Expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. First circumnavigation of the world. Ferdinand Magellan

Ruy de Magalhães [d]Ines Vas Moutinho [d]

The usual five-year stay in India for the Portuguese was coming to an end, and Magellan set off on one of the fleets to Portugal. Two ships, one of which Magellan sailed on, were wrecked on the Padua Bank off the Laccadive Islands. The teams escaped on a small island. Some of the crew had to go on the surviving boats for help, while others had to stay on the island. It so happened that all the officers were among those leaving on boats, and only the sailors remained on the island. This caused outrage among the team and fears that they would not return for ordinary people. Magellan was the only nobleman who agreed to stay on the island, and thus calmed the crew. Apparently, at that time his authority was already quite great.

After 10 days they were rescued, and Magellan returned to India, where, apparently, he took up trade, since it is known that in 1510 he lent one businessman 200 cruzadas, which were not returned to him, and he managed to reclaim them only after 6 years.

During these years, the Portuguese captured Goa, lost it, and were preparing for a new campaign against the city. To decide the important question of whether to use merchant ships for the attack, the Viceroy of Albuquerque assembles a council of 16 people. Among them is Magellan, who until relatively recently was just a simple soldier, but at the time described became a man whose opinion the viceroy took into account. Most likely, he was already a captain. He, like the majority of the council members, advocates that merchant ships should not take part in the military campaign, but should go to Europe so as not to miss the monsoon. The warships go alone and capture Goa.

Immediately after the capture of Malacca, Albuquerque sent an expedition of three ships to the Spice Islands. One of the three ships was commanded by Francisco Serran. Perhaps Magellan also took part in the expedition (sources differ). Serran's ship met with disaster, and he himself escaped and settled on the island of Tidore, occupying high position from the local ruler.

Portugal

It is difficult to say when Magellan came up with the idea of a journey that would glorify him. Friend Serran wrote letters from the Moluccas, from which it could be concluded that the Spice Islands are very far in the East and relatively close to America. In one of his reply letters, Magellan hinted to him that he might soon arrive on these islands, "if not through Portugal, then through Castile". It is unknown when this letter was written, but it is quite possible that while Magellan was in Portugal. At this time, he studies the Portuguese maps available to him and talks with the captains.

During one of his audiences with Manuel I, Magellan asks to be given naval service and sent on a voyage. The king refuses. Then he asks permission to offer his services to other states. The king allows it. He doesn't need Magellan. Some sources claim that Magellan renounced citizenship of Portugal, but no documents about this have survived. Soon, a whole group of Portuguese sailors moves from Portugal to Spain.

Spain

Magellan presents the idea of his expedition to the Seville “Chamber of Contracts” (the department responsible for organizing expeditions). He does not find support there, but Juan de Aranda, one of the leaders of the Chamber, comes into contact with Magellan and promises him his support for 20% of future profits. Soon, Magellan's comrade-in-arms, astronomer Rui Faleru, arrives in Spain. With his help, it is possible to bargain for 1/8 of the profit due to Aranda. The agreement was certified by a notary. Soon Magellan presented his project to the leadership of Spain, and it was approved. Preparations for the expedition began.

Travel around the world

Five ships of 30 people each were preparing for the expedition with a supply of food for two years. Magellan himself personally supervised the loading and packaging of food, goods and equipment. Magellan commanded the Trinidad. The Santiago was commanded by Joao Serran, the brother of Francisco Serran, who was rescued by Magellan in Malacca. The other three ships were commanded by representatives Spanish nobility, with whom Magellan immediately began to have conflicts. The Spaniards did not like the fact that the expedition was commanded by a Portuguese. In addition, Magellan hid the intended voyage route, and this displeased the captains. The confrontation was quite serious. Captain Mendoza was even conveyed the king's special demand to stop bickering and submit to Magellan. But already in the Canary Islands, Magellan received information that the Spanish captains had agreed among themselves to remove him from his post if they considered that he was interfering with them.

On November 29, the flotilla reached the coast of Brazil, and on December 26, 1519, La Plata, where the search for the supposed strait was carried out. The Santiago was sent west, but soon returned with the message that this was not a strait, but the mouth of a giant river. The squadron began to slowly move south, exploring the coast. On this way, the sailors saw penguins. Advancement to the south was slow, the ships were hampered by storms, winter was approaching, but there was still no strait. March 31, 1520, reaching 49°S. The flotilla stops for the winter in a bay called San Julian.

In May, Magellan sent the Santiago, led by João Serran, south to reconnoiter the area. Santa Cruz Bay was found 60 miles south. A few days later, caught in a storm, the ship lost control and crashed. The sailors, except one person, escaped and found themselves on the shore without food or supplies. They tried to return to their wintering place, but due to fatigue and exhaustion, they connected with the main detachment only after several weeks. The loss of a ship specially designed for reconnaissance, as well as the supplies on it, caused great damage to the expedition.

October 21 at 52°S. the ships were near narrow strait leading into the interior of the mainland. "San Antonio" and "Concepcion" are sent for reconnaissance. Soon a storm arrives that lasts two days. The sailors feared that the ships sent for reconnaissance were lost. And they, indeed, almost died, but when they were carried to the shore, a narrow passage opened in front of them, into which they entered. They found themselves in a wide bay, followed by more straits and bays. The water remained salty all the time, and the lot very often did not reach the bottom. Both ships returned with good news about a possible strait.

During the voyage, the expedition reached 10 °C latitude. and turned out to be noticeably north of the Moluccas, which she was aiming for. Perhaps Magellan wanted to make sure that the Southern Sea discovered by Balboa was part of this ocean, or perhaps he feared a meeting with the Portuguese, which would have ended disastrously for his battered expedition. On January 24, 1521, sailors saw an uninhabited island (from the Tuamotu archipelago). It was not possible to land on it. After 10 days, another island was discovered (in the Line archipelago). They also failed to land, but the expedition caught sharks for food.

On March 6, 1521, the flotilla sighted the island of Guam from the Mariana Islands group. It was inhabited. The boats surrounded the flotilla and trade began. It soon became clear that local residents They steal from ships everything they can get their hands on. When they stole the boat, the Europeans could not stand it. They landed on the island and burned the village of the islanders, killing 7 people. After that, they took the boat and grabbed fresh food. The islands were named Thieves (Landrones). When the flotilla left, local residents pursued the ships in boats, throwing stones at them, but without much success.

The exact date of birth of the great navigator and discoverer Ferdinand Magellan is a mystery to researchers. The date of baptism has not been preserved. Thanks to several letters from the impoverished nobleman Magalhães (Fernand's father), accidentally preserved in the papers of his descendants, only the year of birth is known - 1480. still in search of trade routes to, and has not yet discovered the New World. Fernand's childhood was spent in a Spartan environment. Apart from a noble name and numerous relatives, the Magalhães had nothing. If not for his father’s service - the position of commandant of a small fortress was neither monetary nor prestigious - he would have had to ask for mercy from the king or go to the butlers of the aristocrats. Besides Fernand, there were four more hungry mouths in the house of the poor knightly family. Therefore, it was quite rare for children in the family to be well-fed. Childhood is a dark page biographies of Ferdinand Magellan, very little information about him has been preserved.

Youth

In 1492, Father Magalhães cleaned the family weapon, put on a government suit and went to work to get his eldest son settled in the royal court. The efforts ended successfully: Fernand managed to be registered as a page to the queen. The position is “easy”, providing excellent opportunities for career growth. And the 12-year-old son of the poor knight enters the court service. Twelve years of service at court had no effect on future fate Fernan Magalhães. He performed his official duties regularly, but no more. All free time This strange page spent his time in military exercises and reading books from the royal library. More than anything else, Fernand wanted to become a sailor, a traveler, and a conqueror of new lands. When Ferdinand Magellan turned 24, he was the queen's oldest page. Further stay in this “boyish” position was impossible. Hastily ordaining Fernand as a squire, the king invites the young “squire” to serve his homeland on one of the ships sailing to India. Need I say that Fernand was happy?

In the service of the Portuguese crown

Having stepped onto the deck of one of the ships of Francisco Almeida's expedition in 1495, Ferdinand Magellan could not imagine that he would see his homeland again only after seven long years. It all started with the conquest of the restless inhabitants of the east coast of Africa and the construction of naval bases for the Portuguese fleet. From the first battles, Magellan proved himself to be a brave warrior and a smart organizer. The Viceroy himself noticed him and brought him closer to him. After successfully capturing several cities in India, the expedition goes further to the East to gain a foothold in Malaysia and ensure free passage for the Portuguese as far as the Moluccas, where spices, so highly valued in Europe, are not even considered a valuable commodity. This campaign glorified Magalhães and strengthened his authority both among the sailors and among the leaders of the expedition. The former page himself was wounded several times, once left for several days on a desert island, and suffered from a fever. He didn't care at all. He returned to Portugal no longer a young man pampered by court life, but a battle-hardened warrior. Despite the most flattering recommendations of the Viceroy, Ferdinand Magellan was assigned the smallest pension that could be imagined at that time. It was assumed that everyone who visited the “spicy east” during the years spent traveling managed to make a solid fortune for themselves, and therefore did not need pensions. Alas, the former page, a descendant of an old but impoverished family, did not make a fortune during the seven years of the expedition. Only at the request of his more resourceful comrades on the expedition, the king doubles his “squire’s” pension. The pension did not give any chance for a decent existence and asks new service. In 1514, the Portuguese decided to get rid of the annoying Moors, who never missed an opportunity to rob the ships of their northern neighbor passing by. Fernand goes to Morocco. After this company, his relationship with the king completely deteriorates. After another injury, when Magalhães could no longer participate in battles, he was assigned to guard the cattle stolen from the Moors. This position provided ample opportunities for theft: the Moors gladly bought their own cattle from Portuguese officials. Fernand closed trade with the enemy. At that very moment a denunciation was drawn up against him, in which he was accused of corruption. Having learned about the absurd accusation, Magalhães voluntarily returns to Portugal to justify himself before the king. The king does not accept his soldier and orders him to be sent back urgently. Despite the fact that the court acquitted Fernand, relations with the monarch were ruined forever.

Knight of the Spanish Crown

The Moroccan campaign had no effect on the contents of Ferdinand Magellan's wallet. His health no longer allows him to actively fight. There is only one thing left - to become a commander and lead the squadron to rich lands yourself. An appeal to the king with a proposal to organize a voyage to the Moluccas along the new “Spanish” route, through the New World, does not find support. The King of Portugal even allows Fernand to offer his services to other crowns, confident that no one will support this idea. Magalhães leaves his homeland, this time for good. Ferdinand Magellan (that’s how his last name sounded) quickly found like-minded people among the colony of Portuguese people like him who had not found a use for themselves in their homeland. The initially rejected idea of sailing (through the West to the East) soon found the most ardent support among European merchants who wanted to snatch at least part of the income from the sale of spices from Portugal. And on September 20, 1519, it began, which would finally prove that the Earth is spherical. Led the expedition Ferdinand Magellan, biography which from that moment on is recorded in detail, thanks to the same poor knight - Antonio Pigafetta - who took on the duties of the chronicler of the voyage. On the way to the coveted islands, Magellan had to endure several riots, the death of thirty participants in the voyage, and the betrayal of his comrades. Along the way, the expedition explored the coast of South America, discovered the most difficult strait between the mainland and Tierra del Fuego, crossed the Pacific Ocean, discovered... When the goal was very close, Ferdinand Magellan died in a battle with the rebellious inhabitants of the Philippine Islands. This happened on April 27, 1521, when the brave warrior from the glorious Portuguese family was 40 years old.

Biography of Ferdinand Magellan inspired Stefan Zweig to create an entire novel. World cinema has so far ignored the life of the great navigator, which in itself is strange, because the biography of Ferdinand Magellan is superior to many Hollywood stories in its richness, drama and unexpected turns.


Expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. First circumnavigation of the world. Ferdinand Magellan - biography, discoveries, travels 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 accomplished the first in history trip around the world, which involved searching for a western route to the Moluccas. This proved the existence of a single world ocean and represented practical proof spherical shape of the Earth. Magellan discovered the entire coast South America south of La Plata, circled the continent from the south, discovered the strait, which 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. So, Fernand received the right to be brought up in 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. 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 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 possibilities for personal enrichment, therefore 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 best use, began to interfere with Magellan in the implementation of 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 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 geographic 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. Couldn't stop him and unfavorable astrological forecast, made by Faleiro. 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. Several faithful people he sent 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, 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, declared: “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 a favorable attitude from the powerful Spanish king they can count only if they renounce the old faith and 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 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 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, 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. The true role of this wonderful person descendants were able to evaluate 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, and ideas about the true dimensions were obtained. globe, it was finally established that America is an independent continent, a strait was found between 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.” The famous Portuguese navigator and discoverer Ferdinand Magellan forever left his mark on the history of mankind, becoming one of the most famous explorers. He set out on a brave journey, the results of which replenished our knowledge and told a lot of new things to Magellan’s contemporaries. It is impossible to overestimate his merits, and you can be sure that the name of Ferdinand Magellan will never be forgotten. Magellan is the first man to circumnavigate the world. Not only the famous strait is named after Magellan, but also two galaxies - the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, as well as a crater on the Moon. It was Magellan who discovered the Philippine Islands to Europeans, where the republic of the same name is now located (see). IN naval battle At Diu, which happened on February 3, 1509, Magellan's caravel broke through the ranks of enemy ships, and Magellan boarded the enemy's flagship. One day, several ships of the flotilla in which Magellan was sailing at that time were wrecked, and the sailors on boats reached an uninhabited island. It was decided that some of the sailors would go on boats for help, and the rest would wait on the island before returning. Ordinary sailors were outraged that all the officers were leaving on boats, leaving only the sailors on the shore, fearing that no one would return for them. A riot almost broke out, but Magellan calmed the crew by remaining on the island with the sailors. Soon they were all saved. Once Magellan lent a merchant a substantial amount of money, which he did not want to return. The debt was returned to Magellan only six years after the trial. Before his famous journey, Magellan fought a lot - in Malaysia, India, and Africa. Subsequently, leaving military service, he decided to devote his life to exploring the world. Magellan traveled around the world under the Spanish flag, since the king of Portugal did not want to finance his expedition. But the Spanish crown appreciated the famous navigator. A squadron of five ships set off on a trip around the world, taking with them food for two years, and Magellan hid the sailing route from the sailors and other captains, which repeatedly caused discontent. For many years, Magellan remained the only captain who led the flotilla through the strait that received his name, without losing a single ship. The Pacific Ocean got its name thanks to Magellan, who crossed it after traveling 17 thousand kilometers without encountering a single storm. As practice has shown, this name turned out to be reckless - the Pacific Ocean is famous for its violent character. Magellan was simply lucky in his voyage. Magellan did not intend to circumnavigate the world - he was looking for a passage to the Moluccas. Magellan himself never circumnavigated the world, dying in the Philippines. During the voyage, most of the expedition died - out of five ships with 250-300 people on board, only one ship with 18 people on board returned to Spain. Thus, Magellan's expedition became the first circumnavigation of the world. The Tierra del Fuego archipelago also received its name thanks to Magellan, who mistook the fires of Indian fires for volcanoes. In fact, there is not a single volcano on the archipelago (see.	Father	Mother

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.