Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães): 1480 – 1521

Portuguese by birth: Sailed around the globe under the Spanish flag.

Sailing Vessel Tinidad, Victoria and 3 others departed Spain in 1519 – Victoria returned in 1522

His route West was accompanied by mutinous crew, starvation, war and the eventual find of the Straights of Magellan at latitude 53°S.

Magellan died in route in the Spice Islands – Philippines

Like Columbus, Drake and the others, we aren’t ready to bring on a Magellan article in full. The more we look into the man, the voyage, and the crew the more we realize its importance, and we want to get it right. From the stand point of Dirty Sailor Company, we want to know what it was like to be part of the first voyage to circumnavigate the world. From a historical stand point, we want to know what Magellan’s voyage and what the idea of Magellan’s voyage did for our culture and our technology. And from a stubborn stand point, we want to displace myths and give a finger to the traditional view of this character – after all, it was the efforts of the crew that made this story possible, not the effort of one man.

We know of the story of Magellan only due to the story of his adventure west, around the globe, otherwise, without the luck, spilled blood, and determination, we would have never of met this man of history. It is true that his venture around the globe, the first ever recorded, set in motion the wheels of science over that of rigid religion. This voyage was one of the first moves in the succession of European exploration into the Americas and the Pacific that changed the political, religious, historical, and ecological nature of the globe. Magellan’s journey was a sailor’s trial at its finest, and nothing but long-term irony to those who sanctioned it.

Other than the fact he was not born a peasant, Magellan had little more to be thankful for. At the lower end of the noble class, Magellan had a relatively healthy childhood. He served his country, of course, in his youth, often as a direct servant to the Royal Family. In his late teens he left his home country to travel with the newly built Portuguese fleet to the Spice Islands, where he learned navigation, seamanship and watched numerous different captains and generals succeed and fail. Around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean, the young Magellan would see the roughest conditions at sea – starvation, boredom, storms – and the most rudimentary political tactic – religious sanctioned war. The efforts of Europe to find a sea route to the Indies was met by Portugal – a nation previously thought to be on the edge of the map, burdened by the Atlantic waste. Portugal, on friendly terms with the Spanish, and blessed by the Pope, made the “discovery” of Southern Africa, and with it the discovery of a sea route to the supply of spices needed to boost any country to the superior position they all craved. It was this route and this route’s hardships that prepared Magellan for his future course. Among the trophies Magellan won on these early voyages were a lifelong limp from being injured in war against Mohammedans, a slave (purchased at an Indian trading post) from the Philippines, and a priceless knowledge of the bureaucratic trading methods of competing cultures who lacked a common language. He also took with him a knack for dealing with starving and highly disgruntle seaman.

Back in Portugal Magellan found himself a bum. No Veteran Affairs office cared for his wounds, no parades held him high, no social services put food in his belly. Magellan, started a family and started a plan to boost his status amongst his countrymen. His dedication to the throne of Portugal and to his church never wavered over the next years of his life, and he worked towards his goal to follow in Columbus’ wake. Magellan pulled his seagoing network to develop an intricate theory of how to sail through the land Columbus’ had found (Columbus swore these lands were India, all the way to his death) and onwards to the Spice Islands.

This theory, which was pitched to the Portuguese King, was based on a “globe” and was constructed by charts drawn by friends who had traveled as far south as Rio de Janeiro. The group who created this chart decided that the harbor which they had entered in the great southwest was being flooded by salt waters from all directions and was an obvious estuary that led to a sea on the western side. With conviction, Magellan pleaded to his King to allow him to set a fleet to sail westwards, for this passage to the Spice Islands. The king all but laughed at Magellan and scolded him for the waste of time. Magellan made a second plea and was then given a warning by the King to stop all seagoing adventures. Magellan’s career was at a seeming stop and his loyalty to his country was all in vain. Magellan knew that Portugal’s strong hold in the Spice Islands was dependent upon securing the passage to the west. Magellan backed down and disappeared.

A year latter Magellan was at the Spanish Court with his idea. He had already found investors and now he needed the blessings of the Spanish King. To everyone’s surprise, the King gave Magellan the title Captain-General and a fleet of five ships plus all the power to ensure the route west to the Indies was found. Magellan was emboldened and set to work, which would take over a year.

During his last year on land Magellan’s leadership abilities were put to the test. Contracts, seamen, and supposed friends all had their own desires and interest from Magellan’s plan. There were sabotages and rogue spies from Portugal. The Portuguese King, upon hearing of Magellan’s allotment from Spain, pleaded to the Spanish King to send Magellan home and an envoy was sent to escort Magellan back to Portugal – and the gallows for treason. In addition, the royal mariners of Spain were irate with Magellan – a foreigner who was given such authority and supplies. Mutiny was planned from the start, and Magellan knew that at least two of his four captains were to conspire against him – and he knew this before he even set sail. Finally, the day came to set sail, and Magellan launched five ships from Spain in the first attempt to sail west to the Indies.

Once off the coast, Magellan established his stronghold as Captain-General by controlling all communication between ships. A method of directional communication was established by cannon fire, ship’s lights, and flags. The route west originally established was tossed to the side and Magellan turned his fleet south, along the coast of Africa, which forced his mutinous Captains to delay their hijacking attempt. With the new route came the hardships of poor wind and currents. During his crossing of the Atlantic, a homosexual act was discovered aboard the ships – and as we often note in these days, the two perpetrators were brought to trial – one was eventually strangled to death for his “sins.” Making it to the lands across the Atlantic took weeks longer than originally planned and the crews on all the ships were restless after only three months of departing Spain. Land fall was made in Brazil after the fifth month, and Magellan’s first major blow came strong.

There was no access to a distant ocean in Brazil – only a massive river was there. In addition, the entire area of Brazil was in lands that were given to Portugal by the Holy Pope, and Magellan’s fleet was in threat of causing a massive political war just by being in there. As his secret globe became obsolete in enemy territories, Magellan had two choices: 1) fess up to his captains and crew that he had bluffed to their King, or 2) turn his fleet down the coast, bluffing once more, and risk everything, including the lives of his men, in an attempt to find a passage south. Magellan of course risked everything – a risk that would have seemed ludicrous at that point. He ordered his fleet south. It was at that point that the captains began to demand answers from the Captain-General. They wanted to know what information Magellan had, and why they probed Rio de Janeiro so long. They called Magellan’s bluff.

For months the Spanish fleet probed each inlet of Brazil and headed South into Patagonian territory – a land thus yet unexplored by Europeans. With each bay they passed, Magellan sent in a ship to see if it could be a route through the land. Winter was approaching fast when the first of the five ships grounded her self and was lost, near the Port of Madryn Argentina. A majority of the crew were rescued and “only” a few slaves perished. Here, in this small bay, Magellan made his decision to anchor for the winter.

There were no provisions on these boats to hold up for months, through freezing conditions in unknown winters. The crew and captains were at a state of unrest. Many believed they were lost. Others demanded the ships set sail north to warm lands, and others still wanted to return to Spain. Yet Magellan held fast, knowing that a failed mission would mean his life. He set rations for his entre crew and sent shore parties to scour the lands and find what they could – mostly nothing in the harsh winter conditions.

It was during this winter that three of the ship’s captains turned mutinous. Under the cover of dark, the captain’s rowed a skiff alongside the third ship of the fleet and placed its captain in chains (the brother in-law of Magellan). During this mutiny only one life was lost. The following morning, as Magellan observed his fleet in the harbor, there were no signs that his other ships had turned against him. It was when the shore party, taking water and dried wood to the other ships pulled alongside that Magellan learned the worst had happened. Out numbered 3 ships to Magellan’s one everything looked hopeless. Yet Magellan refused to give up. He took ten men and rowed his skiff to the nearest and largest vessel of the fleet under terms of a truths. Once onboard, with no warning, he pulled out a sword and thrust it into the head of the mutinous captain who was there to great him. His ten men followed with their swords and soon the vessel was back under command of Magellan. Now, the tides had turned. Magellan had two ships, including the largest in the fleet. He wasted no time and he order his two ships into battle positions. The remaining two mutinous captains surrendered.

The captain’s mast that followed is where Magellan made his most amazing leadership decisions. Instead of destroying the mutinous captains as the law allowed, and even encouraged, Magellan only hung the man who had murdered during the mutiny. The entire ordeal only left three people dead. As for the other two mutinous captains, Magellan left one, who was also a priest, on shore to fend for himself (he was never found) and the second Magellan left in charge of a vessel (to the surprise of everyone). Then Magellan took the adrenaline of the entire scenario and gave orders for the fleet to hoist anchor and sail once more south – to the straights Magellan still claimed he knew were there.

Further and further south the four ships went. Mapping the coast line and each bay they crossed. They observed local populations, traded and took slaves. The crew’s spirits were at a lost and things looked bleak for the captain-general. A large inlet appeared on the coast, and once more Magellan ordered all ships in, and two of the ships to explore while the others gathered supplies.

Here, at the 53^th parallel south, Magallen awaited the return of this ships. More than five days past and Magellan must have felt despair, for they did not come back. The orders were given to hoist anchor and to attempt to chase their fleet down, when at the same time cannon fire was heard. On the horizon a ship was returning, in full parade salute – with cannons firing in celebration. The victory sign had been given – the bay continued west, with salt water – a great sign that it was a passage. The second vessel never returned, and all attempts to find her were in vain. Magellan had found some sort of passage and was down to three of five ships. Orders were given and the three ships navigated these passages west for weeks. The maze of waterways created a large ordeal for Magellan, though he recorded each nook. By the end of many days the vessels made it into the Pacific Ocean! The straights of Magellan had been found and conquered. Magellan stocked his vessels with as many provisions as he could muster for what he assumed would be a few weeks at sea, and for the first time ever, a European ship set sail off the coast of the Americas across the Pacific in search of the Spice Islands.

100 days at sea. 100 days full of scurvy, starvation, and insanity. The slaves were the first to parish. Then the crew started to go. The fresh water blossomed into a frosty green alga. The food supplies vanished. Leather and sawdust became the meal of choice. Boat three never responded to her cannon and light communication one morning and was never seen again. Magellan moved forwarded. Land ho was shouted multiple times – each time a delusion of a starving mad seaman. And finally, after that gruesome 100 days, land was spotted. The Philippines had not yet been reached by Europe by any direction, though they were on trade routes with China and India. It was when Magellan set foot with his slave on an island in the Philippines that the first man ever to circumnavigate the world came into existence – the slave of Magellan.

Magellan’s pride swelled once more. He found himself full of ambition and righteousness. The first man to circumnavigate the globe, Magellan must have felt unstoppable. He turned his attention to the Philippines. We know that Magellan’s plan was to win as much land for the Spanish King as possible, and the Philippines happened to the land in his field of view now. There were hundreds of islands, each with seemingly large populations of natives. Magellan landed his crew on one of the largest and started negotiations. He used cannon fire, steel and mirrors to persuade the local leaders he was a God and he gained the obedience of the large island. Without time or manpower on his side, Magellan devised a plan to conquer the remaining islands for the King. He would take his newly found allies from the large island and ensure they would rule the may surrounding islands in the name of Spain. To do this, Magellan choose the island that was the largest enemy of his new friends. He approached yet another island, the one inhabited by this enemy, and set out to conquer it – which would show each succeeding island that the large island was supported by this God-like man and his magical ships.

Crossbowmen and a small group endowed in knight’s armor was sent to smash the enemy island who had up to a thousand warriors waiting on a beach. Attacking such a large group was by no means uncommon and very realistic, given the nature of the battle. Magellan would station his crossbowmen off shore to bombard the enemy with an onslaught of arrows, while the metal armor would prevent anyone who got through from causing much damage – it was a method which had worked in the past. What was not calculated was the coral that prevented Magellan’s small ships, and thus his crossbowmen, from getting in range of the beach. Though the wheels were in motion and Magellan was in no position to turn back, he had to show force and conquer without mercy and without a glitch. He gave the order to continue and he led the way to the beach. About 50 Spaniards in chainmail and armor against the thousand naked bronze natives of some remote island in the Pacific. It didn’t take long for the natives to overrun the Spaniards, as the crossbowmen sat off shore and watched in horror. Magellan was first wounded in the legs – which were exposed from a lack of armor. He fell. He was then swarmed by the enemy and was dead in moments. The remaining forces met the same fate.

Back aboard the ships there was a new captain in charge – ironically one of the same captains who was mutinous back on the east Coast of Argentina – Juan Sebastián Elcano. This captain decided to fill his ships with as much spice and gold and women as possible and set sail for home. And they did so, leaving the Philippines in disarray and either laughing or crying at the Spaniards.

The new captain divided the fleet – one vessel would head east, back across the Pacific, and the other west, to complete the voyage and round the Cape of Good Hope. This second ship had the new captain aboard. The vessel which departed back across the Pacific vanished- doomed with continued starvation and insanity.

The last remaining ship, Victoria, soon discovered a new problem. The entire Indian Ocean and coast of Africa was Portuguese territory. A Spanish ship would have been pirated at first sight. In addition, one of Magellan’s ships would have been confiscated and its crew flogged to death by order of the King. This last ship of Magellan’s must remain out of sight for months and navigate in stealth back to Spain. And it did take months to do this. And the ship limped into port with starving lunatics on board. By the time they arrived the entirety of Spain was in awe. The ship itself was lucky to be floating in its condition.

Magellan was never rewarded and his family was left to suffer. The Victoria and its captain, Juan Sebastián Elcano, returned to lie about Magellan. And all those who survived, 18 of the original 250, were cast to the gutters, like the other seamen of the day. Only that Captain and his officers were given acknowledgement of their efforts. And the story of Magellan’s voyage around the globe burst into the lives of everyone on the planet. The world was round. There was a passage to the Spice Islands West. Portugal and England were not at the edge of the map, but in the center of it!

(This narrative of Magellan and his famous voyage is incomplete and full of scanty information. Sign up for our email notice to mariners to receive an update when this essay becomes better.)

The information for this essay comes from these sources: