Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A Brief Summary of The First Voyage Around
A Brief Summary of The First Voyage Around
1521
Portuguese Explorer who
organised 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, completed by
Juan Sebastian Elcano
1491-1531
Italian scholar and
explorer from the
republic of Venice
He traveled with the
portugese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan
and his crew by
order of the King
Charles 1 of Spain on
their Voyage around
the world.
His work became a classic that prominent
literary men in the West like William
Shakespeare, Michel de Montaigne and
Giambattista Vico referredto the book in
their interpretation of the New World.
His travelogue is one of the most important
primary sources in the study of precolonial
Philippines.
His account was also a major referent to
the events leading to Magellans arrival in
the Philippines, his encounter with local
leaders, his death in the hands of
Lapulapu’s forces in the Battle of Mactan
and in the depature of what was left of
Magellan’s fleet from the islands.
The document reveals several insights
not just in the character of the Philippines
during pre colonial period, but also on
how the fresh eyes of the European
regard a deeply unfamiliar terrain,
environment, people and culture.
Published after Pigafetta returned to
Italy.
Antonio Pigafetta wrote his firsthand
observation and general impression of
the Far East including their Experiences in
the Visayas.