Magellan's ships sail into the Pacific Ocean

On September 6, 1522, a ship entered the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, whose appearance indicated a long and difficult journey. This ship was called "Victoria". Those of the local residents who had a good memory, not without some difficulty, recognized the arriving wanderer as one of the five ships of the expedition that sailed from this harbor almost three years ago. I remembered that it was commanded by a stubborn Portuguese, whose appointment to this position caused a lot of rumors. I think his name was Ferdinand Magellan. However, the residents of Sanlúcar de Barrameda did not see either the leader of the expedition or his numerous companions. Instead, they saw the battered Victoria and on board a handful of exhausted people who looked like the living dead.

The captain of the Victoria, Juan Sebastian Elcano, first of all sent a message to the royal residence of Valladolid about the return to Spain of one of the five ships of “fernand Magellan of blessed memory.” Two days later, the Victoria was towed to Seville, where the surviving 18 crew members, barefoot and holding candles, went to church to thank the Almighty for their, albeit not entirely safe, return. Juan Elcano was summoned to Valladolid, where he was received by the King of Spain and also the Holy Roman Emperor Charles. The monarch awarded the captain a coat of arms with an image of the earth and the inscription “You were the first to go around me.” Also, Elcano was granted an annual pension of 500 ducats, with the payment of which some difficulties arose - the state treasury was empty. However, the organizers of the expedition did not lose out, despite the fact that only one ship out of five returned home. The Victoria's holds were filled with rare and expensive overseas goods, the proceeds from the sale of which more than covered all the expenses of the expedition. Thus ended the first trip around the world.

Gold, spices and distant islands

European colonial expansion, which began in the 15th century, continued to gain momentum in the 16th. At the forefront of the race for colonial goods, which were fabulously expensive in the then Old World, were the powers of the Iberian Peninsula - Spain and Portugal. It was Lisbon who was the first to reach legendary India and begin to receive much-desired profits from it. Later, the Portuguese paved the way to the Moluccas, known in Europe as the Spice Islands.

At first glance, the successes of their neighbors on the peninsula also looked impressive. Having destroyed the last Muslim state in the Pyrenees, the Emirate of Granada, the Spaniards found themselves with untied hands and an empty treasury. The simplest way to solve the budget problem was to find a way to penetrate the rich eastern countries, which were talked about at that time in every self-respecting court. A temperamental and very persistent Genoese had long been swirling around the then royal couple, Their Majesties Ferdinand and Isabella. For some, his stubbornness caused irritation, for others, a condescending smile. However, Cristobal Colon (that was the name of this energetic man) found serious patrons, and the queen began to listen to his speeches. As a result, three caravels set off across the ocean, the voyage of which opened a new page in European history.

Returning in triumph, Colon, or, as he was called in Spain, Christopher Columbus, spoke a lot about the lands he had discovered. However, the amount of gold with which he accompanied his narratives was very limited. However, the credit of confidence received by the discoverer of what was then believed to be Indium was very high, and three more expeditions went overseas, one after another. The number of islands and lands discovered by Columbus overseas increased, and the joy in Spain from these discoveries decreased. The amount of jewelry and other expensive goods brought to Europe was small; the local population was not at all eager to either meekly work for white newcomers or convert to the bosom of the true church. The colorful tropical islands did not evoke lyrical moods among the proud and poor hidalgos, hardened in the merciless Moorish wars, who were only interested in gold.

It soon became clear that the lands discovered by Columbus were neither China nor the Indies, but represented a completely new continent. In addition, the successfully completed voyage of Vasco da Gama showed the last stubborn skeptics what real India is and how to reach it. The Spaniards' neighbors on the peninsula counted the growing profits and watched with a fair amount of irony as the Spaniards looked for wealth on picturesque, but from the point of view of that time, unprofitable islands. The Spanish treasury, like any other, needed replenishment. The victorious Moors had far-reaching plans. Turkish expansion in the eastern Mediterranean was gaining strength, a conflict was brewing with France over the Apennine Peninsula, and there were other matters in the ever-turbulent Europe. All this required money – and a lot of it.

And now, in high circles, again, as almost 30 years before, an energetic man appeared who claimed that he had a plan to get to the Spice Islands. And, like Christopher Columbus, he too was a foreigner. Moreover, the piquancy of the situation was added by the fact that until recently this generator of strategic ideas was in the service of competitors, that is, he was Portuguese. His name was Ferdinand Magellan.

Portuguese

Magellan was neither a projector nor an adventurer. By the time he began promoting his project in 1518, he was already an experienced navigator and a man versed in military affairs. He also possessed extensive knowledge and skills, which gave his words weight. Magellan was born in 1480 in Portugal, where his last name sounded like Magalhães, into an old aristocratic family with Norman roots. The boy, who lost his parents early, was assigned by his relatives as a page to Queen Leonora, the wife of King João II the Perfect. His court service continued with the new monarch Manuel I. Magellan was noticed due to his outstanding personal qualities, strength of character and good education.

The king allowed the young man to travel to the East with Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy of the Portuguese possessions in India. Arriving in legendary India, Magellan found himself in the thick of political, military and economic events. For a long time, the de facto masters of the local waters, the Arab sailors were not at all delighted with the dangerous and determined competitors that had appeared. The future great navigator takes part in numerous military battles with the Arabs. In one of these battles, he was wounded in the leg, which subsequently gave his gait a slight limp. In 1511, under the leadership of the now new governor Afonso de Albuquerque, Magellan took a direct part in the siege and capture of Malacca, which became one of the strongholds of Portuguese expansion in the East.

Seeing that the local islands are rich in spices that are fabulously expensive in Europe, the navigator gradually comes to the idea of ​​finding another way to the regions of the Indian Ocean abounding in various riches. It was then that Magellan began to formulate the concept of a route to the East directly, across the Atlantic, since the route around Africa seemed longer and more dangerous. For this purpose, it was only necessary to find a strait located somewhere, according to the Portuguese, among the lands discovered by Columbus and his followers. So far no one had been able to find him, but Magellan was sure that he would be lucky.

All that was left to do was to persuade the king. But this is precisely where difficulties arose. Returning from the Portuguese possessions in the East, Magellan went to fight in Morocco in 1514. Due to an official incident, the Portuguese had the chance to present his project to the king. However, neither Manuel I nor his entourage were interested in Magellan’s ideas - the path to the Spice Islands around the Cape of Good Hope was considered dangerous, but proven, and the question of the existence of a mysterious strait between the Atlantic and the South Sea, recently discovered by de Balboa, was considered not so important. Relations between the Portuguese king and Magellan had long left much to be desired: twice he was denied petitions for the Highest Name - the last time it was a matter of “feed” money that was due to Magellan as a courtier.

Considering himself insulted, the Portuguese decided to try his luck in neighboring Spain. Having asked King Manuel to relieve him of his official duties, Magellan moved to Seville in the fall of 1517. The famous Portuguese astronomer Rui Faleiro arrived in Spain with him. Meanwhile, the young Charles I, who was the grandson of the famous Ferdinand through the female line, ascended the Spanish throne. On the male side, the young monarch was the grandson of Maximilian I of Habsburg. Soon Charles becomes Holy Roman Emperor under the name Charles V. He was ambitious and full of various political projects, so Magellan's initiative could come in handy.

Magellan arrived in Seville and immediately began to act. Together with Faleiro, they appeared at the nearby Council of the Indies, an institution dealing with the newly discovered territories and colonies, and stated that, according to their accurate calculations, the Moluccas, the main source of spices for Portugal, were located, contrary to the agreement signed between the two monarchies through the mediation of the Pope. agreement in Tordesillas, in the territory allocated to Spain. So the “oversight” that has arisen needs to be corrected.

Subsequently, fortunately for the Portuguese, it turned out that Faleiro was mistaken. In the meantime, local authorities in colonial and trade affairs listened to the fiery speeches of the Portuguese emigrant with skepticism, advising them to look for listeners in other places. And yet, one of the leaders of this serious organization named Juan de Aranda decided to personally talk with the Portuguese and, after some thought, found his arguments not without meaning, especially considering the future modest 20% of the profit.

The following months resembled a slow and deliberate climb up the long staircase of the state apparatus, with successive penetration into increasingly higher apartments. At the beginning of 1518, Aranda arranged an audience for Magellan with Emperor Charles in Valladolid. The arguments of the Portuguese and his actual companion Faleiro were convincing, especially since he argued that the Moluccas, according to his calculations, were only a few hundred miles from Spanish Panama. Charles was inspired and on March 8, 1518 he signed a decree on preparations for the expedition.

Magellan and Faleiro were appointed its leaders with the rank of captain general. They were supposed to have 5 ships with crews - about 250 people - at their disposal. In addition, the Portuguese were promised a profit from the enterprise in the amount of one fifth. Preparations began soon after the decree was signed, but continued for a very long time. There were several reasons. First of all, it was unstable financing. Secondly, many were not delighted by the fact that the Portuguese, with whose homeland Spain had very difficult relations, were appointed leaders of such a large-scale project. Thirdly, feeling like specialists whose opinions were ignored, the lords from the Council of the Indies began to sabotage preparations for the expedition.

We must not forget about the army of suppliers and contractors who rolled up their sleeves, who improved their own well-being to the best of their ability by supplying low-quality food, equipment and materials. All the ships preparing to sail turned out to be by “an unfortunate accident” not new at all. The Portuguese authorities also sabotaged the event as best they could. At the court of King Manuel I, the issue of assassinating Magellan was even seriously discussed, but this idea was wisely abandoned. The navigator's companion, the astronomer Faleiro, sensing the winds that were beginning to blow into the still unstretched sails of the caravels, considered it best to play mad and stay on the shore. Juan de Cartagena was appointed to replace Magellan, with whom there would still be a lot of trouble, including a rebellion.

Despite all the obstacles, preparations continued. The soul of the entire enterprise was Ferdinand Magellan. He chose the 100-ton Trinidad as his flagship. In addition to it, the squadron included the 120-ton "San Antonio" (Captain Juan de Cartagena, part-time royal controller of the expedition), the 90-ton "Concepcion" (Captain Gaspar Quesada), the 85-ton "Victoria" (Luis Mendoza) and the smallest, 75-ton "Santiago" (under the command of Juan Serano). The crew consisted of 293 people, including 26 people who were taken on board in excess of the staff. One of them, the Italian nobleman Antonio Pigafetta, would later compile a detailed description of the odyssey.

The exact number of participants in the voyage is still controversial. Some of the sailors were Portuguese - a necessary measure, since their Spanish colleagues were in no hurry to enroll in the crews. There were representatives of other nationalities as well. The ships were loaded with provisions for two years of voyage and a certain amount of goods for trade with the natives. In addition, in case of bad relations with the local population, there were 70 ship cannons, 50 arquebuses, crossbows and about a hundred sets of armor.

On August 10, 1519, the squadron left the piers of Seville and descended along the Guadalquivir River to the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Here, waiting for favorable winds, five caravels stood for almost a month. Magellan had something to do - already at the first stage of the campaign, part of the food turned out to be spoiled, and it had to be hastily replaced. Finally, on Tuesday, September 20, 1519, the squadron left the shores of Spain and headed southwest. None of the pioneers on board suspected how long their journey would be.

Atlantic and conspiracy

Six days after sailing, the flotilla arrived in Tenerife in the Canary Islands and stayed there for almost a week, replenishing water and provisions. Here Magellan received two unpleasant ones. The first of them, brought by a caravel that came from Spain, was sent to the captain-general by his friends, who reported that captains Cartagena, Mendoza and Quesada had formed a conspiracy, the purpose of which was to remove Magellan from command of the expedition due to the fact that he was Portuguese, and with resistance kill him. The second news came from the supplier of salted cod: the king of Portugal sent two squadrons to the Atlantic to intercept Magellan's ships.

The first news caused the need to strengthen surveillance of the unreliable Spaniards, the second forced us to change the route and go across the ocean somewhat south of the intended route, which lengthened the already considerable journey. Magellan set a new course along the coast of Africa. It subsequently turned out that the news about the Portuguese squadrons turned out to be false. The flotilla moved south rather than west as planned, causing confusion among the Spanish captains, already irritated by the very fact of his command. Towards the end of October - beginning of November, discontent reached its climax.

The first to lose his nerve was Juan de Cartagena, captain of San Antonio. By order of Magellan, the ships of his flotilla were to approach the flagship Trinidad every day and report on the situation. During this procedure, Cartagena did not call his superior “captain general,” as expected, but simply “captain.” The San Antonio captain did not respond to the remark about the need to follow the charter. The situation became tense. A few days later, Magellan gathered his captains aboard his flagship. Cartagena began to shout and demand an explanation from the expedition leader why the flotilla was taking the wrong course. In response, Magellan, well aware of the mood among some of his subordinates, grabbed the captain of the San Antonio by the collar and declared him a rebel, ordering him to be placed under arrest. Instead, Magellan's relative, the Portuguese Alvaro Mishkita, was appointed captain. However, Cartagena was sent under arrest not to the flagship, but to the Concepcion, where the conditions of detention were quite mild.

Soon the flotilla left the calm zone and moved towards the shores of South America. On November 29, 1519, Spanish ships finally spotted the much-desired land. In an effort to avoid meeting the Portuguese, Magellan sailed his ships along the coast to the south and on December 13 dropped anchor in the bay of Rio de Janeiro. After giving rest to the tired crews and celebrating Christmas, the expedition moved further south, trying to find the coveted strait in the South Sea.

Mutiny

In January of the new year 1520, Magellan's ships reached the mouth of the huge La Plata River, discovered in 1516 by Juan de Solis. The Portuguese assumed that the desired strait could be located somewhere in local waters. The smallest and fastest ship of the expedition, the Santiago, was sent for reconnaissance. Upon returning, Captain Juan Serano reported that no strait could be found.

Not losing confidence, Magellan moved further south. The climate gradually became more moderate - instead of the tropics originally encountered on the South American coast, ships now observed increasingly deserted terrain. The occasional Indians with a rather primitive way of life did not know iron and, apparently, saw white people for the first time. Fearing that they would miss the strait, the flotilla moved along the coast and anchored at night. On February 13, 1520, in the bay of Bahia Blanca, the ships were caught in an unprecedented thunderstorm, and the lights of St. Elmo were seen on the masts. Moving further south, the Europeans met large herds of penguins, which they mistook for tailless ducks.

The weather deteriorated, increasingly becoming stormy, the temperature dropped, and on March 31, having reached a quiet bay called San Julian (49° south latitude), Magellan decided to stay there and spend the winter. Not forgetting that the mood in his flotilla was far from calm, the captain-general positioned his ships as follows: four of them were in the bay, and the flagship Trinidad anchored at its entrance - just in case. There were good reasons for this - the search for a passage did not yield results, there was uncertainty ahead, and Magellan’s ill-wishers began to spread the opinion of the need to return to Spain.

On April 1, Palm Sunday, a festive dinner was given on board the flagship Trinidad, to which the captains of the ships were invited. The captains of "Victoria" and "Concepcion" did not appear. On the night of April 2, a mutiny began on the flotilla. Juan de Cartagena, who was in custody, was released. Victoria and Concepcion were captured without much difficulty. Captain Alvaru Mishkita, appointed there by Magellan, was arrested on the San Antonio. Only the small Santiago remained faithful to the commander of the expedition.

The balance of forces, at first glance, was very unfavorable for the captain-general and his supporters. His two ships were opposed by three rebel ships. However, Magellan not only did not lose his head, but also showed determination. Soon a boat arrived at the Trinidad with a letter for the leader of the expedition. The rebel captains brought a whole mountain of accusations against Magellan, who, in their opinion, brought the expedition to the brink of death. They were ready to submit to him again only as the first captain of equals, and not as a “captain general,” and then only if the flotilla immediately returned to Spain.

Magellan began to act immediately. Alguacil Gonzalo Gomez de Espinosa, a devotee of Magellan, was sent to the Victoria with a letter to her captain Mendoza. Having reached the Victoria, he handed Mendoza a letter and Magellan's request to come to Trinidad for negotiations. When the rebel refused and crumpled the message, Espinosa dealt him a fatal blow with a dagger. The people accompanying the officer took possession of the Victoria, which soon anchored near the flagship and the Santiago. The situation for those wishing to return to Spain at any cost has deteriorated sharply.

At night, "San Antonio" tried to break into the sea, but they were waiting for him. A salvo of cannons was fired at the ship, and its deck was showered with crossbow arrows. The frightened sailors hastened to disarm the enraged Gaspar Quesada and surrendered. Juan de Cartagena, who was on the Concepción, decided not to play with fire and stopped resisting. Soon a trial was held, which declared the leaders of the rebellion and their active accomplices (about 40 people) traitors and sentenced them to death. However, Magellan immediately pardoned them and replaced the execution with hard labor for the entire winter. Gaspar Quesada, who mortally wounded one of the officers loyal to Magellan, was beheaded and the corpse was quartered. Former rebels were engaged in socially useful work in the form of chopping wood and pumping water from the holds. The pardoned Cartagena did not calm down and began again to conduct counter-expeditionary agitation. This time Magellan’s patience was exhausted, and the royal controller was left on the shore of the bay along with the priest who was actively helping him in propaganda. Nothing is known about their fate.

Strait and Pacific Ocean

The mutiny was left behind, and the stay in San Julian Bay continued. In early May, Magellan sent the Santiago south for reconnaissance, but in stormy weather it crashed on the rocks near the Santa Cruz River, killing one sailor. With great difficulty, the crew returned to the parking lot. Juan Serano, who lost his ship, was appointed captain of the Concepción. On August 24, 1520, Magellan left San Julian Bay and arrived at the mouth of the Santa Cruz River. There, waiting for good weather, the ships remained until mid-October. On October 18, the flotilla left its anchorage and moved south. Before leaving, Magellan informed his captains that he would look for a passage to the South Sea to 75° south latitude, and if unsuccessful, he would turn east and move to the Moluccas around the Cape of Good Hope.

On October 21, a narrow passage leading inland was finally discovered. The San Antonio and Concepcion, sent on reconnaissance, were caught in a storm, but were able to take refuge in the bay, from which a new strait, in turn, led further to the west. The scouts returned with news of a possible passage. Soon the flotilla, having entered the open strait, found itself in a tangle of rocks and narrow passages. A few days later, near Dawson Island, Magellan noticed two channels: one going in a southeast direction, the other in a southwest direction. The Concepcion and San Antonio were sent to the first, and the boat to the second.

The boat returned three days later with good news: large open water had been spotted. "Trinidad" and "Victoria" entered the southwest channel and remained at anchor for four days. Having moved to the previous parking lot, they found only “Concepcion”. San Antonio has disappeared. The search, which lasted several days, yielded no results. Only later, the surviving members of the expedition, who returned home on the Victoria, learned about the fate of this ship. A mutiny led by officers broke out on board. Captain Mishkita, loyal to Magellan, was shackled, and the San Antonio turned back. In March 1521 he returned to Spain, where the rebels declared Magellan a traitor. At first they believed them: the wife of the captain-general was deprived of her salary, and surveillance was established over her. Magellan did not know all this - on November 28, 1520, his ships finally entered the Pacific Ocean.

Islands, natives and the death of Magellan

Juan Sebastian Elcano

A long voyage across the Pacific Ocean began. In an effort to quickly get the ships out of the cold latitudes, Magellan led them first strictly north, and after 15 days he turned to the northwest. Overcoming such a vast water area lasted almost four months. The weather was good, which gave rise to calling this ocean the Pacific. During the voyage, the crews experienced incredible difficulties associated with an acute shortage of provisions. Part of it has deteriorated and become unusable. Scurvy was rampant, from which 19 people died. Ironically, the flotilla passed by islands and archipelagos, including inhabited ones, only landing on small uninhabited pieces of land twice.

On March 6, 1521, two large islands were sighted - Guam and Rota. The local population seemed friendly and thieving to the Europeans. A punitive expedition was landed on the shore, killing several natives and setting their settlement on fire. A few days later, the flotilla reached the Philippine archipelago, which, however, was well known to Chinese sailors. On March 17, the ships anchored off the uninhabited island of Homonkhom, where a kind of field hospital was set up for sick crew members. Fresh provisions, vegetables and fruits allowed people to quickly restore their strength, and the expedition continued its journey among numerous islands.

On one of them, Magellan's slave from Portuguese times, the Malayan Enrique, met people whose language he understood. The captain general realized that the Spice Islands were somewhere nearby. On April 7, 1521, the ships reached the harbor of the city of Cebu on the island of the same name. Here the Europeans had already found a culture, although it was far behind them in technical terms. Products from China were discovered among local residents, and the Arab merchants they met told a lot of interesting things about the local lands, which were well known to both the Arabs and the Chinese.

The Spanish ships made a huge impression on the islanders, and the ruler of Cebu, Rajah Hubomon, after thinking about it, decided to surrender under the protection of distant Spain. To facilitate the process, he, his family and his closest associates were baptized. Consolidating his success and wanting to show his new allies the power of the European Empire, Magellan intervened in an internecine conflict with the ruler of the island of Mactan.

On the night of April 27, 1521, Magellan and 60 Europeans, along with allied natives, set off in boats to the rebellious island. Because of the reefs, the ships were unable to come close to the shore and support the landing force with fire. Magellan's companions were met by superior forces - the natives showered the Europeans with arrows and put them to flight. Magellan himself, who was covering the retreat, was killed. Besides him, 8 more Spaniards died. The prestige of the “patrons” fell to dangerously low levels. Their authority simply collapsed after an unsuccessful attempt to buy Magellan’s body from the natives, who turned out to be not so accommodating. Dejected by the loss of the captain, the Spaniards decided to leave Cebu.

By this time, in exchange for fabrics and iron products, they managed to trade a large amount of spices. The local rajah, having learned of the “patrons’” intention to leave, hospitably invited their commanders (the expedition was now commanded by Juan Serano and Magellan’s brother-in-law Duarte Barbosa) to a farewell feast. The feast gradually developed into a pre-planned massacre - all the guests were killed. This turn of events accelerated the departure of the ships of the expedition, in the ranks of which 115 people remained, most of them were sick. The dilapidated "Concepcion" was soon burned, and only the "Trinidad" and "Victoria" remained on the move for the exhausted travelers.

After wandering for several months in waters unknown to them, in November 1521 the Spaniards finally reached the Moluccas, where they were able to purchase spices in abundance, since goods for exchange survived. Having reached their goal after much ordeal and difficulty, the surviving members of the expedition decided to split up to be sure, so that at least one of the ships would reach Spanish territory. The hastily repaired Trinidad was to sail to Panama under the command of Gonzalo Espinosa. The second, "Victoria" under the command of the Basque Juan Sebastian Elcano, was to return to Europe, taking a route around the Cape of Good Hope. The fate of Trinidad was tragic. Having encountered a strip of headwinds along the way, he was forced to return to the Moluccas and was captured by the Portuguese. Only a few of his crew, having survived prison and hard labor, returned to their homeland.

Replica of the Victoria karakka built by the Czech navigator Rudolf Krautschneider

The journey of the Victoria, which began on December 21, 1521, was long and dramatic. She initially had 60 crew on board, including 13 Malays. On May 20, 1522, the Victoria rounded the Cape of Good Hope. By the time they were in the already familiar Atlantic, Victoria’s personnel had been reduced to 35 people. The situation with provisions was critical, and Elcano was forced to enter the Cape Verde Islands, which belonged to Lisbon, posing as Portuguese. Then it turned out that, traveling from west to east, the sailors “lost” one day. The deception was exposed, and 13 sailors remained arrested on the shore.

On September 6, 1522, the Victoria reached the mouth of the Guadalquivir, completing a trip around the world. For some time, Magellan's record remained unbroken until it was done by one gentleman, a subject of Queen Elizabeth, whose expedition did not at all resemble a trade or scientific one.

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Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan went down in history as the first person to circumnavigate the world. He became the first European who managed to swim from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and thus prove the existence of a single and indivisible World Ocean.

short biography

The future navigator was born in 1480 in the small Portuguese town of Ponti da Barca. As a descendant of a noble but impoverished noble family, in his adolescence Fernand served as a page at the royal court.

In 1505, Fernand enlisted in the navy, and over the next five years faithfully served his king in East Africa. His plans to return to his homeland could not immediately be realized due to the outbreak of military battles in India, in which Magellan took part. For his courage, he received the rank of officer, and after receiving serious injuries was recalled to Portugal.

Rice. 1. Ferdinand Magellan.

Due to severe lameness caused by a wound in India, Magellan was forced to resign. He dreamed of equipping an expedition to the homeland of spices - the Moluccas, but the Portuguese king refused him. Offended by undeserved injustice and lack of recognition, Magellan moved to Spain.

Preparing for the expedition

In Seville, Magellan managed to win the favor of the young king Charles I and convince him to equip ships to the Moluccas, which promised great profits. The king appointed an experienced navigator as commander-in-chief of the flotilla, the main goal of which was to find a sea route to the treasured islands from the west.

The expedition, which became Magellan's life's work, included 265 people and 5 ships. It is worth noting that all the ships were characterized by poor maneuverability, modest size and poor equipment. Magellan did not have geographical maps or reliable navigational instruments, with the exception of a compass and an hourglass.

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Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world

The expedition set sail on September 20, 1519, heading for the Canary Islands. The route then ran through Brazil to the south along the coast of South America. The navigator was faced with a difficult task - to find a passage to the South Sea. At the same time, the flotilla moved only during the day, so as not to inadvertently miss this passage at night in the dark.

During the forced winter, which lasted for 4 months, a mutiny broke out on three ships. Magellan managed to suppress the uprising by giving the order to kill the rebel captains. During the same period, the flotilla lost one ship, which crashed on underwater rocks during reconnaissance.

Only in October 1520 did Magellan manage to achieve his goal and find a barely noticeable entrance to the strait, which was later named the Magellanic Strait. Having passed through a dangerous narrow strait, the sailors found themselves in the waters of an unknown sea. This was the Pacific Ocean, which was so named by Magellan due to the surprisingly calm weather that reigned throughout the journey.

Rice. 2. Pacific Ocean.

After a hundred days of sailing in the Pacific Ocean, the flotilla reached the island of Guam, and soon Magellan discovered the Philippine archipelago.

Having intimidated the local population, the navigator forced them to submit to the Spanish king and accept Christianity. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan died tragically in one of the skirmishes with the natives. Only one ship was able to return to Spain, on board of which only 17 sailors remained alive. His captain received all the honors and glory, while the commander-in-chief of the flotilla was undeservedly forgotten.

However, the significance of Magellan's journey could hardly be overestimated. He not only found the western route to the Moluccas, but also made a major discovery that changed the worldview of millions of people and proved that the Earth is round.

Five ships led by "Victoria" went west to return home from the east - Magellan, like Columbus, believed that the Earth was round.

More 17,000 km The traveler sailed along with his comrades across the seas and oceans, where trials and many dangers awaited them.

Ferdinand Magellan discovered something unknown to Europe at that time Atlantic coast of South America. Thanks to the security system that the navigator came up with, his ships never lost each other in the sea.

Do you know, dear friend, that the name Pacific Ocean Did Ferdinand Magellan give it? And for good reason. For four whole months of sailing the ocean, not a single storm occurred.

The journey turned out to be much more difficult than Magellan expected. The crew was overwhelmed by hunger and disease. Having reached in 1522 never-before-seen Philippine Islands, Magellan died in a fight with the natives.

The surviving crew hastily returned to the ship and continued moving west. Only two ships were destined to return home. In September 1522 she completed her trip around the world. "Victoria". A little later he arrived and "Trinidad". The wealth brought by the sailors of this ship made it possible to fully compensate for the losses from the loss of other ships.

So, as you already guessed, Magellan and his associates proved that the Earth is round after all and, having sailed to the west, you can return back from the east. The travelers also discovered that there are more oceans on the planet, and not land, as Columbus had previously believed.

Magellan's voyage was of great importance for humanity's better understanding of the world. Named after the famous navigator strait, separating the mainland of South America from the islands of Tierra del Fuego.

Two star clusters also bear the name of the traveler - Large and Small Magellanic clouds.

Before leaving our planet for the first time and reaching the Moon, people needed to know as accurately as possible what would be needed for such a distant expedition. Thanks to the latest technology, they were also able to communicate with the stations that controlled the flight. However, the journey of Ferdinand Magellan, who took command of five ships, looked completely different. Unlike the first situation, the sailors did not set off along a pre-designed route, but into the unknown, into the abyss of water, to a place where they had never been before. If a book were written about this expedition and this man, it would undoubtedly have a title like: “Fernand Magellan - the history of a trip around the world.” On the other hand, the name could have been more interesting. Such a novel could be called: “Fernand Magellan - a conquistador in the Indian Ocean.” Whatever the title of this book, it would be a story of faith and valor. So let's find out what it gave us, modern people. We will also be able to see what Ferdinand Magellan discovered.

What did Magellan's voyage accomplish?

This brave journey is considered one of the unusually courageous feats of all times and peoples. It influenced people's ideas about our planet and went down in history as the first under the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan. Thanks to this man, it became known that America and Asia are separated by a huge amount of water, that there is a common World Ocean on our planet. At the end of this journey, no one doubted or argued anymore. This expanded the capabilities of scientists of that time, allowing them to accurately calculate the size of our planet.

Ferdinand Magellan's introduction to sea travel

This man was born not among the poor, but among the nobles. So he, of course, did what all young noblemen did in those days - he needed to become a page at the royal court. From this point in his life, this man began to learn more about his remarkable journeys. Here he learned about the recent voyage that returned from the shores of America. There he participated in an active search for a western route by sea to the “spice islands” (meaning Indonesia). By communicating more with these people, young Fernand most likely already imagines a life full of adventures.

Abrupt change of events

However, in 1495, a great tragedy occurs - João II passes away, but he treated the young man so well. As a result of this misfortune, power falls into the hands of Manuel I, who thinks not about scientific discoveries, but about his wealth and respect. For the young dreamer, everything changes. Despite Magellan's numerous requests to organize a naval expedition, the ruler remains adamant. More than 10 years after the death of the previous king, Fernand is allowed to set sail. This young but enterprising young man is sent on a military voyage to intercept ships with spices from Arab merchants. After some time, he goes to sea again and reaches Malacca. True, despite all the efforts of the young man, his courage and courage, the king sends him to “retire”, allocating a small allowance, and dismisses him from service.

Magellan does not give up

Despite all the difficulties, our hero did not despair. The former sailor Juan from Lisbon helps him lift his spirit. Together they discuss how best to get to the desired “spice islands.” Both come to the conclusion that this can be accomplished by heading southwest and sailing across the ocean to the newly discovered Balboa. It seems to both one and the other that on the other side of this ocean there are “spice islands”. So, our traveler is inspired by a seemingly completely incredible idea - to explore the Western route to the East. However, without money, even in those days, ships were not built and expeditions were not organized. Therefore, Magellan began to look for financial support. Realizing that he cannot get the help he needs from Manuel, Fernand decides to turn to the Spanish king.

Ferdinand Magellan and the Spanish king

The King of Spain turns out to be much smarter than Manuel, with whom Magellan had disagreements. This young monarch not only does not interfere with the navigator, but is also personally interested in discovering and using the western route to the “spice islands.” For him, this seems quite reasonable, since the opening of this route would once and for all put an end to his enmity with the Portuguese navigators on the sea routes. The monarch likes the opportunity to eventually appropriate the “spice islands” for himself. That's what they decided on. The king decides that Magellan’s journey can be accomplished using five old wooden ships (apparently, the monarch decided to save money here too). So, Fernand is appointed commander-in-chief of this small Spanish flotilla.

The expedition is ready

Finally, after much preparation for a whole year, the travelers set sail on September 20, 1519. So they continue their voyage until March 31 of the next year. During this time they were able to reach the territory that is known today as Argentina. However, the entire crew is in despair because they cannot find the necessary isthmus to swim to another ocean. Because of this, a rebellion breaks out in the flotilla. At this moment, it is worth giving Magellan his due, he managed to quickly suppress this rebellion. Two of the rioters lost their lives.

What Ferdinand Magellan discovered on his journey

Throughout the journey, the team endured many difficulties, but also achieved its final goal. What did Ferdinand Magellan discover? Along the way, they gave names to some territories. For example, modern Patagonia owes its name to this expedition. Seeing people with strong physiques, the team felt like gnomes against the background of these “strong men” (“Patagonia” - Spanish for “big-legged”). A full year after the voyage began, the three remaining ships make it through as it is called today (one ship was wrecked a few months earlier, and the other abandoned the travelers and sailed back to Spain). The Pacific Ocean also owes its name to Magellan. The navigator called it that because, compared to the previous ones, they were never caught by a storm there.

Was this journey worth what Ferdinand Magellan discovered? Judge for yourself. However, for the navigator himself, this journey was very expensive.

Death of a famous traveler

Because he intervened in a conflict between tribes, the navigator paid with his life. Only the ship "Victoria" - one of five - returned to its home harbor. Thus ended the story of how Ferdinand Magellan made his first voyage around the world famous throughout the world. Mentally traveling with him, we were able to better understand the feelings experienced by people who decided on this desperate feat. Ferdinand Magellan is now well known to us. We also now know what he discovered and where.