Summary
Highlights
After 98 days at sea, many sailors succumbed to scurvy and famine. Upon reaching land, Enrique, the slave, could communicate with the natives, indicating they were close to their goal. Magellan was welcomed by Rajah Humabon of Cebu and agreed to help subdue a rebellious chief on Mactan. Overconfident and outnumbered, Magellan was killed in battle.
On September 6, 1522, the 'Victoria' returned to Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. This unprecedented achievement stemmed from the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. Spain, seeking westward trade routes to the lucrative Spice Islands, supported Ferdinand Magellan's claim of a western passage.
King Charles funded Magellan's expedition, providing five ships and 260 men, including a slave named Enrique and chronicler Antonio Pigafetta. The fleet departed on September 20, 1519, sailing southwest in search of a fabled passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They explored waterways along the coast of what is now Brazil.
The journey was fraught with challenges, including a mutiny crushed by Magellan, the wreck of the 'Santiago,' and the desertion of the 'San Antonio.' On October 21, Magellan discovered a navigable seaway, later named the Strait of Magellan. After 27 grueling days, the three remaining ships emerged into the vast Pacific Ocean, which they did not anticipate being so immense.
After Magellan's death, Enrique, who Magellan's will stated should be freed, is believed to have plotted with the Rajah, leading to the deaths of about 30 Spaniards. Enrique was never heard from again, but if he reached Malacca, he might have been the first to truly circumnavigate the globe. The remaining survivors burned the 'Concepcion' and continued their journey.
In November 1521, the expedition reached the Spice Islands and loaded valuable cargo. The 'Trinidad' sank, but the 'Victoria,' piloted by Juan Sebastián Elcano (a pardoned mutineer), continued west. Against all odds, the 'Victoria' returned to Spain with a profitable cargo of cloves and cinnamon. Pigafetta's detailed journal captured the journey, describing the lands and people encountered, preserving the story of this historic feat and the legacies of Magellan and Elcano.