Preparation of Magellan's expedition, ships, equipment and personnel

So, falling out of favor with the Portuguese king Manuel in 1514 I Ferdinand Magellan leaves the civil service, after some time he leaves his homeland with the intention of finding employment in Spain. In 1517 he arrives in Seville. Seville, located on the Guadalquivir River, was the main city of Andalusia and the most important port in Spain for organizing ocean voyages. The main technical, financial and human resources were concentrated in this city. There were many rich and influential people here.

", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> In order to prove oneself here, it was necessary to offer these same people something worthwhile, something that they would not be able to refuse. This “something” was to fulfill the long-standing dream of the Spanish crown - to find a passage to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) from the west, bypassing the already discovered lands in America.To carry out such an event, it was necessary not only desire, not only ships and funds. An experienced, determined and reliable person was needed who could lead the expedition.

Magellan was ideally suited to organize such an event. The fact is that he has already been personally to these islands. He proved himself to be an experienced sailor, a brave warrior and a good organizer. And Magellan himself had long been nurturing plans for such a journey. A better candidate for the leader of the expedition could not be found.

", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> The Moluccas and the entire route to and from them to Europe were at that time under the control of the Portuguese. But the legality of ownership of the Spice Islands could easily be challenged by the Spaniards according to the notorious Treaty of Tordesillas. After all, the line of demarcation of spheres of influence ran along 49 degrees west longitude (in modern coordinates). East of this line are the possessions of Portugal. But to the west - Spain. And if you sailed to the Spice Islands moving west, you could appeal to the supreme arbiter - the Roman Holy See - and claim the islands for yourself.

So, the interests of Magellan and the interests of the Spanish crown coincided. It was necessary to act. Magellan and (his comrade and companion Rui Faleiro) first of all receive Spanish citizenship. With the help of Juan de Aranda, one of the influential people in Seville, and Diogo Barbosa, also a former Portuguese (and who later became the father-in-law of F. Magellan), they succeed. From now on, he is not Ferdinand Magellan, but “Fernando de Magallanes” - Fernando de Magallanes, or Fernando Magellan, as we used to call him in the Russian manner.

There is safety in numbers

The next important step was to interest the owners of capital - bankers, merchants, plus influential officials and, of course, King Carlos I in organizing such an expedition.

With the help of friends, Magellan gets to the king and outlines his plan to him.

It is known that since the time of Columbus, all overseas expeditions were a “joint venture” between the crown and “private investors.” An agreement was drawn up, which stipulated the responsibility, contributions and share of each participant in future production. The crown, as a rule, played the role of a “roof”. It had a “controlling stake” and appointed its own “oversight”. The leader of the expedition was obliged to report everything about his actions to the king and the “shareholders.”

One of Magellan’s convincing arguments was a map that came into his hands, based on the results of previous voyages of the Spaniards and Portuguese. Their expeditions had already reached the mouth of the La Plata River, which they mistook for a strait into the “South Sea,” but they did not try to pass along it. Having secured the support of financiers, Magellan managed to interest the Spanish king in his proposal and received his approval. The king signed the agreement and gave the go-ahead for preparations for the voyage.

Obstacles

Despite the highest approval, Megellan faced numerous obstacles from the very beginning in the preparation and organization of the expedition. These obstacles were posed by both potential competitors for leadership of the expedition and the Portuguese ambassador Alvaro da Costa. This cloak and dagger knight worked on all fronts to thwart the plans of Magellan and Spain. At first he convinced Magellan himself that his project was a utopia. Then he tried to intimidate him. Then appease him, offering to return to Portugal, whose king was ready to change his anger to mercy. The threats had no effect. Gingerbread too. Then the ambassador sent hired killers to Magellan. The attempt failed.

But the ambassador continued to do harm: he disrupted supplies of equipment, set Spanish commanders against the “Portuguese” Magellan, in short, he behaved like that “general” from “The Tale of Fedot the Archer.” But Magellan managed to outplay all his enemies, showing his will and determination already at the initial stage, which endeared him to the team and the king himself.

March 22, 1518 Carlos I approves Magellan's plan. In accordance with the agreements, Fernando Magellan and Rui Faleiro, as General Captains (which corresponded to the rank of admiral), would receive a twentieth part (5%) of the profits. In addition, they and their heirs will receive the right to manage open lands plus all kinds of titles.

Pretty soon the name Rui Faleiro will disappear from all contracts. For what reason did Magellan's companion fall out of favor, historians only they just assume. It is only known that he took his “resignation” very close to his heart “and moved with his mind.”

Conflicts with the Spanish captains of the ships began immediately after their appointment and continued throughout the preparation. It got to the point that the king even “stamped his foot and shook his finger” at Magellan’s ill-wishers, pacifying their zeal. True, Magellan was ordered to limit the number of Portuguese among the crew members. And, nevertheless, the number of “guest workers” experienced in maritime affairs from the neighboring country turned out to be quite large. It is obvious that Magellan sought to gather as many people as possible personally devoted to him.

Using the funds raised to organize the expedition, Ferdinand Magellan & Co Five ships were prepared. These were full-fledged nao (or carracks) which, according to tradition, some call caravels. Although the line between caravels and carracks is quite arbitrary - many carracks carried slanting lateen sails at the stern for ease of maneuvering and vice versa, many caravels had straight sails on the foremast.

Ships and equipment

Magellan's expedition

So, the sailing ships “Trinidad”, “Concepcion”, “San Antonio”, “Victoria” and “Santiago” took on board more than 250 crew members plus a supply of provisions and everything necessary for 2 years of autonomous navigation.

Provisions was common for sea voyages of that time: flour, various cereals, beans, crackers, wine, vegetable oil, smoked and salted foods, honey, dried fruits.

Armament The flotilla consisted of 70 cannons of varying power, there were arquebuses, crossbows, edged weapons and armor.

Goods for the intended exchange trade: metal products, various materials, jewelry, beads, mirrors, all sorts of trinkets.

Magellan himself personally supervised the loading and packaging of equipment, food and goods for the proposed trade.

Full estimate the expedition exceeded the sum of 8 million maravedis (*). (For comparison, Columbus's first expedition cost approximately 4 million maravedis.)

Ship captains at the start of the voyage:

"Trinidad" - Ferdinand Magellan

"San Antonio" - Juan Cartagena (Spanish)

"Concepcion" - Gaspar Cassada (Spanish)

"Victoria" - Luis Mendoza (Spanish)

"Santiago" - Joao Serran (Portuguese)

Indicating the nationality of the captains, unfortunately, is important, because all three Spanish captains stood in opposition to Magellan - they did not like that they were commanded by a foreigner, although Magellan at that time already had Spanish citizenship. This confrontation will more than once lead to serious conflicts and troubles during the voyage. Truly, “when there is no agreement among comrades, their business will not go well.”

But, despite all the obstacles, by mid-September 1519 the ships of the expedition were fully equipped and ready to start. AND .

(*) What was 1 maravedi equal to?

Name of the currency maravedi remained on the Iberian Peninsula since the reign of the Moors. In terms of purchasing power, I did not find maravedi or its equivalent to gold. It is known that the pension allocated to Magellan after his return from India was equal to 1000 reais per month and was considered insultingly small. I only found in one place that 1 real = 34 maravedis.

Remember how Neil Armstrong famously said when he called his first step on the lunar surface a giant leap for humanity? But long before him, such feats were performed by the Middle Ages. For example, Magellan's discoveries became a real revolution in people's understanding of their planet and made them doubt the inviolability of the dogmas of the Catholic Church. So who was the person who proved that the Earth is round, who discovered where the Strait of Magellan is on the map? What consequences did his discoveries have for the development of science? To find answers to these questions, it is worth getting acquainted with historical facts, most of which are known thanks to Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian navigator who participated in the first voyage around the world.

Ferdinand Magellan: biography

Unfortunately, today no one can say exactly where the first European to circumnavigate the South American continent was born. However, most researchers believe that this event took place on October 17, 1480 in Porto or Sabrosa. At the same time, according to historical documents, as a teenager Fernand served as a page to Queen Leonora of Aviz, so it is assumed that he was of noble origin.

When Magellan turned 25, he went to India as part of Francisco Almeida's squadron. Having served the required 5 years, Fernand tries to return to his homeland, but by chance he is forced to stay in India, where he seeks the favor of the colonial authorities and gains great authority among the military. Thus, the future great traveler ends up in Lisbon only in 1512. And he participates in the war with Morocco, during which his unauthorized actions provoke the wrath of King Manuel I. During the audience, Magellan asks the monarch for permission to go on a naval expedition, but is refused. At the same time, Manuel the First makes it clear to him that he will not mind if he begins to serve another overlord. I wonder if he knew then that Magellan’s future discoveries would glorify Spain, would he have given him similar advice?

What preceded the first trip around the world

Insulted, Magellan leaves his homeland and goes to Spain, buys a house in Seville, marries, and has a son. Having acquired useful connections, Magellan turns to the organization that finances sea expeditions - the “Chamber of Contracts”, but they refuse to allocate money for the implementation of his project to find a western route to the Spice Islands. At the same time, Juan de Aranda shows personal interest, demanding 1/8 of the possible profits, and King Charles the First of Spain gives permission to equip five ships. Now you know who Magellan was before his famous journey. What he discovered will be described further.

Magellan: expected economic benefits

Although Columbus made Spain a superpower, the main goal of this expedition, namely reaching the shores of India by the western route, was not achieved. But this promised huge economic benefits! In particular, in this way it would be proven that the famous Spice Islands, ceded to Portugal under the Treaty of Tordesillas, are located in the “Spanish” South Sea. In turn, this meant that Magellan's expected discoveries could significantly expand the possessions of Charles the First and end the Portuguese monopoly on the trade in spices, which were then worth their weight in gold.

Travel to Brazil and Patagonia

Magellan's heroic naval epic began on September 20, 1519, when 5 ships, supplied with food for 2 years in advance, left San Lucar. In total, up to 280 people took part in the expedition, 100 of whom were equipped as soldiers. In addition, the ships were equipped with 10 cannons and 50 arquebuses. The main ship, the Trinidad, and the caravel, the Santiago, were captained by Magellan himself and another Portuguese, João Serran. The remaining three ships set out under the leadership of high-born Spanish hidalgos, who agreed to stage a mutiny if they thought that Commander Fernand had lost his way.

Having overcome the Atlantic Ocean with great difficulty, on November 29, Magellan's expedition reached the coast of Brazil and began to explore the shores of La Plata, hoping that this was the strait through which one could get to the “South Sea.” Convinced of the fallacy of this assumption, the squadron proceeded further south, along the coast of the South American continent and, meeting penguins along the way, mistook them for natives. The wandering continued until the end of March 1420, when Magellan decided to stop for the winter and cut the crew's rations. During the winter, the Spaniards met local residents who walked with hay wrapped around their feet. And they called them Patagonians (big-footed), and their country Patagonia.

Strait of Magellan

On October 21, 1520, the ships of the expedition find themselves at a narrow strait. The ships "San Antonio" and "Concepcion" are sent out for reconnaissance, and they miraculously manage to avoid death during a sudden storm. However, as they say, there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. At the moment when the wave carried the ships to the shore, they fell into a narrow passage, studies of which showed that it contained salt water, and the passage did not reach the shore. Both ships return to Magellan and report the good news that the sea route to the “South Sea” has been found, and many years later it is designated as the Strait of Magellan on the world map. Unfortunately, this discovery, neither at that historical moment nor centuries later, could bring any benefit to humanity from an economic point of view, since this route is extremely long and dangerous for shipping. However, he gave a huge impetus to the development of such sciences as cartography and geography.

Islands of Tierra del Fuego discovered by Magellan

To the south of the discovered strait, members of the expedition saw land on which lights lit up at night. Magellan mistakenly assumed that this was the northern tip of Terra Australis Incognita - the Southern Continent - and called it Tierra del Fuego. As it turned out later, it was an archipelago consisting of 40 thousand islands and islets. Thus, to the questions: “What did Ferdinand Magellan do?”, “What did he discover?” One can rightfully name Tierra del Fuego as an answer. Today everyone knows that the archipelago is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Magellan, and on the largest of its islands, Isla Grande, is the southernmost city on the planet, Ushuaia.

Discovery of the Mariana Islands

Having crossed the strait in 38 days, the ships of the expedition entered the ocean and sailed about 17,000 km to the first uninhabited island that they encountered on their way. The sailors were surprised, since before this it was assumed that America was located near the coast of Asia. Then Magellan realized that he had revealed to the world the true relationship between land and ocean waters, and also gave people an idea of ​​​​the size of the Earth. They failed to land, and they continued their journey until they reached the island of Guam, which belongs to the Mariana Islands group. It turned out that the local residents had no idea about private property, and therefore tried to take away from the ships any objects that came to their hands. That is why the Spaniards named the islands Landrones, which translates as thieves' island. There the travelers stocked up on food and fresh water and continued on their way.

Discovery of the Philippine Islands

Since it was obvious that the expedition was already in the Eastern Hemisphere, Magellan, fearing meetings with the Portuguese, sought to stay away from the waters where shipping routes passed. Soon his ships reached unknown islands. It was decided to call them the Archipelago of St. Lazarus, and later they were renamed the Philippine Islands. Homonkhom was chosen for the landing, so when answering the question: “What is the name of the first island discovered by Magellan in Asia?”, one should point to it.

Death of a traveler

Today everyone knows what lands Magellan discovered. However, few know the details of his death.

So, how did the man who was the first man to circumnavigate the South American continent meet death? It all started with the fact that the leader of the island of Mactan refused to obey the ruler of the neighboring Humabon, who swore allegiance to the Spanish crown and even was baptized, along with his family and close nobles. Magellan decided to show the locals that Europeans valued and protected their vassals, and set out to pacify the rebellious Mactanians. At the same time, he did not calculate that the natives, who had managed to study the European methods of warfare, no longer treated them as celestials. In addition, Magellan's military expedition was poorly prepared, and the Spaniards did not calculate that their ships would not be able to get close enough to the shore. Almost immediately after the start of the battle, Magellan’s army suffered great damage, as the native warriors aimed their spears at the unprotected legs of the Spanish soldiers, and when they tried to get to their ships, they began to finish them off with arrows. The same fate befell Commander Fernand, who, wanting to cover his retreating comrades, remained to fight in the water with a handful of loyal warriors, but was wounded first in the face and then stabbed with spear tips. This is how one of the greatest travelers in human history died. However, he forever inscribed his name in the annals of world history, and today every schoolchild knows which strait Magellan discovered.

The further fate of the expedition sailors

The death of Magellan and eight of his companions undermined the prestige of the Spaniards in the eyes of the natives. Therefore, Humabon decides to get rid of the aliens and organizes a dinner party, during which he deals with a significant part of the commanders. Those who remain have to flee. Finally, having reached the Spice Islands, the surviving members of Magellan's expedition purchase goods and are preparing to return when they learn that the Portuguese king has declared Magellan a deserter and issued an order to detain his ships. At that moment, only two ships remain afloat, the commanders of which decide to go home in different ways. So the ship "Trinidad" is captured by the Portuguese, and its crew members end their lives in hard labor in India. The fate of those who go to Spain on the Victoria, under the command of Juan Elcanto, through the Cape of Good Hope, is completely different. At the cost of incredible efforts, they managed to get to Seville. Thus, before answering the questions: “Who is Magellan?”, “What did he discover?”, it is worth thinking about it. After all, the fact that he is called the first traveler to circumnavigate the world is not entirely true. Moreover, he never set such a goal for himself, since his only desire was to find a western route along which spices could be brought to Spain and make a profit from it.

Ferdinand Magellan: what he discovered

Such a short life, only 40 years long, but what brilliant results! These are exactly the thoughts that arise when you read a story about the journey that Magellan made. What did you open? The famous strait named after him, Tierra del Fuego, the Mariana and Philippine Islands. And most importantly, Magellan proved that you can get from Europe to Asia not only by skirting Africa, but also by moving in a western direction.

Ferdinand Magellan (Fernand de Magalhães) - (born November 20, 1480 - died April 27, 1521)

What Magellan Fernand discovered

The outstanding Portuguese navigator Magellan Fernand, his expedition made the first trip around the world in history, which involved searching for a western route to the Moluccas. This proved the existence of a single world ocean and provided practical proof of the spherical shape of the Earth. Magellan discovered the entire coast of South America south of La Plata, circumnavigated the continent from the south, discovered the strait that was named after him, and the Patagonian Cordillera; first to cross the Pacific Ocean.

Biography of Ferdinand Magellan

Among the people who made global revolutions in the consciousness of people and the development of mankind, travelers were able to play a significant role. The most striking figure of them is the Portuguese Fernand de Magalhães, who became known throughout the world under the Spanishized name Fernand Magellan.

Ferdinand Magellan was born in 1470 in the locality of Sabrosa, in the remote northeastern province of Portugal, Traz os Leontes. His family belonged to a noble but impoverished knightly family and was respected at court. Unsurprisingly, King João II appointed Fernand's father, Pedro Rui de Magalhães, as senior alcalde* of the strategically important harbor of Aveiro.

(* Alcalde is a judicial or municipal official who had executive power. His main task was to monitor the preservation of public order).

Education

Connections at court made it possible for the alcalde to appoint his eldest son as Queen Eleanor’s page in 1492. Thus, Fernand received the right to be raised in the royal residence. There, in addition to the knightly arts - horse riding, fencing, falconry - he was able to master astronomy, navigation and cartography. At the Portuguese court, these subjects were required for young courtiers to study since the time of Prince Henry the Navigator. It was they who had the opportunity to go on long sea expeditions with the aim of conquest and discovery of new lands. It was not for nothing that King Manuel himself, who replaced Juan on the throne, observed their lessons.

The ambitious Fernand became seriously interested in sailing. In an effort to get away from palace intrigues, in 1504 he asked the king to let him go to India under the leadership of the Viceroy of India Francisco de Almeida and, having received consent, left Lisbon in the spring of 1505.

Magalhães' career as a navigator

Almeida's expedition was purely military in nature and had the goal of pacifying the rebellious Muslim rulers from Sofala to Hormuz and from Cochin to Bab el-Mandeb. It was necessary to wipe out the Muslim fortifications from the face of the earth and build Portuguese fortresses in their place.

Magalhães took part in sea and land battles at Kilva, Sofala, Mombasa, Cannanur, Calicut, as well as in the sack of these cities and over time turned into a valiant warrior, experienced and accustomed to any cruelties and misadventures of his harsh era. He quickly acquired a reputation as a brave captain, skilled in battle and navigation. At the same time, even then, caring for brothers in arms became one of the main features of the future pioneer of circumnavigation.

1509 - During the battles near Malacca, Magalhães was able to become famous, almost single-handedly coming to the aid of a handful of his compatriots who were attacked by the Malays. He acted just as nobly during his return from Malacca to India. At the head of only 5 people, Fernand hastened to the aid of the Portuguese caravel and helped to win.

At the very beginning of 1510, Magalhães' career as a navigator almost came to an end: during an unsuccessful assault on Calicut, he was seriously wounded, and for the second time. The first wound received during the campaign in Morocco left him lame for life. Dejected Fernand decided to return to his homeland.

Magellan's route

In the spring, a small flotilla of three ships sailed from Cochin to Portugal. Magalhães was also on board one of the ships. But this time he never made it home. A hundred miles from the Indian coast, two ships hit the underwater rocks of the dangerous Padua Shoal and sank. The officers and noble passengers decided to return to India on the remaining ship, leaving their rootless companions without water and food on a narrow sandy shoal, who had no place on the ship. Fernand refused to sail with them: nobility and high rank were a kind of guarantee that help could still be sent for those who remained. In the end this is what happened. Two weeks later, the castaways were rescued and, upon arrival in India, they talked everywhere about the extraordinary firmness of their patron, who, under difficult conditions, managed to awaken hope in people and strengthen resilience.

Fernand remained in India for some time. According to the documents, he boldly expressed his opinion in cases where other captains were silent. This probably could have been the main reason for his disagreements with the new Viceroy Afonso de Albuquerque.

Portugal

1512, summer - Magalhães returned to Portugal. This is evidenced by an entry in the royal court pay sheet, according to which he was assigned a monthly royal pension of 1,000 Portuguese reals. After 4 weeks, it was almost doubled, which may indicate that the merits of the valiant captain were recognized by the court.

During the war with the Moors of Azamora (modern Azemmour in Morocco), Fernand was appointed major, that is, he received a rather prestigious and profitable position. He had the prisoners and all the captured trophies at his complete disposal. The post provided unlimited opportunities for personal enrichment, so Magalhães had no shortage of ill-wishers.

After some time, he was groundlessly accused of organizing an attack by the Moors on the herd and allowing 400 head of cattle to be stolen, receiving a lot of money for it. After some time, the charge was dropped, but the offended Fernand resigned.

Left without sufficient means of subsistence, the warrior known for his valor hoped for the mercy of the king. He asked Manuel to increase his pension by only 200 Portuguese reals. But the king did not like people with a strong character and, according to the chronicler Barros, “... always had an aversion to him,” and therefore refused. The outraged Magalhães secretly left his homeland in 1517 and moved to Spain.

Spain

From this time begins the history of a sea voyage around the Earth, unprecedented at that time, the sphericity of which was then only assumed. And the credit for its organization and implementation goes entirely to Fernand Magalhães, who from now on became Fernand Magellan.

Later, King Manuel came to his senses and, with tenacity worthy of better use, began to prevent Magellan from carrying out his plans. But the mistake could not be corrected, and for the second time in history, Portugal lost the chance to benefit from the discoveries of its great sons, underestimating their potential capabilities.

"Moluccan Armada" - Magellan's ships

It is known that while still in Portugal, he carefully studied nautical maps, made acquaintances with sailors, and worked a lot on the problems of determining geographic longitude. All this helped him a lot in realizing his idea.

According to the papal bull Inter cetera of 1493, all new territories opened up to the east of the demarcation line established in 1494 belonged to Portugal, and to the west to Spain. But the method of calculating geographical longitude, adopted in those days, did not make it possible to clearly demarcate the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, Magellan, as well as his friend and assistant, astrologer and cosmographer Ruy Faleiro, believed that the Moluccas should belong not to Portugal, but to Spain.

1518, March - they presented their project to the Council of the Indies. After lengthy negotiations, it was accepted, and the Spanish king Carlos I (aka Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) undertook to equip 5 ships and allocate supplies for 2 years. In the event of the discovery of new lands, companions were given the right to become their rulers. They also received 20% of the income. In this case, the rights had to be inherited.

Shortly before this significant event, serious changes occurred in Fernand's life. Arriving in Seville, he joined the colony of Portuguese emigrants. One of them, the commandant of the Seville Alcazar fortress, Diogo Barbosa, introduced the valiant captain into his family. His son Duarte became Fernand's close friend, and his daughter Beatrice became his wife.

Magellan really did not want to leave his young, passionately loving wife and recently born son, but duty, ambition and the desire to provide for his family persistently called him to sea. An unfavorable astrological forecast made by Faleiro could not stop him either. But it was precisely because of this that Ruy refused to participate in the voyage, and Magellan became its sole leader and organizer.

Magellan's voyage around the world

In Seville, 5 ships were prepared - the flagship Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria and Santiago. On September 20, 1519, Ferdinand Magellan said goodbye to the pregnant Beatrice and newborn Rodrigo on the pier and ordered the anchor to be raised. They were never destined to see each other again.

The lists of the small flotilla included 265 people: commanders and helmsmen, boatswains, gunners, ordinary sailors, priests, carpenters, caulkers, coopers, soldiers and people who did not have specific duties. This entire motley multinational crew (in addition to the Spaniards and Portuguese, it also included Italians, Germans, French, Flemings, Sicilians, English, Moors and Malays) had to be kept in obedience. And discontent began almost from the first weeks of the voyage. Agents of the Portuguese king entered the ships, and through the zeal of the Portuguese consul in Seville, Alvares, the holds were partially filled with rotten flour, moldy crackers and rotten corned beef.

On September 26, the sailors reached the Canary Islands, on October 3, they headed for Brazil, and on December 13, they entered the Bay of Rio de Janeiro. From here, travelers headed south along the South American coast in search of a passage to the “South Sea,” moving only during the day so as not to miss it in the dark. 1520, March 31 - the ships entered the Bay of San Julian off the coast of Patagonia for the winter.

Mutiny

Ferdinand Magellan - suppression of the rebellion

Soon Magellan had to give an order to reduce the diet. But part of the crew opposed this decision and began to demand a return to Spain, but received a decisive refusal. Then, during the celebration of Easter, the rebel leaders, taking advantage of the fact that the bulk of the crews went ashore, were able to capture three ships.

Magellan decided to use force and cunning. He sent several loyal people to the Victoria with a letter to the rebellious treasurer Luis de Mendoza. He was stabbed while reading the letter, and the crew offered no resistance. The next day, two rebel captains, Gaspar de Quesada and Juan de Cartagena, tried to take their ships out of the bay, but their path was blocked by the Trinidad, Santiago and Victoria, which had been recaptured from the rebels. San Antonio surrendered without resisting. Their commander, Quesada, was immediately arrested, and after some time Cartagena was captured.

By order of Ferdinand Magellan, Mendoza's dead body was quartered, Quesada's head was cut off, and Cartagena and the traitor-priest Pedro Sanchez de la Reina were left on the shore. But the rebel sailors were not harmed. They were given life, mainly because they were needed for ship work.

Strait of Magellan

Soon the squadron, which lost the Santiago during reconnaissance, moved further south. But the betrayals did not stop there. On November 1, when the squadron was already moving through the desired Strait, later called the Strait of Magellan, the helmsman Ishteban Gomes, taking advantage of the fact that his ship was out of sight from the other ships, captured the San Antonio and fled to Spain. Magellan never learned about the betrayal, just as he never learned what fatal role Gomes played in the fate of his family. Arriving in Spain, the deserter accused his captain-general of treason against the king. As a result, Beatrice and her children were subjected to house arrest and interrogation. She was deprived of government benefits and left in dire need. Neither she nor her sons lived to see the expedition return. And Gomes was awarded a knighthood by the king for “outstanding services rendered to Magellan’s flotilla.”

Discovery of the Mariana Islands

On November 28, Ferdinand Magellan's ships entered the ocean, which no European had ever sailed. The weather, fortunately, remained good, and the navigator called the ocean Pacific. Crossing it, he traveled at least 17 thousand km and discovered many small islands, but inaccurate calculations did not allow them to be identified with any specific points on the map. Only the discovery in early March 1521 of two inhabited islands, Guam and Rota, the southernmost of the Mariana Islands group, is considered indisputable. Magellan called them the Robbers. The islanders stole a boat from the sailors, and the captain-general, landing with a detachment on the shore, burned several native huts.

This voyage lasted almost 4 months. Despite the absence of hurricanes typical for this area, people had a very hard time. They were forced to eat dry dust mixed with worms, drink rotten water, and eat cowhide, sawdust, and ship rats. These creatures seemed almost a delicacy to them and were sold for half a ducat apiece.

The crew suffered from scurvy, many people died. But Magellan continued to confidently lead the squadron forward and once, when asked to return, he said: “We will go forward, even if we have to eat the entire oxhide.”

Discovery of the Philippine Islands

1521, March 15 - the expedition found itself near the island of Samar (Philippines), and a week later, still moving west, it arrived at the island of Limasawa, where Magellan's slave, the Malayan Enrique, heard his native speech. This meant that the travelers were somewhere near the Spice Islands, i.e. they had almost completed their task.

And yet the navigator sought to reach the treasured islands. But he decided to stay for a while to convert the Filipinos to Christianity.

1521, April 7 - the flotilla dropped anchor off the island of Cebu, where a major port and residence of the Rajah was located. The sincerely religious Magellan insisted that the islanders accept Christianity without counting on any material benefits, but, unwittingly, he convinced the natives that they could count on a favorable attitude from the powerful Spanish king only if they renounced the old faith and will begin to worship the cross.

On April 14, the ruler of Cebu, Humabon, decided to be baptized. The cunning Rajah, now called Carlos, enlisted the support of Magellan against his pagan enemies and thus, in one day, subjugated all who challenged his power. In addition, Humabon secured a promise that when Magellan returned to the Philippines at the head of a large fleet, he would make him the sole ruler of all the islands as a reward for the fact that the Rajah was the first to convert to Christianity. Moreover, the rulers of the nearby islands began to be brought to obedience. But the leader of one of these islands, Mactan, named Silapulapu, did not want to submit to Carlos Humabon. Then the navigator decided to use force.

Death of Magellan

Death of Magellan

1521, April 27 - 60 armed men in armor, with several small guns, boarded boats and headed for Mactan. They were accompanied by several hundred of Humabon's warriors. But luck turned against the Spaniards. The captain general underestimated the enemy, remembering at the wrong time the history of the conquest of Mexico, when a handful of Spaniards were able to take possession of the entire country. In a battle with the warriors of Mactan, his battle-hardened companions were defeated, and the captain-general himself laid down his head. While retreating to the boats, the natives overtook him in the water. Wounded in the arm and leg, the already lame Magellan fell. What happened next is eloquently described by expedition chronicler Antonio Pigafetta:

“The captain fell face down, and immediately they pelted him with iron and bamboo spears and began to strike him with cutlasses until they destroyed our mirror, our light, our joy and our true leader. He kept turning back to see if we had all managed to get into the boats..."

The further fate of the sailors

Subsequent events testified to the correctness of Pigafetta, who called Magellan the “true leader.” Apparently, only he could keep this greedy pack in check, ready at any time to betray.

His successors were unable to maintain their positions. First of all, with feverish haste, they delivered the exchanged goods to the ships. Then one of the new leaders thoughtlessly insulted the Malayan Enrique, and he persuaded Humabon to betray. The Rajah lured some of the Spaniards into a trap and ordered them to be killed, and demanded a ransom for the surviving captain of the Concepcion, Juan Serrau. Seeing him as a rival, Juan Carvalo, who was temporarily appointed commander of the flotilla, abandoned his comrade and ordered the sails to be raised.

About 120 people survived. Using three ships, they groped, often changing course, but finally reached the Moluccas, destroying the worm-eaten Concepcion along the way. Here they, not thinking about the possible danger from the local population, where the Spaniards were not very fond, and the difficulties of the journey to their homeland, rushed to buy spices. Eventually, the Victoria, under the command of Esteban Elcano, left the Moluccas, while the heavily laden Trinidad remained behind for repairs. Finally, his crew, who made an unsuccessful attempt to reach Panama, was captured. For a long time, its members languished in prisons and on plantations, first in the Moluccas and then on the Banda Islands. Later they were sent to India, where they lived on alms and were under the constant supervision of the authorities. Only five were lucky enough to return to their homeland in 1527.

And the Victoria, under the command of Elcano, diligently avoiding the routes of the Portuguese ships, crossed the southern part of the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and, through the Cape Verde Islands, arrived in the Spanish harbor of San Lucar on September 8, 1522. Of her crew, only 18 people survived (according to other sources - 30).

The sailors had a hard time at home. Instead of honors, they received public repentance for one “lost” day (as a result of moving through time zones around the earth). From the point of view of the clergy, this could only happen as a result of breaking the fasts.

Elcano, however, received honors. He received a coat of arms depicting a globe with the inscription “You were the first to circle around me,” and a pension of 500 ducats. But no one remembered Magellan.

Descendants were able to appreciate the true role of this remarkable man in history, and, unlike Columbus, it was never disputed. His voyage revolutionized the understanding of the Earth. After this trip, any attempts to deny the sphericity of the planet completely stopped, it was proven that the world ocean is one, ideas about the true size of the globe were obtained, it was finally established that America is an independent continent, and a strait was found between the two oceans. And it is not without reason that Stefan Zweig wrote in his book “Magellan’s Feat”: “Only he enriches humanity who helps him to know himself, who deepens his creative self-awareness. And in this sense, the feat accomplished by Magellan surpasses all the feats of his time.”

"Victoria" was the first ship to circumnavigate the world as part of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition.

On September 20, 1519, five sailing ships left the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Berrameda: "Trinidad", "San Antonio", "Concepcion", "Santiago" and "Victoria". In the literature they are most often called caravels, But "Victoria" most likely it was karakka- the most common type of sailing ship of the 15th-16th centuries. Most likely "Victoria" had three masts. The foremast and mainmast carried two tiers of straight sails, the mizzen carried one oblique sail, and a blind was raised under the bowsprit (which in those days was also considered a mast). The sailing ship was armed with approximately forty cannons of various calibers.

There is no exact data on the size of the vessel due to the difference in measurements. Some researchers believe that the Magellanic ton was approximately equivalent to the modern ton, while others believe that it was 2.43 times higher than the modern ton. Therefore the tonnage "Victoria" different sources range from 85 to 206 tons.

The squadron was commanded by a Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan. The purpose of the trip was to reach Moluccas, rich in spices so prized in Europe, by a western route - rounding South America. Before Magellan none of the navigators have yet managed to find the strait connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but Ferdinand Magellan had no doubt about its existence.

The expedition was equipped by the Spanish King Charles V. Initially Magellan approached the Portuguese monarch Manuel I with the idea of ​​making a similar trip, but he did not support the traveler’s idea.

The voyage was originally intended to last 2 years, but lasted much longer.

Sailboat "Victoria" was named Magellan in honor of the church where the famous captain swore the oath to the Spanish king. "Victoria" was not a flagship ship. Captain Magellan commanded "Trinidad". Captain "Victoria" Luis de Mendoza was appointed.

In total, according to various sources, there were from 265 to 280 people on the five ships.

In November 1520, through the finally discovered strait, the expedition entered an unknown ocean called the Pacific by Magellan. During the first year of sailing, the flotilla lost 2 ships: a caravel "Santiago" sank, and "San Antonio" a riot occurred, as a result of which the crew of the sailing ship abandoned further travel and turned back to Spain.

The sailors spent more than a hundred days in the Pacific Ocean, finding themselves in a calm zone. During this time, the ships ran out of food. The crews had to subsist on sawdust and boil leather belts and clothing items. 19 members of the expedition died from starvation and scurvy. The rest were extremely exhausted.

In the spring of 1521, three sailing ships reached the island of Guam. On the islands, the sailors managed to rest and replenish their supplies. But conflicts and armed clashes constantly arose between travelers and local residents. In one of these clashes on the islands later called Filipino, April 27, 1522, the expedition commander, captain, died Ferdinand Magellan.

He took over the leadership of the expedition Juan Sebastian de Elcano- captain of the ship "Concepcion". His first decision was to return home to Spain. But first, the sailors nevertheless visited the Moluccas - where Magellan was heading. There, travelers purchased a large number of different spices. Two of the three ships of the expedition remained on these same islands - "Conception" was burned due to extreme disrepair, and "Trinidad" put in for repairs.

And so on September 7, 1522, the last of Magellan’s five sailing ships "Victoria" returned to his home harbor of Sanlúcar de Barramed. Eighteen sailors out of nearly three hundred who set off on the journey went ashore. Externally "Victoria" resembled a ghost ship, her condition was so bad. And the sailors looked like living skeletons. They went straight from the ship's ramp to the church to light candles in gratitude for their return. Among the survivors was Antonio Pigafetta- chronicler of the expedition.

Nevertheless, the expedition was considered extremely successful. Not only was the hypothesis that the Earth is a ball confirmed, a new route to India through the Pacific Ocean was opened, but the concept of the “date line” was also introduced - during the voyage, travelers discovered that they arrived in Spain a day later than was calculated in calendar that was kept during the trip. This discovery subsequently led to the introduction of time zones. In addition, the money raised from the sale of spices was enough to cover all the expenses of the expedition.

All the honors associated with the completion of the trip around the world went to de Elcano - the king of Spain approved de Elcano’s personal coat of arms, which depicted oriental spices, the globe and the inscription “You were the first to circle me” in Latin - Primus circumdedisti me.

In the 20th century, several replicas of the legendary sailing ship that first circumnavigated the world appeared. A Spanish replica was built in 1992 "Victoria". Its construction was timed to coincide with the exhibition in the city of Seville. In 2004-2005 "Victoria" traveled around the world along the route of Magellan. Now the sailboat serves as a museum ship.

In 1999, a Czech woman set off on a trip around the world. replica of "Victoria", built by Rudolf Kraussnyder. The conditions on the sailing ship were as close as possible to the 16th century: the ship did not only have an engine, but even a latrine! Not everyone survived the difficult journey, and the crew changed several times during the voyage. Czech "Victoria" circumnavigated the Earth in 5 years, which is 2 years longer than Magellan's expedition.

In 2011, another replica of the famous sailing ship was built in Chile. Construction was timed to coincide with the bicentennial anniversary of the arrival of Europeans on the continent. Now Chilean "Victoria" stands in the city of Punta Arenas and is open to the public.

The man under whose leadership the first trip around the world took place was Ferdinand Magellan. From the very beginning, when before sailing part of the command staff (primarily sailors) refused to serve the Portuguese, it became obvious that this circumnavigation will be extremely difficult.

The beginning of a trip around the world. Magellan's Path

On August 10, 1519, 5 ships left the port of Seville and set off on a voyage, the goals of which were based only on Magellan’s intuition. In those days, no one believed that the Earth was round, and naturally, this caused great concern among the sailors, because as they moved further and further from the port, their fear of never returning home grew stronger.

The expedition included the following ships: “Trinidad” (under the command of Magellan, the head of the expedition), “Santo Antonio”, “Concepcion”, “Sant Iago” and the carrack Victoria (later one of the two ships that returned back).

The most interesting thing for you!

The first clash of interests occurred near the Canary Islands, when Magellan, without warning or agreement with other captains, slightly changed course. Juan de Cartagena (captain of the Santo Antonio) harshly criticized Magellan, and after Fernand refused to go back to his previous course, he began to persuade the officers and sailors. Having learned about this, the head of the expedition called the rebel to him, and in the presence of other officers he ordered him to be shackled and thrown into the hold.

One of the passengers on the first trip around the world was Antonio Pifaghetta, a man who described all the adventures in his diary. It is thanks to him that we know such exact facts of the expedition. It should be noted that riots have always been a great danger, for example, the sailing ship Bounty became famous thanks to the mutiny against its captain William Bligh.

However, fate decreed otherwise for Bly; he still managed to become a hero in the service of Horatio Nelson. Magellan's circumnavigation of the world predates the year of Admiral Nelson's birth by about 200 years.

The hardships of circumnavigation for sailors and officers

Meanwhile, some officers and sailors began to express open dissatisfaction with the voyage, they called a riot demanding they return back to Spain. Ferdinand Magellan was determined and put an end to the uprising by force. The captain of the Victoria (one of the instigators) was killed. Seeing Magellan’s determination, no one else contradicted him, but the next night 2 ships voluntarily tried to sail home. The plan failed and both captains, once on the deck of the Trinidad, were put on trial and shot.

Having survived the winter, the ships set off back on the same course, the trip around the world continued - Magellan was sure that a strait existed in South America. And he was not mistaken. On October 21, the squadron reached the cape (now called Cape Virgenes), which turned out to be a strait. The fleet traveled through the strait for 22 days. This time was enough for the captain of the ship "Santo Antonio" to disappear from sight and go back to Spain. Coming out of the strait, the sailing ships entered the Pacific Ocean for the first time. By the way, the name of the ocean was invented by Magellan, since during 4 months of difficult passage along it, the ships never got caught in a storm. However, in fact, the ocean is not so quiet; James Cook, who visited these waters more than once 250 years later, was not happy with it.

Having emerged from the strait, the squadron of discoverers moved into the unknown, where the round-the-world journey lasted for 4 months of continuous wanderings across the ocean, without encountering a single piece of land (not counting 2 islands that turned out to be deserted). 4 months is a very good indicator for those times, but the fastest clipper of Thermopylae could cover this distance in less than a month, and Cutty Sark, by the way, too. At the beginning of March 1521, the pioneers saw inhabited islands on the horizon, which Magellan later named Landrones and Vorovskiye.

Circumnavigation: half way completed

So, for the first time in history, sailors crossed the Pacific Ocean and found themselves on inhabited islands. In this regard, the trip around the world began to bear fruit. There, not only fresh water supplies were replenished, but also food supplies, for which the sailors exchanged all sorts of small things with the natives. But the behavior of the tribe's inhabitants forced them to quickly leave these islands. After 7 days of sailing, Magellan found new islands, which today are known to us as the Philippine Islands.

On the San Lazaro Archipelago (as the Philippine Islands were first called), travelers met natives with whom they began to establish trade relations. Magellan became such good friends with the Rajah of the tribe that he decided to help this new vassal of Spain in solving a problem. As the raja explained, on the neighboring islands another raja of the tribe refused to pay tribute and he did not know what to do.

Ferdinand Magellan ordered preparations for military operations on a neighboring piece of land. It was this battle that would be the last for the head of the expedition; the trip around the world would end without him... On the island of Mactan (the enemy’s island), he lined up his soldiers in 2 columns and began to fire at the natives. However, nothing worked for him: the bullets only pierced the shields of the natives and sometimes affected limbs. Seeing this situation, the local population began to defend themselves even more vigorously and began to throw spears at the captain.

Then Magellan ordered their houses to be burned in order to put pressure on fear, but this maneuver only angered the natives more and they took more closely to their goal. For about an hour, the Spaniards fought off the spears with all their might, until the strongest onslaught on the captain bore fruit: seeing Magellan’s position, the natives pounced on him and instantly threw stones and spears at him. Until his last breath, he watched his people and waited until they all left the island on boats. The Portuguese was killed on April 27, 1521, when he was 41 years old. Magellan, with his trip around the world, proved the great hypothesis and thereby changed the world.

The Spaniards failed to obtain the body. In addition, a surprise awaited the sailors on the island of the friendly Raja. One of the natives lied to his master and reported on an impending attack on the island. The Raja summoned the officers from the ship to his home and brutally massacred the 26 crew members there. Having learned about the massacre, the acting captain of the ships ordered to come closer to the village and shoot it with cannons.