Pigafetta: First Voyage Around the World

• GECC 106 Readings in Philippine History
• Second Semester 2023-2024
• Week 5 Antonio Pigafetta's First Voyage Around the World by Magellan

What Filipinos think about the Battle of Mactan

Recap

Crusades

• Crusades involved a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims.
• The Crusades began primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups.
• Eight major Crusade expeditions took place between 1096 and 1291.
• Bloody and violent conflicts propelled European Christians to become major players in the fight for land in the Middle East.

Results of the Crusades

• Europeans discovered new products unavailable in Europe
• These included porcelain, silk, herbs, perfumes, fabrics, carpets, spices, and other oriental products.
• Spices became the most expensive and sought-after commodity among Europeans.
• Merchants wanted to monopolize the supply and distribution of spices in European markets.

Spice Trade

• Spices became important trade items for preserving meat and enhancing food taste..
• Trade was conducted by camel caravans over land routes, known as the Silk Road.
• The Silk Road connected Asia with the Mediterranean, including North Africa and Europe.
• Great civilizations, like China, India, Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and Rome prospered through this trade route.
• Asian goods reached Europe via the Silk Road or the Arabian-Italian Trade route.
• Both routes were expensive and often disrupted by wars, natural calamities, and bandits.
• The Ottoman Empire's conquest of Constantinople (present-day Turkey) in 1453 closed these routes.
• The closure forced European kingdoms to seek alternative sea routes for trade.

Portugal and Prince Henry the Navigator

• Prince Henry (Henrique) of Portugal, Duke of Viseu, Lord of Covilhã, established a maritime school.
• The maritime schooled trained sailors who later found the eastern sea route to the Spice lsland (Moluccas Islands) and other islands in Southeast Asia via the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
• This route allowed Portugal to trade directly with producers of spices and Oriental goods.
• The Portuguese were ahead of the Spaniards in the Spice Trade.

Spain and Reconquista

• The Spaniards were focused on the Reconquista from 711-1492
• The Reconquista was a when Islamic conquests in the Iberian Peninsula lead the Christian Kingdoms to struggle and expand against the Moors.
• Reconquista spanned seven centuries, from the 8th to the 15th century.
• Iberian Peninsula was liberated from Muslim rule.
• Regaining the last Moorish foothold in Spain let the Age of Exploration begin which lead to reaching the Americas.
• Queen Isabella 1 of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon married in 1469.
• Spain then began launching and financing expeditions.
• Ferdinand Magellan proposed sailing westward to reach the east.

Spain and Portugal rivalry

• Spain and Portugal became rivals, starting with Spanish-born Pope Alexander VI issuing bulls for a line of demarcation.
• Demarcation was set from pole to pole 100 leagues(320 miles) west of the Cape Verde Islands.
• Pope Julius II in 1506

Treaty of Tordesillas

• Treaty occurred on June 7, 1494, the governments of Spain and Portugal agreed to created this treaty. named for the city in Spain in which it was created).
• The treaty cleanly divides the "New World" of the Americas between the two superpowers.
• A north-to-south line of demarcation was then drawn in the Atlantic for Spain and Portugal, about 100 leagues (555 kilometers or 345 miles) west of the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast of northwestern Africa (was then controlled by Portugal).
• All lands east of that line (about 46 degrees, 37 minutes west) were claimed by Portugal.
• All lands west of that line were claimed by Spain.
• The line of demarcation was moved an additional 270 leagues (about 1500 kilometers or 932 miles) farther west in 1506, enabling Portugal to claim eastern coast of of what is now Brazil.

The First Voyage Around the World with Antonio Pigafetta

• Antonio Pigafetta was born around 1490 in Vicenza, Venice, Italy.
• He was the son of Giovanni Pigafetta and his second wife, Angela Zoga.
• Pigafetta joined Monsignor Francesco Chieregati's delegation in 1519.
• At the Casa de la Contracion, was an office that managed voyages around the New World.
• Pigafetta was a chronicler commissioned by the King of Spain to document Magellan's voyage.
• Pigafetta reported to King Carlos V and gave a hand written account of the expedition afterwards.
• Pigafetta joined the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.
• Pigafetta was among the 18 survivors who returned to Spain on September 6, 1522, aboard the Victoria.
• Pigafetta died sometime in 1534.

Ferdinand Magellan

• Magellan was the son of Rui de Magalhães and Alda de Mesquita, members of the Portuguese nobility.
• Magellan enlisted in the fleet of Francisco de Almeida, first viceroy of Portuguese India, in early 1505.
• He sustained a leg wound in a skirmish in August 1513, causing him to limp.
• Magellan returned to Lisbon in November 1514 and asked King Manuel for an increase to his pension.
• Reports of irregular conduct reached the king; Magellan was accused of selling war spoils back to the enemy after the siege of Azamor.
• King Manuel refused Magellan's request and ordered him back to Morocco.
• Magellan renewed his petition in early 1516, but the king refused and suggested he offer his services elsewhere.
• Magellan then offered his services to Spain in response.
• Magellan reached Seville, Spain, on October 20, 1517.
• The Portuguese cosmographer Rui Faleiro and possibly his brother Francisco Faleiro joined Magellan in December.
• Magellan and Rui Faleiro offered services to King Charles 1 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in Valladolid.
• Fernão de Magalhães, formerly used the Portuguese name until the Spanish version Fernando de Magallanes became known.
• Magellan and Faleiro proposed sailing west to prove the Spice Islands were within Spanish territory.
• King Charles I financed the expedition.
• The expedition included 240 to 270 men, with only 18 survivors
• Five ships were used with the names Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria, and Santiago

Voyage

• September 20, 1519, Magellan sailed from Spain to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia
• Pigafetta accounted their fleet reaching the Ladrones Islands (presently know as the Marianas lslands)
• Pigafettas Account: "These people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a fish bone at the end. They are poor, but ingenious, and great thieves, and for the sake of what we called these three islands the Ladrones Islands."
• Ten days after reaching the isles of Ladrones was Zamal (Samar) but Magellan decided to land on another island (March 18).
• They were met with nine men who gave the Spaniards fish, palm wine (uraca), figs, two cochos, rice (umai), and food supplies.
• Pigafetta characterized the people as "very familiar and friendly."
• The fleet found the "Watering Place of Good Signs" (where they found gold) at Humunu Island (Homonhon). th
• On March 25 , they left Humunu Island, and saw two balanghai (balangay), and leader in Mazzava/Mazaua.
• The European crew were gifted by the leader or king of the ballanghai to the ship of Magellan.
• Magellan declined the King of the balanghai offering to give Magellan a bar of gold and a chest of ginger.
• Instead Magellan sent someone to ask the King for money.
• The king gave Magellan the needed provisions in chinaware.
• Magellan gave the king robes in Turkish fashion, red cap, knives and mirrors.
• The Spaniards named the island with nearby islands archipelago of St. Lazarus.
• Magellan boasted of his men in armor immune to swords and daggers.
• Weaponry, artillery, charts, maps were shared by Magellan to show how he found the islands.

Philippines

• On April 7, Magellan reached the port of Cebu, the regions largest and richest island.
• Magellan refused to pay tribute when it was demanded by the King of Cebu (Raia Humabon).
• Magellan and Raia Humabon performed sanduguan the next day.
• April 14 the King of Cebu was baptized as a Christian as encouraged by Magellan in which he told him to burn his idols and worship the cross.
• Pigafetta designed an image of the Infant Jesus, presented to the Queen of Cebu (Humamay) during Mass.
• The highest ranks in society were composed of local chieftains or datus who cooperated or competed.
• Vassals or subordinate Datus were less powerful leaders that relied on more powerful Datus.
• Magellan and his crew did not recognize the politics and mistook this for "Kings". nd of Datu Zula, also being wary of Lapu-Lapu.

Matan (Mactan)

• April 26: Zula request to Magellan for men so he can combat Silapulapu (Lapulapu).
• Pigafetta: “On Friday, April twenty-six, Zula, a chief of the island of Matan, sent one of his sons to present two goats to the captain-general, and to say that he would send him all that he had promised, but that he had not been able to send it to him because of the other chief Cilapulapu (Lapu-Lapu), who refused to obey the king of Spagnia."
• Magellan thought that his crew was superior to the natives and allowed an out-numbered attack.
• Magellan had confidence that he refused the help of Rajah Humabon and Datu Zula to watch them fight.
• Instead, the natives aim for the legs and Magellan was shot by a poison arrow to his right leg.
• Magellan was shot by a lance in the face
• Another native strike Magellan's with a sword to his left leg.
• Magellan was over powered and ceaseslessly attacked with all forms.
• Magellan died in battle, and Mactan islanders kept his body.
• Magellan's arrogance and overconfidence on Medieval Weaponry caused their lost.
• Magellan was an excellent Explorer and navigator, but was no battle tactician.
• Duarte Barbosa was then appointed as the new captain.
• Henry (Enrique) was Magellan's slave/interpreter.

After the Battle of Mactan

• Henry and Humabon conspired and betrayed what was left of Magellan's men.
• Humabon invited the men to a gathering presenting jewels for the King of Spain and 24 men attended and Pigafetta was not one of them.
• The natives slew all of the men except Henry and Juan Serrano.
• In the ship, Serrano requested a ransom to be spared.
• They refused and abandoned Serrano.

Analysis of Pigafetta's Chronicle

• In history we must realize certain biases authors may hold and identities
• When reading us students of history understand certain aspects.
• Pigafetta was chronic commissioned by the King of Spain.
• He was of noble descent coming from a rich Italian family.
• He possessed the skills of cartography and geography.
• These influenced narratives, selection of details, characterization, and interpretation of retellings of event.
• Details can be influenced by origin.
• Geographical and climate info is accurate.
• Must consider the sixteenth century European Perspective.
• Regarded other culture as inferior.
• Always took note to nakedness and illiteracy.
• Mentioned about the abundance of spices and metals.
• His observations of indigenous cultures were employed with European standards.
• Europe was dominated by the Holy Roman Empires and Catholic Church making other belief systems perceived to to be blasphemous and barbaric.
• Sixteenth century European economy was rooted in mercantilism.
• Accumulation of wealth was measured by gold and bullion.
• Wealth as a nation was measured by how lands you conquer.
• Obsessed with spices hence they were seen as a sign of wealth.
• Juan Sebastian Elcano and the phrase Primus circumdedisti me meaning "You first encircled me" which is now his motto and symbol for the Elcano family.