (as Pigafettas described) Homonhon was
uninhabited. Apparently, Homonhon was considered a sacred island by our
(Waray) ancestors, thus, uninhabited.
- The island of Homonhon was associated with a certain god called
Makapatag (‘to level a place’).
- 17 March 1521 was the feast day of San Lazaro. To mark that day, they
actually named the islands that they saw in the vicinity as Archipelago of San
Lazaro. The first thing Magellan did was to put up two tents on the beach
for the sickly crew members of the expedition. They didn’t have any fuel
when they crossed the Pacific. They had very dark nights because they ran
out of fuel.
- On Monday, 18 March 1521, the “Humanity in Homonhon” we are
celebrating happened. The Magellan expedition was visited by the people
of Suluan and there were exchange gifts. They were given bananas and
various kinds of food.
- If one notices, Magellan and his men arrived here needy. They were
undernourished, starving, and dehydrated. They landed on Homonhon
island and found respite from their health concerns. If our ancestors didn’t
help the almost dying crew of Magellan, we would not have this first
circumnavigation of the world which was an achievement of science and
humankind.
- After eight days, they were ready to move to the next destination. They
went south, passed by islands. So, in Mazaua, now Limasawa, they arrived
on Holy Thursday. Eight people in a banca (boat) went near the flagship.
They used their interpreter, Enrique de Malacca. And apparently, they could
understand Enrique de Malacca. Magellan instructed his men to present
them gifts placed on a piece of wood which our ancestors accepted. After
about two hours, they came back in two boats with their chief. Colambu was
the chief of Limasawa. Colambu went aboard the flagship then they
conducted casicasi or blood compact. Casicasi or sandugo was usually
conceived as a blood compact between chiefs. In order to forge alliances,
chiefs had to undergo this ritual. Its profound significance was that it was a
sort of kinship ritual.
- Enrique was sent back to the island to seek the chief’s permission to
conduct a mass on Sunday (March 31, 1521). So, this is now referred to as
the “First Mass.” The first Easter Sunday Mass at Mazaua was also attended
by Rajah Colambu of Mazaua and his brother, Rajah Siaui, who was the chief
of Butuan and Calagan. Through that mass, a cross was erected at the
highest peak of Limasawa. Why did they erect a cross? Notwithstanding its
Christian significance, Magellan explained (to the rajahs) that the cross
would protect them. Because if ships sighted the cross, they would know
that you were under the protection of the most powerful king in the world
and that was the king of Spain. And so, Rajah Colambu gave his permission.
Therefore, the cross signified not only spiritual, but also political value.
- Magellan asked where they could get supplies and foodstuff? So, he was
given three places: one is Ceylon and then Caraga; but Cebu was the better
place (according to the rajahs). Rajah Colambu advised Magellan to choose
Cebu because it was their trading partner. So, the advice was followed.
- They traveled for about three days towards Sugbu (Cebu), passing by
Camotes, Baybay, and all that. And they arrived in Cebu.
- If we analyze the situation in Cebu when Magellan and his crew arrived on
7 April 1521, Humabon, the Rajah of Cebu, treated them only as ordinary
traders. There was no special treatment whether they were Europeans,
Chinese, Indians or Arabs. They were really used to seeing and transacting
with foreigners.
- Cebu at that time was already a renowned market. We might say an
entrepot. It has a safe anchorage. It’s a port. Rajjah Humabon was a very,
very powerful chieftain. Not so much because he was a warrior, but because
he was a merchant. Like every rajah protecting his realm, this was an
opportunity to defend his realm and even expand it beyond the Sugbu of his
time. Humabon was demanding from Magellan a sort of port tax they have
to pay for laying anchor in the port of Cebu. The interpreter of Humabon
told Humabon to be careful because these people had been notorious for
their violence, so to speak, in India and other parts of Southeast Asia,
Humabon had to deal with very kindly in a way and diplomatically.
Afterwards, the one who talked to Magellan in Humabon’s behalf was the
rajah’s son-in-law and heir. And in one of the conversations, Magellan
shared about Christianity and the lessons and teachings of Christ. The
prince, according to Pigafetta, was touched and became interested in
Christianity. He then reported the result of their negotiation (to Rajah
Humabon) in order for Magellan to finally disembark.
- In the arrangement that they had, Magellan promised that if Humabon
would be his ally or the ally of the King of Spain, (the Spaniards) would fight
all his enemies and make him the supreme chief of all these warring chiefs.
Other chiefs would bow down to him with the Spanish might. And of course,
if you were Humabon, what would you do?
- Eventually, Humabon even accepted Christian baptism because that meant
cementing his friendship with Ferdinand Magellan whom he believed could
be used to expand his power in the Visayan waters.
- Eight hundred Cebuanos were baptized. Humabon’s wife, baptized as
Juana by the Spaniards, was magnetized, enamored by the image of the
Child Jesus, by the Santo Nino brought by Magellan. When she asked for it,
Magellan gave that image of the Santo Nino to her. The barangays
(‘community’) were economic units under datus. But more or less, they direction, your forces from two other sides will emerge to enclose the
were independent from one another. Because each and every village and enemies on both ends. According to Pigafetta, the battle lasted for an hour
datu enjoyed autonomy. and a half. Forty-nine versus 1,500.

- Lapulapu did not recognize Humabon. This was a voluntary call to fight - We have to understand the fact that it was not actually a big battle that
Lapulapu. And in fact, when Humabon offered to have his warriors fight with had always been portrayed in history. There were only about eight
him, Magellan said to back off and just watch the fight. So it’s clear, he Spaniards who died. And there were about fifteen from the natives who
willingly went to that battle. Cilapulapu, that was actually what Pigafetta died. So, it was a small skirmish.
wrote as his name: Cilapulapu. Rizal and other experts believe that ‘ci’ was
- For the last 500 years we had always been told in our textbook history that
an honorific title. We made it ‘Lapulapu’ eventually. He was the chief of
it was Lapulapu who killed Magellan. That was definitely not true. The
Mactan. Pigafetta did not mention anything else about him except that he
records of those who witnessed the battle did not even mention where
was one of the chiefs of Mactan.
Lapulapu was.
- Magellan’s emissaries went to Mactan and demanded that they accept
- Magellan was first hit on the face, then on the leg. But he stood his ground.
Magellan’s offer of friendship. Magellan was even bragging before the Battle
He tried to get his sword out again, but he couldn’t do that. He fell face
of Mactan. First, he only brought 49 men. Second, he told Humabon that no
forward. And the natives ganged up on him.
matter what happends, do not join the battle. He said to Humabon to just
stand by and watch. - We will ascribe to Lapulapu (the Victory at Mactan) under the principle of
command responsibility. He was the chieftain of Mactan during that time.
- If we consult Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos de las islas Filipinas, he wrote
The success and failure of a leader’s campaigns will always be attributed to
that our ancestors were immune to war and battle-ready because they
him or her as the leader. The Battle of Mactan was not a one-on-one duel
always faced external threats. The Battle of Mactan in 1521 was a proof to
between Lapulapu and Magellan. It was a collective effort of the warriors of
be vigilant of the European trespassers.
Mactan to defend their homeland against the Spaniards.
- They were met in Punta Engano (engganyo), which unbeknownst to
- Why did Magellan fail? The answer was simple. He thought he could not
Magellan, has a very low tidal flat. The cannons will not reach land. So, they
be vanquished because his god was on his side. He was ignorant of the local
had to go out of the boat. It was low tide. They had to wade in very low
socio-political dynamics. He messed up the local geopolitics. He hubris. He
water with very heavy armor. They were sitting ducks. And yet they reached
believed that he was all powerful. He had all the elements that would have
the shoreline and they burned some of the houses on that shoreline which
caused a defeat. He was thinking only of the armaments that he had. He did
angered Lapulapu and his men even more.
not think of the geography, of the emotions involved.
- If you will analyze, our ancestors outwitted and were strategic against
- It became a lesson for the succeeding Spanish conquerors that followed,
Magellan. According to Pigafetta, about 1,500 Mactan warriors divided into
especially for Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, to be extra careful and not repeat
sectors surrounded the Spaniards. And what was this? It was apparently a
the same mistake of underestimating the people here in these islands.
strategy similar to the fishing technique called baklad (‘contraption’). In
which you attack by surrounding your enemies (as if a school of fish). You - Tradition would say, and some records would say that they cut off the head
have forces at the forefront but as your enemies move forward toward your of Magellan. It was part of the culture of the Visayans at that time. If they
admire somebody for his bravery, they generally behead him and place it on
a pole and display it to the villagers to show them that they have conquered
somebody who was renowned.
- We don’t really know what happened to Lapulapu. The prestige, the
respectability of Lapulapu among the chieftains of the Visayas was
catapulted to those heights of greatness.
- Enrique refused to rejoin the expedition. In Magellan’s last will and
testament, Enrique was supposed to be set free upon Magellan’s death. But
Duarte Barbosa, Magellan’s successor as captain-general, refused. Barbosa
insisted that Enrique remained as possession of the expedition until they
returned to Spain. The expedition had to turn over Enrique to Magellan’s
wife.
- According to Pigafetta, Enrique de Malaca devised a strategy by influencing
Rajah Humabon to massacre the Spaniards. When the Spaniards returned
to Cebu from the Battle of Mactan, Cebuanos were already resentful of
them. The Cebuanos massacred the leaders of the expedition. Padre
Valderrama was taken off the scene by the locals. From afar, they saw their
leaders being killed, thus, the three remaining ships of the expedition left
Cebu immediately and continued their voyage.
- They continued searching for the Maluku. Then Juan Carvalho became
their new leader. He ordered the decommissioning of one ship. In the
middle of the sea of Bohol, the Concepcion was set on fire. Only two ships
remained in the expedition – the Trinidad and the Victoria.
- Eventually, they reached Mindanao. It was Chippit, per Pigafetta. The place
is now called Kipit in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte. They eventually left
and proceeded to Palawan. They heard food was abundant in Palawan. After
loading provisions in Palawan, they proceeded to Brunei and wandered.
There they met the sultan of Brunei. They also met the admiral of Brunei’s
navy who was also the prince of Luzon. So here, we can see the link of Luzon
and Brunei as early as 1521.
- The prince of Luzon they met would turn out to be Rajah Matanda of
Manila. As we all know, the rules of Tondo and Manila eventually met
Miguel Lopez de Lagzpi in 1571.
- From Borneo, they reentered the Philippine waters and coasted by the
Islands of the Sultanate of Sulu and the coastline of the Sultanate of
Maguindanao. For a long time, this episode was barely mentioned in our
history books because the focus was always on the Battle of Mactan. But
apparently, the expedition reached the Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao
which means these places are part of world history which a lot of us are not
aware of.
- After exploring the coastline of Mindanao until October, the expedition
finally reached Tidore in the Maluku in November 1521. There they found
the coveted and prized endemic spices they were looking for, which claimed
the lives of many of the expedition’s crew members.
- Only 18 were able to return to Spain in September 1522. And their leader
was Juan Sebastian de Elcano. Among these survivors was Pigafetta, who
chronicled the story of the voyage.
- The Magellan-Elcano expedition had different effects. The expedition was
very important to science and the history of navigation. For a long time,
many people believed that the world was flat and not round. A number of
theories supporting the spherical earth surfaced in the 13th to 14th centuries,
but no one was able to prove empirically that the world was really round. It
was only when the Magellan-Elcano expedition completed the first
circumnavigation of the world that humankind finally proved the spherical
earth theory was true.
- For many Filipino historians, the Magellan-Elcano expedition was not a
watershed event in Philippine history. One may notice: In 1521, Magellan
and his expedition arrived here and a number of them died. The story ended.
But if one analyzes it critically, it was actually a prelude to what would
happen next. What had happened (in the Philippines) in 1565 were brought
by the events in 1521. Because Magellan’s voyage had already mapped the
places the Spaniards would claim for colonial purposes.
- They not only introduced Christianity, but they introduced various other
things including their settlement patterns or even people’s ordinary
behavior. So that was part of their catechism. What to do in your everyday
life, what to do upon waking up, what to do in the course of your day, what
to do before sleeping. So, you can only imagine that would have changed a
lot of their customs, traditions, and day-to-day behavior.
- For Christians, that’s the positive impact of the circumnavigation. Another
contribution of the first circumnavigation was the establishment of the
westward route to the east (from South America via the Pacific). And
because of this, the Philippines became part of the epic Galleon trade. At
any rate, by becoming part of this global trade we received and enjoyed
beautiful things like new ideas and technologies. These ignited the idea of
nation, the eventual birth of the Filipino nation, and the rise of the Philippine
Revolution of 1896.
- There are those who say that Lapulapu should not be given national
recognition. They insist he was a mere local hero limited to Mactan and
Cebu. Wasn’t it that the story of Lapulapu inspired our national heroes? We
cannot just disregard his national importance. He was part of the awakening
of Filipino patriotism to defend our country from foreign intrusion.
GISING NA MGA TAGALOG (1895)
- Lapulapu and the Battle of Mactan inspired Emiliio Jacinto who write a
poem in 1895 that reminded Katipuneros that Lapulapus blood runs in their
veins. And when Philippine independence was proclaimed in Kawit on 12
June 1898, Lapulapu and the Battle of Mactan was also mentioned. Despite
the fact that the event was really limited to Mactan, the event and lapulapu
were elevated by the Filipino heroes for symbolic purposes.
ACT PROCLAIMING PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE 12 JUNE 1898
- In a sense,this is a celebration of an event in the past not only of the
Cebuanos and the Visayans, but all of the Filipinos because it is our shared
story.
- The story of “Victory and Humanity” we are trying to share is laudable
because we’re telling the world that if you approach us in good faith, we will
treat you with compassion as a Filipino.
* September 8, 1522 – Earth was Indeed Round
The Victoria, the lone nao (a Spanish ship also known as carrack) of
the Magellan-Elcano expedition, successfully returned to Seville, the port
city where she was launched in August 1519. Only 18 out of 270 original
crew members were able to finish the journey and encircled the planet for
the first time. Headed by Spanish captain Juan Sebastian Elcano, the
surviving crew, especially the chronicler onboard Antonio Pigafetta, live to
tell this unprecedented feat of humankind.
A significant part of this first circumnavigation of the world
happened in the territory which would later become the Philippines,
between March 16 and October 28, 1521.
* Role
Among the experiences of the expedition in the Philippines was the
compassion of our ancestors in Samar toward them who were starving,
sickly, and undernourished: the blood compact between the expedition’s
captain-general Ferdinand Magellan and Rajah Colambu, as well as the
Christian celebration in Limasawa of the Easter Sunday: the baptism in Cebu;
and the Battle of Mactan.
After his death in Mactan, Magellan had three successors in the
captaincy while in the Philippine waters. First was Duarte Barbosa, who was
among those killed in Cebu. Next was Juan Carvalho, was removed from the
captaincy after accepting a bribe the Prince of Luzon (apparently Rajah
Matanda of Manila fifty years later) while in Brunei. Gonzalo Gomez de
Espinosa succeeded him in the Maluku, south of Mindanao. Espinosa, who
was concurrently the captain of Trinidad, and Elcano parted ways. Espinosa
was determined to retrace the Pacific route. Whereas, Elcano sailed back to
Spain via the Portuguese waters. The Trinidad was captured by the
Portuguese while in the Maluku; and the Victoria succeeded in ecading the
Portuguese.
* Contact, 500 Years Ago
March 16, 1521. From Guam, the expedition proceeds to Samar (In
today’s Guluan Peninsula) but anchors off Suluan Island (now under Eastern
Samar).
March 17, 1521. Lands in Homonhon Island (now under Guluan);
and the sick are brought ashore. The crewmen hydrate with water from the
natural springs and consume a wild boar – this, after four months of
starvation and dehydration at sea.
March 18, 1521. Our ancestors from Suluan discover in Homonhon
the helpless crew. Magellan embraces the local chief and requests food and
drinks. The local chief provides him with what they have at that moment.
March 22, 1521. Our ancestors return to Homonhon with more
food and drink.
March 25, 1521. The expedition leaves Homonhon and sails across
the waters of Hinunangan (Southern Leyte) and of Gibusong Island (Loreto,
Dinagat Islands).
March 27, 1521. Colambu, the rajah of Mazaua, welcomes the
expedition. He happends to know Malay, the mother tongue of Enrique,
servant of Magellan.
March 29, 1521. Siaui, the rajah of Butuan, meets Magellan.
Colambu and Magellan enter into a blood compact.
March 31, 1521. Colambu permits a Christian mass in Limasawa to
celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
April 4, 1521. Accompanied by Colambu, the expedition leaves for
Cebu and heads to Leyte Island; reaches the waters of Canigao (now in
Matalom, Leyte)
April 5, 1521. Sights the terrain of Baybay (Leyte), soends a night in
Gatighan (approximately Himokilan, Hindang, Leyte), feasts on a kabog (a
megabat), and marvels at the fauna of the place.
April 6, 1521. Colambu joins Magellan in the Trinidad in the waters
of Pozon (Ponson, now under Pilar, Cebu), Poro (now a Cebu town), and
Ticobon (now San Francisco, Cebu).
April 7, 1521. The expedition reaches Cebu. Colambu introduces
Magellan to Humabon, the rajah of Cebu. Humabon does not permit
Magellan to trade pending Magellan’s payment of tribute.
April 8, 1521. Humabon and his council meet with Magellan’s
emissaries. The latter agree to comply with the rajah’s conditions.
April 9, 1521. Humabon’s heir confers with Magellan and is
convinced of the merits of the Christian virtues. Later on, Magellan promises
military protection and proclaims Humabon sovereign in the region.
April 10, 1521. Humabon allows Magellan to bury two of his men
recently died: Fr. Pedro de Valderrama, the expedition’s chaplain,
consecrates and erects a wooden cross on the gravesite.
April 12, 1521. A makeshift platform is readied at the consecrated
site for the rite of baptism.
April 14, 1521. Fr. Valderrama baptizes many inhabitants; Juana,
wife of Humabon, is charmed by the image of the Santo Nino, which
Magellan later presents to her as a gift.
April 26, 1521. Humabon receives a report that Lapulapu, a ruler of
Mactan, refuses recognize the King of Spain.
April 27, 1521. Magellan proceeds to Mactan. A battle ensues, with
Lapulapu emerging victorious. Magellan is killed.
April 29, 1521. Lapulapu convinces Humabon to kill Magellan’s
remaining members. Enrique hoodwinks Humabon into letting him escape
from the expedition.
 May 1, 1521. Humabon’s men kill a number of the expedition’s
members at a banquet. The rest of the expedition immediately leave Cebu
and reach Bohol waters.
May 2, 1521. Off Bohol, Juan Carvalho becomes captain-general
aboard the Trinidad and orders the burning of the Concepcion. Gonzalo
Gomez de Espinosa is promoted captain of the Victoria.
May 1521. The remaining ships pass by Panilongon (approximately
Negros). Days later, they reach Kipit (Labason, Zamboanga del Norte).
Calanao, the rajah of Kipit, receives the expedition and enters into a blood
pact with Carvalho. The crewmen hear about Luzon here. From Kipit, they
proceed to Cagayan (now Mapun, Tawi-Tawi). The battle-ready inhabitants
welcome them.
May-June 1521. The expedition further heads northward and
reaches Palawan (approximately Aborlan now), but the locals drive them
away.
June 1521. Transfers to Dyguasam (Saccao or Tagozzao, now Sitio
Tagusao, Barong-Barong, Brookes’ Point, Palawan). The crewmen enjoy the
warm welcome of the people and meet Bastiam, a Cristian trader and a
native of the Maluku who knows Portuguese. An unnamed ruler of Palawan
enters into a pact of brotherhood with Carvalho.
June 21, 1521. The ships are left with no translator and astronomer
guiding them as they leave the shores of Palawan and Bolava (Balabac,
Palawan) and sail for Brunei.
July 29, 1521. Off the shores of Brunei, the expedition encounters
a large armada of the prince of Luzon, who happens to be the Brunei sultan’s
admiral. He is Rajah Matanda of Manila. Captured, the prince of Luzon
bribes Carvalho and places him behinds bars. Espinosa is then named a new
captain-general of the expedition, while Juan Sebastian de Elcano assumes
his former position as the captain of the Victoria.
September 30, 1521. While searching desperately for food along
the capre of Palawan (now Buliluyan, Bataraza, Palawan), the expedition
encounters and abducts Tuan Mahamud, ruler of Palawan.
October 1, 1521. Tuan Muhamud seals a bond of friendship with
Espinosa.
October 7, 1521. Tuan Muhamud furnishes the expedition with
rice, 20 goats, 20 pigs, and 150 chickens. Tuan Muhamud retrieves his
daggers and guns, and receives items from Espinosa.
October 1521. The expedition passes by Sulu and Taghima
(Basilan). Its crewmen marvel at the 47 lb. pearl in Sulu: head toward the
waters of Cauit (now Cawit, Zamboanga City), Subanin (approximately in
Zamboanga City, a noted Subanen territory), and Monoripa (now Manalipa
Island, Zamboanga City, where they found boathouses). Off these waters,
they trade two large knives from Palawan for 17 lb. of cinnamon; decide not
to anchor so as to take advantage of the favorable wind. They sight the
Maguindanao Sultanate whose capital is described as a “large city” (now
Cotabato City) and plan to look for a pilot to help them reach the Maluku.
They engage in a sea encounter off Maguindanao and capture a large Malay
ship with relatives of the sultan of Maguindanao aboard. A brother of the
Maguindanao sultan offers his services to the expedition as pilot. The
expedition then marches Benaian, a cape in Mindanao (approximately
Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani), whose inhabitants are described by Pigafetta
as “shaggy men” and “exceedingly great fighters and archers”.
October 26, 1521. The expedition experiences a “most furious
storm” off Biraham Batolach Island (actually Sarangani Cape in Batulaki,
Glan, Sarangani).
October 27, 1521. Heads toward Candinghar (Balut Island,
Sarangani Municipality, Davao Occidental) and lands in Sarangani Island
(now under Sarangani Municipality); takes two pilots who help them reach
the Maluku, their ultimate objective.
October 28, 1521. Leaves the Philippines territory for the Maluku.