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Homepage illustration : a map of the expedition
Born in the end of the XVth century, Magellan - his true name was Fernando de Magalhaes - served his country, Portugal, first in India and then in Morocco. By winning several battles, he got enemies who reached to discredit him near King Manuel of Portugal. Persecuted, Magellan decides in 1517, aged of 37 years, to take refuge in Spain.
With one of his friends, an astronomer and geographer, he is thinking of a project which could bring them fortune and glory : to bring from Indonesia spices freights - very expansive products at this time in Europe - while exploring a new Western course.
Indeed, the Spanish are not, in principle, allowed to access to the Eastern courses which hug african coasts. This fact in accordance with the famous tordesillas treaty from 1493, which is dividing the known world into two areas : the West to Spain and the East to Portugal, Indonesia beeing a reserved land for Portuguese.
Magellan meets the King of Castilla, who at this time, is the future Charles-Quint. This, attracted by the idea of new territories annexation for the spanish Kingdom, agrees the project, with some financial an material restrictions. Indeed, the King of Portugal, having learnt about Magellan's project, is violently protesting against it and the spanish colonial administration - called "Casa de Contratacion"", House of Trade - is very hostile towards any changing in matter of common maritime courses.
However, Magellan is trimming sails on the 20th of September 1519, with five old vessels, misfortuned sailors who are not all volunteers and most of all, Spain imposes him his lieutenants : Juan de Cartagena, Mendoza, Quesada, Estevan Gomez. His own lieutenant beeing Sebastian Elcano.
As soon as the expedition is reaching Atlantic, sailing to South America, Magellan meets with difficulties concerning his lieutenants, arrogant and undisciplined men. He orders to put Juan de Cartagena into irons.
The arrival to Rio's bay, on the 13th of December 1519, distracts the sailors' anger, yet grumbling. But when the expedition, directing itself to the South, is cruising inhospitable lands, the rebellion is brewing once again. On the first of April 1520, Mendoza and Quesada, commanding each one a vessel, revolt and release Cartagena.
Magellan violently quells the mutiny and seeverely punishes the agitators : Mendoza is killed by his order and Quesada is beheaded. Cartagena is leaved on a beach with his stooge, a priest.
Quietness beeing coming back, southern winter is there. The expedition is brought to a standstill during five months. At this moment, the vessels are near Patagonia and European take contact with some indians, Tehuelches, that they call "Patagons", word meaning in old spanish "big feet".
At the end of August 1520, they go away, looking after a way to the West. On the 21th of October, as he was exploring the coasts, Estevan Gomez, commanding the San Antonio, wants to take this opportunity and stirring up the crew, he convicts them to desert and to come back to Sevilla. Indeed he yet does not accept Magellan's authority.
Having lost a vessel during a wreck, Magellan has only three ships at this moment, to cross the strait which will be called with his name. He will cross it during twenty days. On the 28th of November 1520, the expedition reaches the ocean that Magellan will call "Pacific".
Instead of hugging the coasts to come back to the North, Magellan wants to cross the ocean. But the sailors are too tired and the food and water stocks are quite finished. During the next weeks, many sailors are dying. The others are obliged to eat rats and the leather protections of the masts and the sails. The few stocks are full of worms, the water is rot, scurvy is there...
The arrival to the archipelago later called "Philippines", could have been the end of the trials for the survivors. But Magellan is killed on the 27th of April 1521 during a tribal war.
Sebastian Elcano will achieve this mission. He decides to burn one vessel for too many sailors have died. From the two ships they have, one of it tries to reach the spanish territories in Middle America and is taken by the Portuguese who put the crew into jail. Elcano, having charged a full stock of spices on the last ship, comes back to Sevilla by the classic course which hugs the african coasts.
From the 265 men who had boarded, 230 have died during the expedition and with them, Magellan.
However, his expedition succeeded : from this moment, it offered vast prospects to traders, which will use only much more later the new maritime course recently opened.
- Updated December 15th 2008 -