UNDERSTANDING

PERSPECTIVES
LESSON 3: MAGELLAN’S VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD
HIST101
PERSPECTIVES
• Historical Sources are written by various authors with different perspectives. Perspective
refers to the point of view of the said writer who was a witness to the event.
• Though historical sources are important in the writing of history, the historian is careful
in using these sources as the writer may be biased or prejudiced on the subject, he/she is
discussing.
• For example, missionary chronicles
or narratives that were written by the
religious missionaries who came to
the Philippines to spread Christianity
in the islands usually referred to the
early Filipinos as “barbarians” or
uncivilized.
• This, of course, is not true as it is
known that Filipinos already had a
form of civilization and had contact
with Asian neighbors before the
Spaniards arrived.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
• On the benefits that the Europeans gained
from the Crusades was the discovery of some
products that were not available in their home
country.

• These included porcelain, silk, incense, herbs,

perfumes, fabrics, carpets, spices became the
most expensive and in-demand commodity
among Europeans because of their numerous
uses such as food preservation, flavor
enhancement, and even medicine. Since spices
were very lucrative commodity, many
merchants aspired to monopolize their supply
and distribution in the European markets.
Silk Road or the Fall of Naval School of
Reconquista in
Arabian-Italian Constantinople Prince Henry the
Spain
trade route (1453) Navigator

The Voyage of The Age of The Voyage of

Ferdinand Exploration and Christopher
Magellan Discovery Columbus (1492)
THE AUTHOR
ANTONIO PIGAFETTA (1491 – C. 1534)
• Born in Vicenza, Venice, Italy. The
eldest son of Giovanni to second
Angela Zoga.
• Studied Astronomy, geography, and
cartography and worked in the ships
owned by the Knights of Rhodes.
• Joined the delegation of Monsignor Francesco Chieregati in 1519.
• Got the approval of the Spanish sovereign to join the Magellan’s
expedition.
• Presented his credentials to Magellan and admitted as
sobresalientes.
• Survived the hardships of the voyage, reached Philippine Islands
in 1521 and escaped death together with 17 survivors who
returned to Spain in 1522.
• Reported and gave the handwritten accounts to King Carlos V of
Spain and returned to Italy.
• Reported and gave the handwritten accounts to King
Carlos V of Spain and returned to Italy.
• Some accounts said that he joined the Knights of St.
John of Jerusalem in its battle against the Turks.
• He died sometime in 1534.
ABOUT THE
BOOK
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD
• He served as the chronicler of the Magellan’s expedition from 1519-1522.
• Urged by his friends to write a formal account, he presented his work to Pope Clement
VII, Philippe de Villiers L’Isle-Adam (grandmaster of the Knights of Rhodes) and to
Louis of Savoy (related to King Francis I of France)
• He was unable to find a financier to print his accounts
• Maximilianus Transylavanus and Peter Martyr’s stories of their voyages were already out.
• 1536 – a condensed version of his manuscript was published by Jacques Fabre.
• The original manuscript did not survive time.
• Copies of unpublished manuscripts are left. 3 copies in French
– 2 in Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris,1 owned by Sir Thomas
Philipps (British collector).
• Beinecke Rare Book bought the copy of Philipps and kept in
Yale University.
• Fourth copy was written in mixed Italian, Spanish, and
Venetian languages and kept in Ambrosian Library, Milan,
Italy.
• 1800 – Carlo Amoretti published the Italian
version
• 1801 – French version came out in Paris
• 1819 – English version
• James Alexander Robertson made his own
English version from the Ambrosian copy and it
appeared in The Philippine Islands, Volume 33.
ABOUT THE BOOK
First Voyage Around the World
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42884/42884-h/42884-h.htm
GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. WHO IS ANTONIO PIGAFETTA? WHAT
IS HIS ROLE IN THE MAGELLAN-
ELCANO EXPEDITION?
2. ACCORDING TO PIGAFETTA, HOW
DID THE LOCALS OF THE ISLAND
WELCOME MAGELLAN AND HIS
CREW?
3. HOW ARE THE ISLANDER’S WAY OF LIFE,
CULTURAL PRACTICES, AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
DESCRIBED? WHAT DOES PIGAFETTA’S ACCOUNT
TELL US ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF THE VISAYAN
ISLANDS IN THE 16TH CENTURY?
4. BASED ON PIGAFETTA’S ACCOUNT,
HOW DID THE BATTLE OF MACTAN
START?
5. WHY WAS PIGAFETTA’S JOURNAL
NOT PUBLISHED?