Ferdinand Magellan interesting facts. Magellan - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information

interesting facts You will learn about the famous navigator from this article.

Interesting facts about Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan - comes from a poor noble family. He made the world's first trip around the world by water. Many discoveries are named after him - the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the Magellan spacecraft, and the Giant Magellan Telescope.

Ferdinand Magellan - fictitious name. In fact, his name was Fernão de Magalhães. And when he went into the service of the Spanish king, he took on a different name - Hernando Magellan.

For the first half of his life, Magellan was not a pioneer. He served in the navy in South Africa for quite a long time, participating in endless wars for territory. Having crossed Africa about four times, he began to think that there was a convenient western route to India. With his thoughts, Magellan turned to King Manuel of Portugal, but he only laughed at the experienced warrior.

Having been released from service, Ferdinand Magellan comes under the patronage of the Spanish King Charles I, who equipped him with everything necessary for the journey. Charles gave Magellan five ships at his disposal - Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Santiago and Victoria. Under the leadership of Fernand there were 280 people.

The team set off on the expedition on October 20, 1519; the ships' holds were filled with goods for trade. Only one ship, the Victoria, with 18 sailors on board, returned from a trip around the world without the captain, who was killed near the Finnish Islands by local residents. But the ship was filled with herbs and spices, which made it possible to fully recoup all the costs of this expedition.

During Magellan's expedition, the team saw penguins for the first time.

Thanks to the journey of Ferdinand Magellan, two important geographical discoveries were made - the inseparability of the oceans and it was proven that the Earth is round.

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 hos 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 di 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 the sea and land battles of 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.

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 pitfalls 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 Portugal for the second time after the story of Christopher Columbus 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 charts, 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
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.
Ferdinand Magellan - suppression of the rebellion
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 only count on favorable treatment from the powerful Spanish king 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.

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 by Hernan Cortes, 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 the expedition’s 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 to betray at any time.
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, on September 8, 1522, arrived in the Spanish harbor of San Lucar. 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.”
G. Shcherbak

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 enormous 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, Joao 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.

11.09.2009

First.
Ferdinand Magellan was born in 1480 in the north of Portugal in the town of Sabrosa. His family was of noble origin, but very poor.
Second.
From the age of 12, Magellan lived in the courtyard of the Portuguese King João II. He was a page of Queen Leonora and lived at the royal palace, in the castle of St. George.
Third.
At the age of 15, Magellan left the court and became a sailor on a ship. The reason for this decision is due to the fact that he did not have a good relationship with the new king Manuel I. It was a challenge and a risk, but also a manifestation of his nature, which would remain the same fearless and principled until the end of his life.
Fourth.
Only in the era of Magellan did people come to the conclusion that the earth was round. Before this, it was thought that it was flat.
Fifth.
The main reason for the rapid development of navigation and geographical discoveries of that time was the thirst for the seizure of lands where spices grow. In Magellan's era, spices were equivalent to gold. Dreams about the unimaginable treasures of the East haunted the Europeans, and they set off on risky journeys.
Sixth.
In 1513, Magellan moved from Portugal to Spain. The reason for this was another quarrel with the Portuguese king, who, after Magellan’s return from India, did not pay him despite his devoted service.
Seventh.
In 1517 Magellan married a charming young woman named Beatrice. Unfortunately, Magellan's personal life was not happy. His wife and children died before he returned from his trip.
Eighth.
Magellan's idea, which was supported by Spanish patrons and allowed him to go around the world, was to sail to the spice islands, moving west, without going around Africa. He believed that there was some kind of passage through the American continent. This was very important for Spain, since sailing to the east was impossible because of Portugal.
The departure was scheduled for August 10, 1519. Five ships set off on the world's first trip around the world.
Ninth.
Of the 5 ships, only one will return, called Victoria. Two ships, the Santiago and the Trinidad, sank. "Concepcion" will burn. And San Antonio is deserting. Of the 265 sailors who set off, only 18 will return.
And tenth.
Magellan himself also did not return; he died fighting in a skirmish with local natives on the Philippine islands. Now a monument to Magellan has been erected on the island of Mactan. And next to it is a monument to the leader who personally beheaded his body.

This is how he was, the great navigator and traveler Ferdinand Magellan.

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Magellan (Magalhães) Fernand (1480-1521), Portuguese navigator.

Born in the spring of 1480 in Sabrose into an impoverished noble family. In 1492-1504. served as a page in the retinue of the Portuguese queen.

In 1505, as part of Frincesco de Almeida's team, he went to East Africa; lived for a long time in India and Mozambique. In 1512 he returned to Lisbon and developed a project for sailing the western route to the Moluccas. The Portuguese king rejected him.

In 1517, Magellan arrived in Spain and entered the service of King Charles I, who appointed him commander of a flotilla heading to find a new sea route to India. On September 20, 1519, an expedition of five ships left the harbor of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Spain) and in January 1520 reached the mouth of the La Plata River. From here the ships, moving south, entered all the bays in search of the strait. Magellan discovered the bays of San Matias and San Jorge in the land he called Patagonia. In March 1520, he suppressed a mutiny that broke out on three ships during the winter in San Julian Bay. In August, Magellan moved further south and on October 21, 1520, entered the strait, which he called the Strait of All Saints (later renamed the Strait of Magellan). Having explored it, the navigator discovered the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. While passing through the strait, the crew of the ship San Antonio mutinied and turned back to Spain.

On November 28, 1520, Magellan entered the ocean, which his companions called the Pacific Ocean. Further voyage was very difficult due to lack of provisions and fresh water. Having traveled more than 17,000 km, in March 1521 Magellan discovered three islands from the Mariana Islands group (including Guam), and then the Philippine Islands (Samar, Mindanao and Cebu).

On April 27, 1521, the navigator was killed during a skirmish with natives on the island of Mactan (Philippines). His companions continued their journey, but only two ships returned to Spain - the previously deserted San Antonio and Victoria.

Magellan's expedition completed the first circumnavigation of the world, proving the existence of a single World Ocean and providing practical evidence of the sphericity of the Earth.