Today, the incredible feat of circumnavigating the globe does not strike wonder into our hearts as it once did. Humans have obtained goals that would’ve seemed like a fantasy to the explorers of the 1500s. But, that doesn’t make the accomplishments of these men, in their reasonably basic wooden ships, any less remarkable.
What did it take to circumnavigate the globe in the 1500s, and who was the first to circumnavigate it? The answer to the latter is not quite as simple as you might think.
Magellan’s Attempt to Circumnavigate the World
Many of us likely learned as children that Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to sail around or circumnavigate the globe. But, surprisingly, this is not accurate. He should be, and is, credited with masterminding the eventually successful attempt to circumnavigate around the globe but he didn’t quite make it all the way himself.
Early Life and Ambitions
Born around 1480 as Fernão de Magalhães, the Portuguese nobleman grew up in the Lisbon court, serving as a page to Queen Consort Eleanor and King Manuel I. However, his adventurous spirit led him to join several Portuguese expeditions aimed at uncovering and securing profitable spice routes in Africa and India.
The Spice Rivalry
During that era, Portugal and Spain were embroiled in a fierce rivalry to explore and claim new territories that could provide the highly sought-after spices prized by European aristocrats. In 1505, Magellan joined the fray, embarking on voyages to India, Malaysia, and Indonesia in pursuit of these valuable trade routes. However, his career with Portugal was cut short when he was accused of illegal trading activities. This led to a significant rift with King Manuel I, who ultimately rejected Magellan’s proposal to discover a new spice route, marking the end of his service to the Portuguese crown.
A Bold Plan
Magellan firmly believed that he could chart a new path to Indonesia and India by circumnavigate west instead of east and finding a rumored strait through South America. With this bold idea in mind, he decided to leave behind his allegiance to Portugal and sought support from Spain. He became a Spanish citizen and secured the backing of King Charles V, who approved his plan for a five-ship expedition to circumnavigate the western route.
Setting Sail
In September of 1519, Magellan set out from Spain to circumnavigate the globe. He had done extensive planning in order, he hoped, to ensure that the journey was a success. Before him, sailors like Christopher Columbus and de Balboa had journeyed far across the Pacific Ocean, fuelling his belief that the trip was possible with the technology he had access to.
A Multinational Crew
He was sponsored by Spain to travel across the Atlantic ocean, searching for what the Spanish were calling the East Indies. He would travel west across the Atlantic with the hope of arriving in the East Indies and to find westeren route to Moluccas (Spice islands) for the sale of spices and gemstone. When he departed Spain, he was accompanied by five ships. The ships names were Trinidad, Santiago, Victoria, Concepción, and San Antonio. Unfortunately, the journey did not go smoothly, even from the start.
Magellan’s Ships and Their Fate
- Trinidad is one of the two ships, with the Victoria being the other, that successfully reached the Maluku Islands.
- San Antonio‘s crew had concluded that the journey would be hopeless and would lead to their deaths. So, at what is today known as the straight of Magellan, they decided to desert the fleet and return to Seville, sailing alone for over five and a half months across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Victoria is the first carrack to circumnavigate the globe under Juan Sebastián Elcano command.
- Concepcion is the carrack they had to sacrifice due to a lack of crew in Cebu.
- Santiago is the ship that was wrecked off the coast of Patagonia.
This means that only three of his five ships even made it to the Pacific Ocean. One was almost lost after an attempted mutiny along the South American coast. Magellan managed to gain control of the rebellion after beheading and marooning two of the main agitators. Lower level participation in the mutiny was given hard labor and eventually freed.
The month-long trip to the Pacific Ocean did nothing to relieve everyone’s fears. They finally reached the Pacific Ocean, through the strait in southerern South America, in November of 1520.
Over the next three months, the ship floated listlessly in the Pacific Ocean without the hope of resupplying. Finally, they landed in Guam on the 6th of March 1521. Thirty crew members had already died of scurvy, and the rest of the crew was nearing starvation.
Although it seemed like the journey was almost at its end, Magellan got wrapped up in a war in the Philippines in April. It was there that he was killed, many miles from the end of the trip. He was succeeded by Juan Serrano and Duarte Barbosa, at first. The journey that would eventually reshape world trade also solidified Magellan’s place in history.
Who Completed the First Circumnavigation?
So how does the story end? If it wasn’t Magellan, as many people believe, who did complete the first circumnavigate of the globe? The most likely contender is Spanish Officer Juan Sebastian Elcano, a Basque navigator who assumed command of the expedition following Magellan’s death in 1521. He then led the only remaining ship, the “Victoria,” on its return voyage to Spain.
It was only recently that the Spanish Royal Academy of History put out a paper emphasizing Elcano’s importance. There were at most nineteen survivors out of the original 270. His contribution to the record books is often looked over, considering that Magellan was the one to discover the passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Magellan’s Reputation
Surprisingly, upon the ships’ return to Spain, Magellan’s accomplishment was not celebrated. He was reviled by his native Portugal for sailing for Spain. The deserters had since been put on trial, and the entire endeavor had been deemed a failure. Of those who did survive the journey, no one felt much love for Magellan, who they saw as having sailed them far too close to death.
While he is often wrongly credited with completing the first circumnavigation of the globe, his accomplishments should not be overlooked. His navigational skills and bravery were remarkable, and his voyage has since been named the “most important maritime voyage ever undertaken.”
Magellan is also credited with naming the Pacific Ocean. He chose “pacific” to mean “peaceful sea,” representing his first experiences when sailing on it.
The Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan is a sea route in Southern Chile. The strait passes by the Tierra del Fuego – South America’s southernmost part, and on the other are the glaciers of the Antarctic.
Since its discovery by Magellan, the Strait has come to be considered the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He originally named it Estrecho de Todos los Santos, or “Strait of All Saints”. It was later renamed by the Spanish King Charles V in honor of Magellan. The waterway is not easy to navigate because it’s quite narrow in some spots and the currents are often unpredictable.
Magellan’s ships first entered the passage on November 1, 1520, on All Saints’ Day. He planted a flag and claimed the land for Charles V on that day. The route was an important discovery and only became more so as more ships, sailing, and steamships, traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The passage was shortened after the completion of the Panama Canal by thousands of miles. It also provided a safer navigational route than the Drake Passage.
Ocean Insights: Hear From Our Experts
By Rida Nasir
Researcher and Conservationist, with an MSc in Environmental Science
Reflecting on the history of exploration, I’m struck by how today’s achievements rest on the extraordinary efforts of the past. The first circumnavigation in the 1500s, often attributed to Magellan, was actually completed by his crew under Juan Sebastián Elcano. Despite the basic wooden ships and immense risks, their journey reshaped world trade and left a lasting impact, reminding us of the courage of those early explorers.
FAQs
What challenges did Magellan face in his attempt to circumnavigate the globe?
Magellan’s expedition faced harsh conditions such as mutiny, starvation, scurvy, dangerous storms, and unpredictable currents, with only one ship, the Victoria, making it back to Spain.
Why was the Strait of Magellan significant for global trade?
The Strait of Magellan provided a natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, offering a safer alternative to the perilous Drake Passage around Cape Horn until the Panama Canal was completed.
Who was Enrique, Magellan’s enslaved man?
Enrique was a Malay man enslaved by Magellan during his earlier voyages. After joining Magellan’s circumnavigation expedition, many historians now believe Enrique may have been the first person to truly circumnavigate the globe. Having been captured in Southeast Asia, Enrique would have completed a full circle around the globe when the expedition reached the Philippines, where he was able to communicate with locals in his native tongue.
Did Magellan really encounter giants in South America?
During the expedition, Magellan’s crew claimed to have encountered Patagonian “giants” in modern-day Argentina. These stories were likely exaggerations of the local indigenous people, who were taller than Europeans of the time.
