Name: Tahaw, Mary Keith M.

Course & Year: BSE - SS1

Subject: Readings in Philippine History
Professor: Mr. Rex O. Gonzales

The First Voyage Around the World by Antonio Pigafetta

YEAR EVENT

September 20, 1519 This marks the beginning of Magellan’s first

expedition along with the ships Trinidad, Santiago,
Victoria, Concepcion, and San Antonio.

October 21, 1519 They became the first Europeans who crossed the
Pacific Ocean which they called ‘Mar Pacifico’
which means tranquil or calm. They also
discovered the Strait of Magellan.

March 6, 1521 Magellan and his crew landed in Guam.

March 18, 1521 They landed in Homonhon Island wherein 9 men

welcomed them with foods such as coconut, fish,
rice, figs, and wine. Pigafetta described the people
as very familiar and friendly. They also found here
the first signs of gold.

March 25, 1521 They met the two kings, Raia Calambu, the king of
Zuluan and Calagan, and Raia Siagu. This is when
they first saw a balanghay.

March 31, 1521 On an Eastern Sunday, a mass was celebrated and

led by Fr. Pedro de Valderama in Limasawa Island.
A cross was also placed as a sign for other
Spaniards that the island has been visited by them.

April 7, 1521 They arrived at the port of Zubu, now Cebu,

wherein Magellan and the King of Cebu performed
the sanduguan. Magellan preached about faith and
has convinced numbers of people who have heard
him.

April 14, 1521 The King and leaders of Cebu assembled in a place
wherein Magellan convinced them to convert to
Christianity, worship the cross, and burn their gods
 and statues. This is when the King of Cebu was
baptized.

April 26, 1521 A principal man in Mactan named Zula challenged

Magellan to fight Lapulapu (whom Pigafetta called
as Silapulapu). Magellan did not accept the offered
help of the King of Cebu, so he went to fight the
1500 men of Lapulapu along with his 49 soldiers.
Magellan died due to the pierced poisoned arrow
on his right leg. Durate Barbosa was elected as the
new captain.

November 8, 1521 The ships Trinidad and Victoria arrived in

Moluccas. Juan Sebastian Elcano commanded the
ship, Victoria.

September 6, 1522 With only 18 survivors left, Victoria returned to

Spain.

The chronicles are significant to pre-historic society because it shows the root cause, the
narration of how we are colonized from the most ambiguous to those that are so obvious.
People from then would have thought that they were only showing hospitality, ignorant
and unsuspecting of their prior motives, but history is our very lesson not to make the
same mistake twice. The root of our Filipino ancestors is shown to us through Pigafetta’s
account. We had our own culture and way of living yet to be mixed and colonized by the
practice and faith other countries have imposed on us. The chronicles left a significant
role in showing the culture Filipinos once bore.