Ferdinand Magellan: the story of a trip around the world. Expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. First circumnavigation of the world New acquaintances and old grievances

First circumnavigation under the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan began on September 20, 1519 and ended on September 6, 1522. The idea of the expedition was in many ways a repetition of Columbus's idea: to reach Asia by heading west. The colonization of America had not yet brought significant profits, unlike the Portuguese colonies in India, and the Spaniards wanted to sail to the Spice Islands themselves and benefit. By that time it had become clear that America was not Asia, but it was assumed that Asia lay relatively close to the New World.

In March 1518, Ferdinand Magellan and Rui Faleiro, a Portuguese astronomer, appeared in Seville at the Council of the Indies and declared that the Moluccas - the most important source of Portuguese wealth - should belong to Spain, since they are located in the western, Spanish hemisphere (according to the treaty of 1494), but it is necessary to get to these “Spice Islands” by a western route, so as not to arouse the suspicions of the Portuguese, through the South Sea, opened and annexed by Balboa to the Spanish possessions. And Magellan convincingly argued that between Atlantic Ocean and the South Sea should be a strait south of Brazil.

After a long bargaining with the royal advisers, who negotiated for themselves a substantial share of the expected income and concessions from the Portuguese, an agreement was concluded: Charles 1 undertook to equip five ships and supply the expedition with supplies for two years. Before sailing, Faleiro abandoned the enterprise, and Magellan became the sole leader of the expedition.

Magellan himself personally supervised the loading and packaging of food, goods and equipment. The provisions taken on board were crackers, wine, olive oil, vinegar, salted fish, dried pork, beans and beans, flour, cheese, honey, almonds, anchovies, raisins, prunes, sugar, quince jam, capers, mustard, beef and rice In case of clashes there were about 70 cannons, 50 arquebuses, 60 crossbows, 100 sets of armor and other weapons. For trade they took cloth, metal products, women's jewelry, mirrors, bells and mercury (it was used as a medicine).

Magellan raised the admiral's flag on the Trinidad. The Spaniards were appointed captains of the remaining ships: Juan Cartagena - “San Antonio”; Gaspar Quezada - "Concepcion"; Luis Mendoza - "Victoria" and Juan Serrano - "Santiago". The staff of this flotilla numbered 293 people; there were another 26 freelance crew members on board, among them the young Italian Antonio Pigafetga, the historian of the expedition. An international team set off on the first voyage around the world: in addition to the Portuguese and Spaniards, it included representatives of more than 10 nationalities from different countries Western Europe.

On September 20, 1519, a flotilla led by Magellan left the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (the mouth of the Guadalquivir River).

Marta Gumilevskaya

This map shows the route of the first circumnavigation. Of the five ships of Magellan he circumnavigated Earth only one - "Victoria".

On the sixth day of September 1522, a battered ship entered the Spanish harbor of San Lucar de Barrameda. Eighteen sailors staggered ashore, knelt down heavily and kissed the ground. People gathered around them. The Spaniards looked in surprise at the sailors, at the dilapidated ship, habitually whispering prayers and making the sign of the cross.
“Holy Mary,” quiet voices were heard, “who are these unfortunate people? I swear by Saint Jerome, they have forgotten the taste of food...”
And hands were extended to the sailors with bread, fruit, and new wine.
The sailors ate greedily and gave thanks; I laughed and tears flowed down their emaciated, overgrown cheeks. They won't be recognized? Have you forgotten about them? Is this any surprise? Holy Mary, how long has it been since they last saw the blessed shores of Spain! Oh, how long ago!
Having satisfied their first hunger, mortally tired, they returned to their decrepit ship, collapsed on the mats and immediately fell fast asleep.
And at this time the messenger was already spurring his horse. He rushed to Valladolid, to Don Carlos, King of Spain, with good news: Magellan's sailors had returned and, as a sign of the completed assignment, following the custom of knightly times, they want to return the glove to their king!
...Three years ago, on September 20, 1519, a mysterious flotilla of five ships set out on a long voyage from the same harbor of San Lucar de Barrameda. No one, except a very few, knew where she was going or what her goals were. The sailors were healthy and cheerful, the ships sparkled white, the royal standards and flags of the expedition fluttered merrily on the masts, and the sails, shaded with the crosses of St. Iago, the patron saint of Spain, were filled with a fair wind.
Ahead was the flagship Trinidad with the head of the expedition, Admiral Fernand de Magellan. He was followed by the most big ship expedition "San Antonio", and it was led by the royal controller, a noble Spanish grandee, Juan de Cartagena. Then sailed the Concepcion with Gaspar de Quesada, also a Spaniard; The Spaniard also led the ship "Victoria", only the captain of the smallest "Santiago" was the Portuguese Juan Serrano.
Admiral Fernand Magalhães himself was Portuguese, as he was called in his homeland. But history remembers his other name, and the whole world knows him as Magellan. He is short, squat and walks with a limp - a trace of an old wound. He has a simple face with a dark beard, intelligent, penetrating eyes. For the glory of the Portuguese crown, he performed feats, and often his life hung by a thread. He was among the sailors of the Portuguese flotilla stationed in the roadstead of Malacca (present-day Singapore). The Portuguese came here under the guise of peaceful merchants, but in fact - for reconnaissance, in order to prepare for the capture of this most important harbor of the East. Concerned about the appearance of Europeans, the ruler of Malacca, outwardly cordial and hospitable, was going to surprise the flotilla. Almost at the last minute, Magellan’s courage and resourcefulness saved the Portuguese from complete defeat. Magellan fought at sea and on land, remained lame for the rest of his life, but received nothing for all his merits, and by the age of thirty-five he remained the same unknown poor man as when he first stepped onto the deck of a ship as a simple sailor.
Having stopped fighting and sailing, Magellan did not intend to live out his days in obscurity on the meager pension that the king awarded him.
Against!

Ferdinand Magellan.

An excellent, experienced sailor with excellent knowledge of the East, Magellan wanted to become the captain of one of those ships that often sailed from Portugal to the Indian Ocean. If, of course, there is the consent of His Majesty King Manuel.
But in this, as in many other things, the king denies his faithful servant. But he willingly agrees to his other request: to release Magellan from Portugal to any other country, if he wishes.
This is sad, there are no words. But, since this is the will of the king, Magellan has no choice. Now he is free and can devote all his time to developing a certain plan, which he apparently hatched back in those days when he sailed and fought in the East.
This plan was to reach the most remote and richest Moluccas - the Spice Islands - heading to them not by the usual route around Africa (as all Portuguese ships had sailed since the time of Vasco da Gama), but from the west. This is how Columbus at one time intended to go, but he unexpectedly stumbled upon a new continent. Magellan was confident that he would find a strait off the coast of this new continent - America, and then a closer route to the Moluccas would open. This was a plan for a trip around the world, because Magellan intended to return to his homeland by rounding the cape. Good Hope.
To imagine the audacity of this plan, one must remember that at that time no one had yet succeeded in finding a strait off the coast of America, although many tried. Moreover, it was unknown where the new continent ended, whether it was connected to the Unknown Southern Land, which was still discussed ancient scientists. They also did not know about the existence of the Pacific Ocean, the largest on the globe; they only knew that the western shores of America were washed by some kind of sea, called the Southern Sea by the Spanish conquistadors, but no one swam in this sea, and they approached it by land, through the mountains of the Isthmus of Panama.
Magellan, having carefully studied all available by that time nautical charts and other materials, he was confident that he would achieve his goal if he managed to equip an expensive expedition. He cannot achieve this in his homeland - and Magellan leaves Portugal.
And here he is in Spain. Here he makes friends. Here he finds strong patrons. Here he marries the daughter of a Portuguese in the Spanish service, Diego Barbosa, who holds the important post of head of the arsenal. The Spaniards are interested in the plan of this stern, taciturn man. It's a good idea to get the Spice Islands before the Portuguese establish themselves there. Spain needs gold. The discovery of Columbus has not yet enriched her. The young king Charles I listens carefully to Magellan and appoints an unknown Portuguese nobleman as the head of an important secret expedition, grants him the title of admiral and blesses him for his feat.
Magellan prepared for the expedition long and carefully. He tried to provide for everything the crew might need; He himself compiled lists of food and equipment, monitored purchases and repairs of old ships that Spain supplied him with. It seemed that he had done everything humanly possible; he had nothing to reproach himself with. And yet, one concern weighed on him: the enmity of the arrogant Spaniards towards him, who could not come to terms with the idea that the head of the expedition was some Portuguese from a seedy noble family. Noble Spanish officers hated Magellan.
Magellan saw everything perfectly well, but these people were appointed by the king himself, he could not remove them and replace them with others. And he was silent, remaining outwardly calm and, as always, gloomy.
He remained just as calm when, on the Canary Islands - the last stop in the Old World - he received an important letter sent after him, informing him that the Spanish captains were preparing a mutiny and that Juan de Cartagena was at the head of the conspiracy.
It's too late... The expedition has set sail, and Magellan will not retreat. Fate threw an iron glove at his feet, and he picked it up. He accepts the challenge!
And the ships left the Canary Islands...

The noble knight Antonio Pigafetta kept his truthful records day after day.

Among the few friends of Magellan, faithful and devoted to him, was the Italian Antonio Pigafetta, whom both Magellan and his companions called Antonio Lombardo. The noble knight Pigafetta was never a sailor. But he had long dreamed of long voyages, of wonderful unknown lands and was happy when chance helped him learn about Magellan’s mysterious expedition and get on his flagship ship. Antonio Pigafetta kept notes day after day, and now we know the details of this tragic and famous voyage, the details are truthful and impartial.
Meanwhile, the ships, having left the Canary Islands, were heading south. The flagship Trinidad sailed ahead, as always, followed by the other four ships in a certain order. By order of Magellan, at the end of the day's watch, all ships approached the flagship and reported to the admiral about the events of the day. And each time the captains were obliged to begin their report with the same words, from which the blood boiled in the veins of the arrogant Spaniards: “God bless you, Señor Admiral, and the helmsmen, and the entire honorable company.”
Soon the Spaniards began to openly grumble: they were outraged not only by the report, but also by the fact that Magellan, without saying a word to anyone, changed course. After all, it was assumed that after Canary Islands the expedition will sail to the west. Why are they going south? And Juan de Cartagena directly asked the admiral about this. In response, he heard a short and adamant: “Your duty is to follow my flag during the day and my lantern at night.” In other words: swim and don't reason!
Then the offended Cartagena, disregarding Magellan's order, stopped giving a report. He entrusted this to his subordinates. And when Magellan sternly asked him why he allowed himself such freedom, Cartagena boldly replied that he did not consider it important.
And Magellan again, as had happened many times before, remained silent. He was waiting in the wings.
And when this hour, in his opinion, had come, during a council in his cabin he himself challenged Cartagena to a quarrel and unexpectedly, in front of everyone, declared him under arrest. Everyone was dumbfounded from surprise. No one dared to object or defend Cartagena.
This is how the first battle was fought.
Meanwhile, the weather was not favorable for sailing. The ships found themselves in a zone of severe storms, rain was pouring, and nasty winds were blowing. During thunderstorms, St. Elmo's lights often flashed on the masts - harmless discharges of atmospheric electricity, well known to superstitious sailors. On one particularly stormy night, a large plume was blazing on the mainmast. At the end he flashed a blinding light. The sailors decided that their last hour had come, but the storm immediately subsided.
Finally Magellan gave the order to turn west. And soon the sailors approached blessed Brazil. Here they were rewarded for all their hardships. They feasted on delicious, unfamiliar fruits, admired the wonders of Brazilian nature - motley, bright parrots, small yellow monkeys with manes comically similar to those of a lion. Life in Brazil was calm and pleasant, and everyone was sad when the admiral ordered the sails to be raised.
Magellan was in a hurry. He was full of impatience, although he did not show it with a single gesture. He had good reason to hurry. He expected to find a strait at forty degrees south latitude. And that's why. Thinking over his plan, he talked for a long time with sailors who had returned from long voyages, sat in the secret archive at royal palace, reading the captains' reports, looking at old maps. There he came across a map by the German cartographer Martin Beheim, where the strait was indicated at forty degrees south latitude. The sailors wrote that it was wide and full of water, but they could not pass it to the end and were forced to return. That is why Magellan was in a hurry to leave Brazil. He hoped that he would soon be able to enter the Southern Sea, which washes the western shores of the mainland, and set a course for the Spice Islands.
But the day when the expedition reached the coveted forty degrees was one of the most difficult for Magellan. Yes, Magellan saw a high-water channel, only the channel turned out to be the mouth of a huge river, then not yet mapped, but now known as La Plata. The blow was heavy. But Magellan did not admit to anyone how terrible his disappointment was. And he decided to follow further south, along the unknown shores of the mainland. And time was already approaching winter. People are tired. There was a murmur. The sailors demanded that Magellan turn back. Winter on unfamiliar shores frightened them.
However, Magellan was adamant. What’s the matter, noble lords, he said. What's your fear? There are plenty of fish in the sea, and forests on the shore. We are not in danger of hunger or cold. Victory and glory await us, but it is not easy. Do I need to remind you of the oath given to the king! You have to keep your word. The honor of an officer and a nobleman demands this!
And he found a convenient bay where he was going to wait out the winter. It was San Julian Bay, of ill memory, at forty-ninth degree south latitude. Magellan brought four ships into this bay, but as a precaution, the flagship "Trinidad" was placed at the very exit from the bay into the ocean.
On April 1, 1520, the day of the great Catholic holiday, Magellan ordered the crew to go ashore to hear mass. After the mass, the expedition officers were invited to the admiral for a festive dinner.
The day turned out to be particularly gloomy, heavy, dark clouds were swirling in the sky, and the wind was howling. It was also sad at the festive table of the silent, stern admiral. Magellan noted to himself: Mendoza and Quesada were not on the shore during the mass. They did not come to the admiral's cabin for lunch. It was a challenge. Magellan knew this. But he decided not to show his displeasure, remaining silent and gloomy as before and not taking precautions...
The next morning he was awakened earlier than usual by a loud knock on the door. It turns out that there was an uprising at night. The rebel captains captured three large ships: "San Antonio", "Concepcion" and "Victoria". Alzar Mishkit, a devotee of Magellan, who became captain of the San Antonio after the arrest of Cartagena, was wounded by the rebels, tied up, thrown into the hold and opened food warehouses for the sailors in order to attract them to their side. In the morning, the rebels were going to offer the admiral their conditions: he must immediately turn home to Spain!
Probably, everyone in Magellan’s place would have considered that the map was broken. What could he do with one little Santiago? Everyone, but not Magellan! And he goes to the greatest audacity. In full view of everyone, a boat with his faithful Gonzalo Gomez Espinosa and five sailors is moored to the side of the Victoria. Espinosa hands Luis Mendoza a note from the admiral: the admiral invites him to the flagship for negotiations. Mendoza smiles boldly, but... before he can say “no,” Gomez’s dagger pierces his throat, and Gomez’s companions snatch daggers from their belts. At the same time, a detachment of fifteen armed sailors with Duarte Barbosa, a relative of Magellan, at the head, ascends the ladder from nowhere to help them. Without meeting the slightest resistance, they rush towards the sails. And so "Victoria" swims up to the flagship and stands side by side with it, blocking the exit from the bay.
The blow was unexpected, bold, decisive. The rebels were confused, the rebels could not come to their senses. They tried to get past Trinidad, but as expected, none of this worked out. The rebels surrendered.
And on the gloomy shore the trial took place. These were difficult days for everyone. Even the rude sailors, thugs gathered from all over the world, were gloomy and confused. The trial took place in full. Magellan insisted on this; he remembered that he would have to give an account of everything in due time to Don Carlos, King of Spain.
The court unanimously makes a decision, recorded according to all the rules. The head of the conspiracy, Juan de Cartagena, and the priest Sanchez de la Reina, who incited the sailors to revolt, are sentenced to exile. They will remain here, on this gloomy shore, when the flotilla leaves it, and let the sky decide their fate. Mendoza is already dead, but Quesada is alive. He is sentenced to death by beheading. But who will decide to become an executioner? Everyone turns away, shuddering. And... Quesada's faithful servant, Luis Molino, sentenced to hanging, takes up the shameful ax. This saves his life. Magellan pardoned the remaining forty people. He didn't want to be too cruel, and besides, he needed people. There is a long way ahead, and there is nowhere to wait for help...
And the long days of winter weather dragged on, and there was no escape from the difficult memories, and bloody ghosts hovered over the gloomy bay. Yunga Juan de Cibuletta often mutters something in his sleep, jumps up, and wakes up. The noble knight Pigafetta is gloomy and thoughtful. He still keeps his notes every day. No matter how tragic the trial and the death penalty, but Magellan was right - this is what Pigafetta writes.
Winter delayed the expedition in San Julian Bay for five whole months. Without waiting for tolerable weather, Magellan sends the small Santiago on reconnaissance. During a storm, the ship dies. People were saved, but there was one less ship.

During the council, Magellan challenged Cartagena to a quarrel and unexpectedly, in front of everyone, declared him under arrest.

Finally, in August 1520, in early spring southern hemisphere, the flotilla leaves the bay. And Cartagena and Pedro Sanchez, left on the shore, look in inexpressible anguish after the sailing ships... And no one will ever know what fate befell them on this wild shore.
Meanwhile, the flotilla reaches the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, where the poor Santiago perished; here again bad weather forced the ships to be delayed for two months. And before the expedition went any further. Magellan gathered the captains and helmsmen of the expedition in his cabin to inform them of his plans. He said he would continue south until he discovered the strait. If necessary, he would reach the 75th parallel and only then turn east to return to Spain. The officers listened to the order in grave silence. Nobody dared to object. The terrible events in San Julian Bay are too vivid in my memory.
And two days after this meeting, on October 21, 1520, the ships rounded a cape, and a narrow rocky passage immediately opened behind it. It does not at all resemble a strait, but Magellan cannot pass it without exploring it. And he sends "San Antonio" and "Concepcion" for reconnaissance. They must return no later than five days later. Magellan himself on the Trinidad, together with the Victoria, will be waiting for them with outside bays.
Before the scout ships had time to hide in the narrow passage, a storm arose. Magellan is gripped by mortal anxiety for those who are now there, among the rocky shores. Will they suffer the same fate as Santiago? Then it's over! He will not be able to continue sailing with Victoria alone.
So three days pass in terrible anxiety, and the fourth comes. And the storm roars, and Magellan’s ships, having weighed anchor, move away from the dangerous shore and rush about randomly, just to survive!
The day watch ends, the cabin boys beat off the bells and light the signal lights. But what is it? A column of black smoke rose above the narrow passage! Distress call? Magellan does not have time to move to the rescue, when both ships emerge from the passage - safe and sound, they are festively lit, firing from cannons! This is a salute to the glorious admiral!
The strait has been found!

The traitor Mendoza did not have time to say “no” when the dagger of the faithful Gomez pierced his throat.

In the ancient sailing directions, where the strait, called by Magellan the Strait of All Saints, but renamed by grateful descendants as Magellan, is marked, there are warning inscriptions: “There are never blessed seasons here”; "Here the northern winds blow from all four corners of the world."
The way it is. It is gloomy, deserted, deserted here. Only day and night fires burn on the shore. Magellan called these places Tierra del Fuego. He did not see a single person on the shore and did not know that these fires were an unquenchable fire maintained by the Indians.
The ships carefully made their way through narrow passages among a complex labyrinth of channels, until they finally reached the western shores of the mainland, washed by the waters of the unknown South Sea. And here everything was magically transformed. The wind died down. The sun was shining. Clean springs sparkled among the grass, and in one river there were so many sardines that the sailors called it the Sardine River. And far, far away, a huge sea stretched out to the very horizon. Magellan called it Quiet, it was so calm, so pleasing to the eye, so joyful to the soul.
We should have sailed on without wasting time, but we had to linger, waiting for the San Antonio sent for reconnaissance with Captain Mishkita, Magellan’s faithful friend. Six days passed, and the ship still did not return. Then Magellan left a lit lantern and a note at the appointed place, which said that the flotilla had gone to sea and would follow such and such a course, and Magellan’s three ships weighed anchor.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio sailed with all the haste of which it was capable, in the other direction, to the shores of Spain. The mutinous sailors displaced Alvar's loyal Mishkita, tied him up, threw him into the hold and deserted. Returning to Spain, they slandered Magellan, saying that he treacherously killed noble Spaniards in order to transfer command to his compatriots. They kept silent about the opening of the strait, as well as about the fact that they took with them the main supplies of food stored in the vast holds of the San Antonio. However, the judges did not take the words of the deserters into confidence and postponed the consideration of the case until the others returned. Mishkita, however, like all the rebels, they threw into prison, and Magellan’s wife and young sons were not allowed to leave Seville.
Magellan, knowing nothing about black treason and despite hunger, continues his great work. It was a terrible voyage. Lonely in the boundless expanse of the ocean, the ships flew forward in wonderful weather, with a fair wind, but horror and death reigned on the ships. All that was left of the crackers was crumbs mixed with worms and rat droppings. The sailors stripped the cowhide sheathing from the rigging, soaked it in water and chewed it. They ate sawdust, ate rats... However, rats were considered a delicacy. The scurvy began.
...For more than three months, the sailors saw nothing but water and sky, ate almost nothing, and drank rotten water. And they rushed forward and forward! And when the first island finally appeared, they fell into despair: it turned out to be so barren and deserted. But then the watchman shouted from his barrel on the high mast that he could see the ground again. It was an island... And then the second... Both were green, cheerful, these were the islands, now known as the Marianas. What happiness: people lived on both, here you can stock up on food and fresh water! But the inhabitants of the island, carefree, cheerful savages, who sailed up to the ship in their boats with slanting sails made of palm leaves, quickly and deftly climbed onto Magellan’s ships and began to carry absolutely everything that was not screwed, nailed or locked. They even managed to steal the boat in front of everyone! And Magellan, after an unpleasant skirmish with them, had to get out of here before everything was stolen. And he named these islands Ladrones, which means Thieves!

It was a terrible voyage - hunger and death reigned on the ships.

Finally, the sailors approached a beautiful flowering land, uninhabited, but rich in unprecedented fruits and clean, transparent springs. Magellan ordered the sick to be taken ashore, looked after them himself, gave them coconut juice to drink: healthy sailors hunted wild pigs, and the specter of hunger receded...
When the sick recovered and the healthy rested, Magellan ordered the sails to be raised. And now the ships are sailing among the luxurious, unknown islands - Magellan called them Philippine. The local residents, still unfamiliar with the Europeans, greeted the Spaniards cordially and affably, and Magellan willingly maintained friendship with them.
Magellan was happy! In addition to the Moluccas, he found completely unknown islands - they will undoubtedly adorn the Spanish crown. Happiness, so little known to Magellan, filled him to the brim. And on this happy take-off the life of the great navigator was cut short. It ended absurdly, in an unnecessary skirmish with a prince on a tiny island. This prince did not want to obey his powerful neighbor - the Sultan of the large island of Cebu. And the Sultan asked Magellan for help. Magellan considered it important to help him, he was confident in the strength of Spanish weapons...
And died in a skirmish. It was April 27, 1521.

The life of the great navigator was cut short absurdly, in a skirmish on a small island.

The admiral fell, to the great sorrow of his friends, to the great misfortune of the entire expedition, without completing it. And Antonio Pigafetta, grieving the loss, wrote in his diary:
“Among other virtues, he was distinguished by steadfastness in the greatest vicissitudes, which no one else possessed. He endured hunger better than all the others, more accurately than anyone else in the world, he knew how to understand navigational maps. And the fact that this is so and is, in fact, obvious to everyone, for no one else had such a gift and such thoughtfulness in researching how to circumnavigate the world, which he almost accomplished!
No admiral. And misfortunes haunt the orphaned expedition. The Sultan of the island of Cebu, because of whom Magellan got involved in an unnecessary skirmish, decided to attack the Spaniards, seize their goods, ships and kill people. Duarte Barbosa, brother of Magellan's wife, Juan Serrano and many other sailors became victims of the insidious plan.
The survivors wandered for a long time among the tangle of islands on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean until they reached the treasured Moluccas. By that time, out of two hundred and sixty-five crew members, one hundred and fifteen remained. This was not enough for three ships. One of them, “Concepcion,” had to be burned. On the island of Tidore, the sailors bought spices and filled the Victoria's hold with them. The flagship "Trinidad" and "Victoria" were planning to sail together to the Cape of Good Hope. But unexpectedly, a strong leak was discovered on the Trinidad. The ships had to separate. "Trinidad" with captain Gomez Espinosa and crew (fifty-seven sailors) after repairs set off for the shores Central America, into Spanish possessions, but did not get there, and turned back. The fate of the sailors was terrible. They were captured by the Portuguese, and only a few years later Gomez de Espinosa and three sailors, having experienced beggary and prison, returned to Spain. And the rest were never destined to see their native land.
But Juan Sebastian del Cano, who was among the rebels in San Julian Bay and was forgiven by Magellan, will bring the expedition to the end!
Justice requires recognizing that del Cano was a good sailor, decisive and courageous. The Portuguese heard that Magellan's sailors had reached the Moluccas, and the King of Portugal ordered that Spanish ships should not be allowed to pass around the Cape of Good Hope under any circumstances. Del Cano found out about this. And he carefully made his way in a roundabout way, without entering the harbor, avoiding a fatal meeting with the Portuguese. Meanwhile, he needed food and fresh water. Hunger began again on the ship. The sailors were sick, dying, and out of forty-seven people, thirty-one were left. The situation was hopeless, and del Cano had to take a risk. He entered the harbor of one of the Cape Verde islands and sent a boat with sailors ashore, strictly forbidding them to say who they were and where they were coming from. The boat is scurrying back and forth, the Victoria sailors are happy, anticipating a hearty meal, and suddenly during the last voyage something happened and the boat was delayed. Del Cano, fearing exposure, hastily raises the sails, leaving people, a boat, and food on the shore. Only after some time, at the request of the Spanish king, these sailors were released to their homeland.
Meanwhile, Antonio Pigafetta painfully reflects on one strange incident that occurred on the Cape Verde Islands. The sailors who went ashore reported that it was Thursday, but according to the Pigafetta calendar it was still Wednesday. Miracles! What, was he mistaken? Pigafetta checks with navigator Alba, who also took notes. No, Alba’s is also Wednesday. What's the matter? No one could understand this. However, all of them had no time to unravel the secrets. The weather is bad, there are storms; There are few people left, and we have to carry out two or three watches in a row. And when the familiar shores of San Lucar de Barrameda appeared, the sailors could not believe that they were at home, that without fear they could go ashore, they could fall to the ground, they could fall asleep in a calm, happy sleep.
Eighteen exhausted sailors are sleeping. They sleep soundly, without dreams. Antonio Pigafetta sleeps; he does not yet know what the greatest discovery he has made. It turns out that the lost day in his calendar opened scientists secret nature, which no one suspected: our Earth is not only a ball, which was proven by Magellan’s expedition and which was, in fact, known in ancient times, but this ball is still in constant motion around its axis. That is why, moving all the time to the west, sailors and pilots in their logbooks one day is repeated twice in a row when the International Date Line is crossed. And, on the contrary, with continuous movement towards the sun, to the east, one day is thrown out of the calendar. Now this is a well-known truth, but in those days it was a great discovery!
Yes, Magellan's voyage revealed new truths to the world. But fate remained unkind to Magellan himself for a long time.
Del Cano, the captain of the only surviving ship of the expedition, did not bother to inform Spain that he owed his victory primarily to Magellan. After all, Magellan accomplished the main thing, Magellan found the strait and did not retreat in the face of hunger and death. And the laurels of the winner went to del Cano alone. Pigafetta is outraged by this, and in his short story about the great voyage, as a form of protest, he does not mention a word about who led the Victoria from the Moluccas to Spain.
In two days, a tug will bring the tired ship Victoria from San Lucar de Barrameda to Seville harbor. Eighteen sailors in long white shirts, with lit candles in their hands, will come ashore. They will go to the church of Santa Maria de la Victoria, where they once took the oath of allegiance under the shadow of the silk royal standard. In the clothes of repentant sinners, they will give thanks to the Virgin Mary for their miraculous salvation. And the streets of Seville will be crowded with people. But where is the admiral's wife? She passed away. Her sons also died; Magellan never saw the younger one.
The sailors will enter under the arches of the temple. Here three years ago they were all together - two hundred and sixty-five people. Eighteen returned...
...In the meantime, the exhausted sailors sleep in the happy, sound sleep of tired people. And the messenger spurs his horse. He rushes to Valladolid to Don Carlos, King of Spain, with good news: the sailors of Ferdinand Magellan have returned and, as a sign of the completed assignment, following the custom of knightly times, they want to hand over the glove to their king... But many of their comrades are not with them... Nor is the glorious Admiral, Knight of the Order of Santiago, noble lord Fernand de Magellan...

Ferdinand Magellan (1470-1521) - Portuguese navigator. He was the first to circumnavigate the world and cross the ocean, which he called the Pacific Ocean. Proved the existence of a single World Ocean and provided practical evidence that the Earth is spherical. Born in Portugal into a noble family.

An expedition of five ships (Trinidad, San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion and Victoria) was organized under the leadership of Magellan, which set out to sea towards Rio de Janeiro. Moving to the south of the mainland, he discovered the entire Atlantic coast South America. We moved only during the day so as not to miss the strait. In March, the expedition had to winter in a convenient bay. That same night, a riot began on the ships led by the ship commanders: the difficulties and hardships that befell them made the people very angry. The revolt was brutally suppressed by Magellan himself, and in early October the fleet headed south. In October of the same year, south of La Plata, they rounded the mainland and entered the bay named after St. Julian. He examined it for about a month, but did not find a passage to the South Sea. On the shore of the strait, the expedition once saw the lights of fires and Magellan called the place Tierra del Fuego. Soon the expedition approached the eastern mouth of the strait, which now bears his name.

The first crossing of the Pacific Ocean began on November 28. On the remaining three ships, Magellan entered the unknown ocean and circled America from the south along the strait he had discovered. Since the weather at that time was very good, he called the ocean Pacific. The voyage continued for almost 4 months, during which people had to eat dry dust mixed with worms, drink rotten water, eat cowhide, sawdust and ship rats. Soon hunger and scurvy began, and many died. Crossing the ocean, he traveled at least 17 thousand km, but discovered only two islands - one in the Tuamotu archipelago, the other in the Line group. On March 6, 1521, Magellan discovered the island of Guam.

There were only 115 people left on the three ships - there were not enough people, and the Concepcion ship had to be burned. For several months the ships wandered in search of the spice islands. Off the island of Tidore, the Spaniards cheaply bought a lot of cloves, nutmeg, etc. and split up: the Victoria, with captain Juan Elcano, moved west around Africa, and the Trinidad, in need of repairs, remained behind. Captain Elcano, fearing a meeting with the Portuguese, stayed significantly south of the usual routes. He was the first to walk through the central part Indian Ocean and, having discovered only the island of Amsterdam, he proved that the “southern” continent had not reached this latitude. On September 6, 1522, Victoria completed her trip around the world and returned home; Trinidad returned a little later. But it brought so many spices that their sale compensated for the loss of the remaining ships.

Magellan's journey is considered one of the greatest events of the 16th century: expeditions that went to the west returned from the east and thus proved that the Earth is spherical; For the first time, Europeans crossed the largest of the oceans - the Pacific, opening a passage from the Atlantic. In addition, the expedition found that much of the earth's surface is occupied not by land, as Columbus and his contemporaries thought, but by oceans. Two star clusters (the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds) and a strait are named after Magellan. All of Magellan’s travels were described by the historiographer and expedition member Antonio Pifacetta.

21. Results of the VGO.

As a result of the VGO, the sphericity of the earth and the unity of the world ocean were confirmed. Continents and countries were discovered, landscape parameters and economic opportunities of previously known eastern countries, primarily China and India, were clarified. Appeared new information about the resources and opportunities of the two Americas and island territories.

Date of publication: 2015-02-03; Read: 596 | Page copyright infringement

04.12.2017 23:32

Science and discoveries

Having navigated the dangerous straits beneath South America, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sailed into the Pacific Ocean with three ships, becoming the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic.

On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain in an attempt to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.

He commanded five ships with a total crew of 270 men. The first point of the route was the port in West Africa, then the navigator visited Brazil, where he explored the South American coast in order to search for a strait into the Pacific Ocean.

On October 21, Magellan finally discovered the strait that he had been so persistently searching for. The Strait of Magellan (then, of course, it was not called that) was located near the southern continental border of South America, separating Tierra del Fuego and the mainland.

Only three out of five ships crossed the strait. It took the team 38 days to swim the entire treacherous strait.

Magellan's fleet crossed the ocean in westward in 99 days. Throughout the expedition, the ocean was calm enough to be called "Pacific", from the Latin word "pacificus", meaning "calm".
By the end of the expedition, the team was experiencing a catastrophic shortage of food.

On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed on the island of Guam. Ten days later they dropped anchor on the Philippine island of Cebu - the ships were only 400 miles from the Spice Islands.

After Magellan's death, the rest of the crew set off on two ships to the Moluccas.

On September 6, 1522, only one ship of the expedition arrived back at the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. On the way back, the team crossed the Indian Ocean on a ship and rounded the Cape of Good Hope, thereby becoming the first to circumnavigate the world. 1739: Russian ships reach Japan

22.06.2018 20:09

Science and discoveries

The Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna issued a decree according to which the imperial expedition was to explore the coasts and islands

Far East, and also, if possible, make contact with the inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago.

Such a decree was issued following the results of the first Kamchatka expedition, which took place under the command of Martyn Shpanberg, a Russian navigator. The first expedition was aimed at studying the possibilities of building ships in Kamchatka, as well as exploring waterways for delivering goods. Shpanberg, as a report, provided the empress with a note in which he pointed out the possibility of studying potential sea routes to the shores North America and Japan.

It was decided to send a second expedition, preparations for which began in 1737.

The construction of new ships took place under the careful supervision of the Admiralty Board and Spanberg personally. Later he was assigned to an independent ship with an individual task, the essence of which was to study west coast Kamchatka Peninsula.

The expedition set out in the summer of 1738 and during the voyage more than thirty new islands were discovered, including Iturup, Shikotan and Zeleny.

Ferdinand Magellan

The expedition was interrupted by winter.
After waiting it out, Shpanberg set off to study the sea routes again and on May 22 reached the shores of Japan.

Upon arrival, Spanberg's team came into contact with the local population, clarifying information about the economy, politics and customs of the country, while exchanging goods along the way. However, due to diseases spreading among the crew, it was decided to stop the expedition and take the sick to their home port.

Portuguese traveler Ferdinand Magellan(1480-1521) was the first European to complete an expedition around the world. He traveled across the Atlantic Ocean, across the southern tip of South America, through canals and mountain-ringed bays, and then across the Pacific Ocean.

And eventually returned to Spain, making the world's first circumnavigation.

Magellan was born into a noble Portuguese family, and at a young age, was a royal courtier.

When he was 25 years old, he enlisted in the Portuguese Navy and spent the next six years participating in military battles. In 1513, during a battle with the Moors in Morocco, Magellan received a serious spear wound in his left knee, which left him with a lifelong limp.

And when he returned to Portugal in 1514, he learned that he had been accused of illegally trading livestock with the Moors. The King of Portugal dismissed Magellan from the navy, and Magellan angrily announced the end of his allegiance to Portugal.

In 1517, he offered his services to Portugal's main rival, King Charles I of Spain, and began new stage his career as a Spanish explorer.

On September 20, 1519, 39-year-old Magellan and about 270 men set sail from Spain on five ships: Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria, and Santiago. Their goal was to reach the Moluccas via a western route - one that avoided the Portuguese-controlled Cape of Good Hope.

The ships took a southwesterly course, crossing the Atlantic and ended up in South America, in Rio de Janeiro, three months later. They continued to move south along the coast, exploring all the bays and estuaries in what is now Uruguay and Argentina, trying to find a passage into the Pacific Ocean. On March 31, the tired and disgruntled crew aboard the three ships mutinied against their commanders.

Magellan quickly regained control of his crew, resulting in one of the captains being killed in close combat and the mutineers marooned alone on shore.

Ferdinand Magellan's trip around the world

Finally, in October 1520, a passage was found—now known as the Strait of Magellan—that truly led to the Pacific Ocean.

The second half of the journey was just as difficult as the first.

Only three ships remained after one sank and the second deserted; there was very little food and people died from scurvy. Having reached the island of Guam in 1521, Magellan plundered villages in retaliation for the theft of the natives. That same year, in the Philippine Islands, Magellan was killed in a skirmish with natives on the island of Mactan. Two of his ships continued the journey, reaching the Moluccas Spice Islands in November 1521. On September 8, 1522, only one ship, Victoria, captained by the Spaniard Juan Sebastian de Elcano, reached Spain, with 17 crew members remaining.

Columbus (left) and Magellan (right) (1480 - 1521)

The real discovery of the Pacific Ocean was Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation of the world.

Magellan (Fernando Magalhaens) - famous Portuguese navigator (1480 - 1521).

Ferdinand Magellan went down in history as the first person on Earth to circumnavigate the globe, that is, to circumnavigate the globe. Born November 20, 1480 in Portugal. He belonged to the nobility, as a child he served as a page in the retinue of the Portuguese queen, received an education, studied cosmography, navigation and astronomy. Then he entered the Navy.

At the age of 20, he set off on his first voyage to India, where he brought great benefit to the Portuguese by suppressing the uprising of the natives on the Malacca Peninsula.

In 1505 he served in East Africa, participated in the war with India.

Upon returning to Portugal, he lost the trust of the king, as a result of which he retired to Spain and accepted Spanish citizenship. F. Magellan, like Columbus, wanted to find a short route to India. He approached the Portuguese King Manuel with a proposal for an expedition, but he was not interested in the project.

This did not stop F. Magellan, and the navigator, together with his friend, the astronomer Ruy Fallera, convinced Charles V of the existence of a passage south of South America from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the discovery of which was supposed to bring great benefits to Spain.

Charles V approved the project.

But Magellan had to overcome many more difficulties before he equipped the expedition and set off to sea. The implementation of his plan was hindered in every possible way by the Portuguese ambassador to the Spanish court, Alvaro da Costa. He tried through his minions to convince Magellan that his project was impracticable, that incalculable suffering awaited him, that the Spanish government did not trust him as a foreigner and the royal officials assigned to the expedition would create obstacles and monitor his every step, that King Manuel was asking him return to Portugal and am ready to provide him with a profitable position, etc.

d. Persuasion did not work, the Portuguese ambassador sent hired killers to Magellan. And when the assassination attempt failed, Alvaro da Costa and his henchmen did everything possible to disrupt the preparations for the expedition. Magellan received poor equipment, unusable goods, spoiled food, and was faced with unforeseen difficulties at every step. Charles V appointed Magellan as admiral and leader of an expedition consisting of 265 people and five ships - Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria and Santiago.

Finally the preparations were completed.

Having sworn allegiance to the Castilian crown and forced, in turn, the officers and sailors to swear allegiance, Magellan set out on a long voyage from the harbor of Sanlúcar de Barrameda on September 20, 1519 and headed west.

Magellan's flotilla consisted of five ships: "Trinidad" ("Trinity") with a displacement of 110 tons, on which the admiral's flag flew; "San Antonio" with a displacement of 120 tons, under the command of the inspector of the fleet Juan de Cartagena; "Concepcion" ("Conception") with a displacement of 90 tons, under the command of Gaspar de Quesada; "Victoria" ("Victory") with a displacement of 85 tons, under the command of the treasurer of the fleet, Luis de Mendoza, and "Sant Iago" with a displacement of 75 tons, under the command of the "helmsman of His Highness" Joao Serran.

Magellan's relatively safe voyage lasted only a few days, to the Canary Islands.

The chief captain of the fleet refused the recommendation of the Portuguese sailing directions and, having reached the latitude of the Gulf of Guinea, his caravels turned to the southwest. The flagship's decision displeased Juan de Cartagena, a relative of the king, captain of the San Antonio, appointed inspector of the expedition by Charles V. As soon as the flotilla crossed the equator, the inspector declared that Ferdinand Magellan was violating royal instructions. The heated argument ended with an order for the arrest of the inspector.

Cartagena harbors a grudge.

From the equator, Magellan turned to the “Land of the Holy Cross” (Brazil), and on December 13, 1519, the fleet dropped anchor in the magnificent harbor of Santa Lucia, now known as Rio de Janeiro. However, Magellan was not the first European to visit this bay, as historians had long believed. From 1507 to 1510, one of Magellan’s companions, João Lopes Carvalho, lived in the bay of Santa Lucia. On the ship Concepcion, his ten-year-old son, born to a woman of the Brazilian Tamaju tribe, sailed with him as a cabin boy.

Other Portuguese sailors also visited this bay.

On January 10, the caravels entered the mouth of La Plata. For the first time, the name “Montvidi” was applied to the map of the area (now the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, is located here).

The great discoverer Magellan is feverishly searching for a strait into the South Sea. But neither La Plata nor San Matias Bay lived up to the hopes of the expedition. When a thorough search for the strait in this place was unsuccessful, Magellan led his ships even further to the south. Along the way, the sailors entered all the bays, hoping to find this strait, and hunted penguins, despite the fact that the meat of these birds is tough and poorly nutritious.

The captain decided to take refuge for the winter in the harbor of San Julian.

The irony of fate: the sailors were literally next to the strait they were looking for.

Anticipating the duration of the winter and not hoping to replenish food supplies in this harsh country, Magellan ordered to save provisions and establish a strict diet for people. It was necessary to hold out until spring, without subjecting the crew to great hardships, in order to then get to more fertile places. But this measure increased the discontent of the sailors, and several officers who stood on the side of Juan de Cartagena decided to cause outrage.

There was little fresh water in San Julian Bay.

The sailors were oppressed by this dull, lifeless area. Therefore, in mid-May, despite the bad weather, Magellan sent the ship Sant Iago, led by Captain Serran, to the south for reconnaissance. A few days later, the Spaniards discovered the Santa Cruz River at 50° south latitude. On May 22, a strong storm arose and the ship was smashed against the coastal rocks. The entire crew survived, with the exception of one sailor.

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Victims of the crash the greatest work They reached San Julian Bay, after which Serran was appointed captain of the Concepcion.

After this unsuccessful attempt, Magellan decided to wait for the weather to improve. Only on August 24 did the flotilla leave San Julian Bay. Having reached the Santa Cruz River, the ships remained here for about two months. The Spaniards rested, stocked up on firewood and replenished their food supplies as far as possible. With the onset of spring, Magellan led the ships even further south.

Following along the coastline, he carefully examined all the bends in search of the coveted strait.

However, the further journey was not so successful. Magellan's ships were caught in an Antarctic storm. The team was ready to overthrow the captain, who led them to the “end of the world,” but thanks to strength and cunning, F. Magellan managed to suppress the rebellion and restore order.

It was necessary to have strong-willed qualities in order to continue sailing with people who were ready for any betrayal for their own benefit.

Only three ships entered the strait: one died, the other treacherously abandoned Magellan and returned to Spain. The strait was passed in a month and a half, and on November 16, Magellan's ships were already sailing across the Pacific Ocean.

It was the persistence of the captain of the flotilla that led to the opening of the passage from the Atlantic to the South Sea.

A wide recess opened at the 52nd parallel of south; reconnaissance, consisting of two vessels, confirmed that this was not a river - there was salt water everywhere.

From now on, a new sea route to the east was built, and Magellan's hopes came true. However, the epic did not end there. The greatest difficulties and tragic events were yet to come.

In the vast ocean, the captain never encountered a storm. The ocean was surprisingly quiet and calm.

It was called “Pacifico” - “Quiet”, “Peaceful”. In the 17th century, this name was finally established instead of the name “South Sea”.

Severe hunger and disease plagued travelers. Provisions were running low, and most of the crew were sick with scurvy. Nineteen people died, about thirty were out of action for a long time, exhausted by a terrible disease.

Everyone considered themselves doomed to death. In three months and twenty days the ships traveled four thousand leagues, but all around was the same boundless water desert. During this time, only once did sailors come across rocky, barren islands, which were called the Wretched Islands, since there was nothing there that could support the strength of hungry people.

Many no longer hoped to see the earth alive.

More three months the ships were held in Pacific Ocean, before land appeared on the horizon on March 4, 1521. These were the islands of the previously unknown Philippine archipelago. Here the team managed to replenish their supplies. The Spaniards were well received here by the natives, one of whose leaders, Zebu, accepted Christianity and citizenship of the Spanish king.

Magellan took part in the war of this leader against others and on April 27, 1521 he fell in battle with 56 Spaniards. That's how he died great navigator Magellan.

After this, Zebu betrayed the Spaniards and treacherously killed some of them. The rest raised anchor and, having burned one of the ships, sailed out to sea. Of the five ships that set off, only two ships completed the mission of Ferdinand Magellan - they saw the Spice Islands, located in the Moluccas archipelago.

The ships loaded with spices set off on their return journey. "Trinidad" went to the shores of Panama through the Pacific Ocean, "Victoria" - through the Indian and Atlantic Oceans to Spain. The ship "Trinidad" wandered for six months in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and was forced to return to the Moluccas. The sailors were captured, where they died in prisons and on plantations.

The caravel "Victoria", having withstood a severe storm at the Cape of Good Hope, entered the Atlantic Ocean.

And only on September 6, 1522, in the outport of Seville, the residents of Sanlúcar de Barrameda saw a lonely caravel. Having landed, 18 exhausted people came ashore - these were the remnants of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition.

The journey of Ferdinand Magellan is considered one of the greatest events of the 16th century. This expedition finally proved that the planet is indeed spherical, and the sailors became the first people to circumnavigate the world.

For the first time, Europeans crossed the largest of the oceans - the Pacific, opening a passage from the Atlantic.

The entire coast of South America south of La Plata, the Strait of Magellan, the Patagonian Cordillera, the island of Guam and the Philippine Islands were discovered. In addition, the expedition found that most of the earth's surface is not occupied by land, as Columbus and others thought, but by oceans. Two star clusters, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the Strait, are named after Magellan (Figure below).

Magellan's trip around the world (see here for a better picture of Magellan's route).

All sea travel Ferdinand Magellan was described by the historiographer and expedition member Antonio Pifacetta, who participated as a volunteer in Magellan's expedition; the publication was translated into French(3 editions) and Italian; in English there is the publication "First voyage round the World by Magellan" (1874).
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See also: The first navigators and travelers

Born in Portugal into a noble family.

In 1517 he moved to Spain and accepted Spanish citizenship. Even Pope Alexander VI, having divided the Earth by a meridian, ordered all lands (both known and not yet discovered) to the west of the Canary Islands to be considered the property of Spain. This circumstance became an important reason for moving west.

An expedition of five ships (Trinidad, San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion and Victoria) was organized under the leadership of Magellan, which set out to sea towards Rio de Janeiro.

Moving to the south of the mainland, he discovered the entire Atlantic coast of South America. We moved only during the day so as not to miss the strait.

In March, the expedition had to winter in a convenient bay. That same night, a riot began on the ships led by the ship commanders: the difficulties and hardships that befell them made the people very angry.

Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world

The revolt was brutally suppressed by Magellan himself, and in early October the fleet headed south. In October of the same year, south of La Plata, they rounded the mainland and entered the bay named after St. Julian. He examined it for about a month, but did not find a passage to the South Sea. On the shore of the strait, the expedition once saw the lights of fires and Magellan called the place Tierra del Fuego.

Soon the expedition approached the eastern mouth of the strait, which now bears his name.

But only three ships entered the strait: one ship was lost, the crew of the San Antonio ship deserted, returning to Spain. The ship's commander slandered Magellan by telling the king about his alleged treason. A month and a half later, the expedition entered the Pacific Ocean.

When crossing the Atlantic, the navigator used his signaling system for the first time, and the ships of his flotilla never lost sight of each other.

On the remaining three ships, Magellan entered the unknown ocean and circled America from the south along the strait he had discovered. Since the weather at that time was very good, he called the ocean Pacific. The voyage continued for almost 4 months, during which people had to eat dry dust mixed with worms, drink rotten water, eat cowhide, sawdust and ship rats. Soon hunger and scurvy began, and many died. Crossing the ocean, he traveled at least 17 thousand km, but discovered only two islands - one in the Tuamotu archipelago, the other in the Line group.

Ten days later, Magellan's expedition reached the Philippine Islands (1521). The detachment was well received by the population, and one of the local leaders, Zebu, even accepted Christianity and Spanish citizenship. After this, Magellan intervened in the feuds of local tribes and died in one of the skirmishes with the natives. Zebu, having betrayed the Spaniards, killed some of them. The surviving crew members escaped to their ships and went to sea.

There were only 115 people left on the three ships - there were not enough people, and the Concepcion ship had to be burned.

For several months the ships wandered in search of the spice islands. Off the island of Tidore, the Spaniards cheaply bought a lot of cloves, nutmeg, etc. and split up: the Victoria, with captain Juan Elcano, moved west around Africa, and the Trinidad, in need of repairs, remained behind.

Captain Elcano, fearing a meeting with the Portuguese, stayed significantly south of the usual routes. He was the first to navigate the central part of the Indian Ocean and, having discovered only the island of Amsterdam, proved that the “southern” continent had not reached this latitude. On September 6, 1522, Victoria completed her trip around the world and returned home; Trinidad returned a little later. But it brought so many spices that their sale compensated for the loss of the remaining ships.

In addition, the expedition found that much of the earth's surface is occupied not by land, as Columbus and his contemporaries thought, but by oceans. Two star clusters (the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds) and a strait are named after Magellan.

All of Magellan’s travels were described by the historiographer and expedition member Antonio Pifacetta.

21. Results of the VGO.

As a result of the VGO, the sphericity of the earth and the unity of the world ocean were confirmed.

Continents and countries were discovered, landscape parameters and economic opportunities of previously known eastern countries, primarily China and India, were clarified.

New information has emerged about the resources and capabilities of the two Americas and island territories.

VGOs accelerated the process of initial capital accumulation, and also laid the foundation for colonial trade and politics. In the colonies, one of the sources of the initial accumulation of capital was non-economic coercion - slavery.

At the very beginning of the era, Christopher Columbus created the encomiendo (slave plantation) system:

— Slavery became widespread in gold and silver mines.

- The price revolution, which further deepened the difference in the pace of development of capitalism in different countries Western Europe.

studopedia.org - Studopedia.Org - 2014-2018 (0.001 s)…

Search for the western sea route to India and Magellan

In those years when they made geographical discoveries along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the Spaniards undertook voyages in other directions. The Portuguese, who penetrated the Malay Archipelago, were amazed to hear about the appearance of the Spaniards in the Moluccas. The brave navigator who brought Spanish ships into these seas by the western route was the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellaens (circa 1480-1521). His surname was given the form Magellan by the Spaniards. He served in the squadron Albuquerque during the conquest of Malacca, then participated in the Portuguese campaigns against the Berbers, was wounded in the knee by a spear and from this wound remained lame for life. Offended that King Emmanuel refused to give him an increase in his salary, he transferred from the Portuguese service to the Spanish one. Magellan believed that it was necessary to look for a sea route to India, sailing from southern shores South America. They say that the idea of such a voyage was aroused in Magellan by a map Behaima, which he saw in the archives of the royal treasury and on which a strait was drawn, which, according to Beheim, existed in the southern part of the New World. They also say that Magellan’s conversations with Francisco Serrano, a Portuguese who visited the Moluccas, helped strengthen this idea. But Columbus had long argued that there should be a strait between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, similar to the one that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus was looking for this strait in the Caribbean Sea, Cabot on the northern edge of America; Cortez in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ferdinand Magellan. Portrait by an unknown artist of the 17th century

In 1515, the Spanish sailor Diaz Solis sailed along eastern shore South America to 34 degrees south latitude, entered the wide mouth of La Plata, sailed up the river, believing that this was the strait he was looking for. Coming ashore with several companions, he was killed by savages in sight of the caravels. The sailors swam back in horror. Magellan continued the work begun by Solis. It was all the more tempting because there was an erroneous assumption regarding the Pacific Ocean: at that time it was thought that the southern end of America was not very far from the Malay Archipelago and that between Asia and South America there were islands on which there was a lot of gold, expensive stones and pearls.

Ferdinand Magellan. Traveling across the world

Magellan concluded an agreement with the Spanish government on March 22, 1518, which provided him and his companion Falero (also Portuguese) with the positions of rulers and part of the income of those lands that would be discovered by them. Magellan and Falero went to Seville to lobby for Fonseca to quickly equip the squadron for the voyage. The Spanish authorities placed her at their disposal for two years. The squadron was to consist of 5 ships with 234 sailors. The Portuguese king was annoyed at the Spanish government, which concluded such a treaty with people whom he considered traitors; he sent them promises and threats, trying to dissuade them from the expedition. Fonseca and other Spaniards in Seville were unhappy that foreigners were given such important rights. Portuguese sailors who wanted to participate in the expedition were refused. Falero was so bored with the troubles that he abandoned his intention, and the troubles remained in the hands of Magellan alone. During the first period of his voyage, Magellan had to experience great trouble from his subordinates. Juan Cartagena, appointed commander of one of the ships, began to intrigue against Magellan, and persuaded the other two captains to do the same; they demanded that Magellan relinquish command of the squadron. But he took strict measures and suppressed the rebellion raised by these intriguers.

Monument to Ferdinand Magellan in Punta Arenas, Chile

Discovery of the Strait of Magellan

Following along the eastern coast of South America, Magellan passed the mouth of La Plata and continued his voyage to the south. At the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, at 50 degrees south latitude, one of the ships ran aground (May 22, 1520). In this area, Magellan and his companions saw very tall natives; they lived in leather huts that looked like tents. The Spaniards went ashore, covered with snow; but these savages (Patagonians) showed such hostility towards foreigners that the Spaniards hastily returned to the ships and sailed on. The sailors began to demand that the squadron sail east to Madagascar and India. But Magellan landed the two main rebels ashore and announced that he would look for a strait leading to the Pacific Ocean, even if he had to continue sailing to 75 degrees south latitude. Having sailed another three or four degrees, the squadron entered the bay on October 21 (1520), which expanded as it followed it to the west. Magellan's squadron sailed to the cape, now called Cape Troward, and the navigators saw a wide area of water in front of them. The long, winding path along which they sailed turned out not to be a bay, but the strait they were looking for.

In this strait, which received the name of Magellan, westerly winds blow. Given its length and the numerous turns it makes, sailing in its direction from east to west is still a difficult task. One must be amazed at the courage and skill of Magellan, who walked this then unknown path.

Magellan's voyage in the Pacific Ocean

One of the ships of the squadron, sent by Magellan to inspect the shores, turned back and disappeared from sight. Magellan waited for him for several days, but, realizing that he had sailed to Spain, he ordered him to sail further. The sailors were afraid to sail to unknown places, but did not dare to resist their energetic boss; To the remark that food supplies may not be available until the squadron sails to some place where new ones can be obtained, Magellan replied: “Even if I have to eat rigging straps, I will fulfill my promise to the emperor.” The squadron sailed on November 27 to the western end of the strait; the sailors enthusiastically greeted the sea that opened before them. Magellan continued sailing along the coast north to 48 degrees south latitude; from there he took a direction to the northwest.

The squadron walked for a long time along the latitudes between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, but it so happened that it did not see any of the many archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean, and it seemed like an endless water desert. Having crossed the equator, reaching 13 degrees north latitude, Magellan and his companions finally saw the islands; it was March 6, 1521. Naked olive-skinned natives boldly climbed onto the ships and stole everything they could find; they were driven away, but they returned. The Spaniards therefore called their archipelago the Islands of Thieves, Ladrones. During the four months of voyage, Magellan and his sailors saw nothing but sky and water, had no food except crackers, worn out by worms, crumbling into powder; they were delighted to find coconuts, yams and sugar cane on these islands.

At the end of March 1521 the squadron sailed to Philippine Islands. Magellan stopped here to give rest to the tired sailors. The princes and people received the Spaniards friendly and treated them. One of the princes of the island of Cebu was baptized and recognized the Spanish king as his sovereign. Several hundred of his subjects were baptized along with the prince.

Magellan demanded that the other princes obey the one who was baptized; some of them did not agree to this. Magellan began to burn the villages of the resisting princes; they and their warriors sailed to small island Mactan. He put 50 sailors on three boats and sailed to Mactan, hoping to easily defeat the numerous natives. But in the battle with them, Magellan was hit in the head by a spear and fell dead (April 27, 1521). Along with him, the captain of one of the ships, Crestoval Ravelo, and six sailors were killed.

Death of Magellan. 19th century drawing

The rest of Magellan's companions managed to board the boats and returned to Cebu. The baptized prince became bolder. Continuing to pretend to be a friend of the Spaniards, on May 1 he invited the chestnuts and other chiefs to dinner. They came to him, there were 24 of them. The prince's warriors suddenly attacked Magellan's companions and killed them all with a painful death. With the groans of their dying comrades and the joyful cry of the natives, the rest of Magellan’s companions, of whom there were only 100 people, sailed away on two ships, setting the third one on fire. They went ashore several times on the islands of Mandanao and Palawan, then sailed to Bruni Harbor on Borneo island. The Rajah of that area, a Muslim, wanted to exterminate them, but they managed to sail away and in November came to the Moluccas Islands and anchored off Tidori.

Swimming Elcano

One of Magellan's assistants, Juan Sebastian Elcano, captain of the Victoria, the one of the two ships that was less damaged than the other, took a cargo of cloves and at the end of the year continued sailing towards the island of Timor, from there in May (1522) he came to the Cape Good Hope. On this route, 15 Spaniards and 6 Timorese they took with them died of starvation, so that only 30 people remained on the ship. Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope, Elcano came to the Cape Verde Islands. The Portuguese arrested 12 of the surviving sailors Magellan and Elcano there, considering it a violation of the rights of Portugal that the Spaniards had penetrated the Malay Archipelago. Elcano barely escaped persecution. Finally, on September 6, 1522, he, with 13 Europeans and 3 Asians, entered the San Lucar harbor and went with the surviving Christians to Seville to give thanks to God in the cathedral church for the happy completion of the first voyage around the world. The death of Magellan initially gave Elcano the glory of being the first man to circumnavigate the world. His coat of arms included an image of the globe.

Monument to Juan Sebastian Elcano in his homeland (Basque Country)

Four years later (in 1526), a new squadron under the command of Garcia Loaiza and Elcano passed through the Strait of Magellan; one of her caravels rounded the southern end of the New World, Cape Horn. The Spaniards arrived in the Moluccas. Both squadron commanders died during this voyage. The Portuguese, who built a fort on the most important of the Moluccas, Ternate, and subjugated the Muslim princes of the archipelago, argued that, along the line of demarcation, it was located in that half of the ocean that belonged exclusively to them and that the Spaniards had no right to sail there. The dispute lasted for several years. In 1529, Emperor Charles V recognized the Moluccas as belonging to the King of Portugal, receiving from him 350,000 ducats for this concession.

The Moluccas remained the last conquest of the Portuguese in the southeast. The Philippines, discovered by the Spanish squadron, was conquered by the Spaniards.

Magellan's voyage resolved the issue of the western sea route to southeast Asia. Circumnavigation soon became commonplace; many islands were discovered in the Pacific Ocean; but their position was indicated incorrectly on maps for a long time due to the inaccuracy of the then means of determining geographic longitude.

Ferdinand Magellan (Fernand de Magalhães)- a Portuguese (Spanish) navigator who circumnavigated the Earth on his ship "Victoria", and, as official history says, he was the first to do so. One strait was even named after him.
So Ferdinand Magellan was the man who commanded the first expedition that made the first circumnavigation of the Earth. One thing you need to understand is that only official versions and the sources that have reached us, there may have been expeditions before. But the only historically confirmed trip around the world was Ferdinand Magellan.
Around the World Expedition It was prepared for several years and on September 20, 1519, a squadron consisting of 5 ships and 256 people, led by Magellan, left the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (the mouth of the Guadalquivir River) and moved towards South America and on November 29 the squadron reached the shores of Brazil.
On March 6, 1521, the squadron sighted the island of Guam, the largest island of the archipelago Mariana Islands, which now belongs to the United States, it is next to it that the deepest place on Earth is located - the Mariana Trench. At that time, the island was already inhabited. There is no point in writing about the details of Magellan’s presence on the island; they say that most of the story is fiction.
Next was today's Philippines, where on April 7, 1521, the flotilla entered the port of Cebu Island, Philippines.
On April 27, on the island of Mactan in the Philippines, Magellan died at the hands of rebel Filipinos.
Next were the Moluccas and the possible purchase of spices.
Only the ship "Victoria" under the leadership of Juan Sebastian Elcano made it back, which with difficulty rounded the Cape of Good Hope and then for two months sailed straight to the northwest along the African coast to Spain.
And on September 6, 1522, “Victoria” finally reached Spain, arriving in Seville. The only remaining ship had eighteen surviving crew members. Later, in 1525, four more of the 55 crew members of the ship Trinidad were taken to Spain. Then members of the Victoria ship's crew, who were captured by the Portuguese during a forced stay in July on the islands, were ransomed and returned. Cape Verde in Portugal.

And the purpose of Magellan’s journey, according to the stories of historians, was banal and simple: he did not want to be a discoverer or the first person to travel around the world, he simply went for spices: pepper, cinnamon and others growing on the Moluccas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
But there is a more sensible reasoning on this matter: at that time bronze had value, and it, in turn, cannot be obtained without tin, which is why Ferdinand Magellan went fishing. He sailed not only to the Moluccas, but also to Malaysia, where there was tin in the beach sands on the coast. There was also tin ore in Yemen and Singapore. Therefore, according to another version of historians, this reason for the journey was more rational than, for example, spices.

Map of Ferdinand Magellan's voyage around the world 1519 -1522

A modern copy of Ferdinand Magellan's ship "Victoria"

BBC documentary in the best traditions about the journey of Ferdinand Magellan

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