Ferdinand Magellan scientific works. What did Magellan discover? What we learned

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.

1. Magellan is the first man to circumnavigate the world.
2. 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.
3. It was Magellan who discovered the Philippine Islands to Europeans, where the republic of the same name is now located (see).
4. In the naval battle of Diu, which took place on February 3, 1509, Magellan's caravel broke through the ranks of enemy ships, and Magellan boarded the enemy's flagship.
5. 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.
6. Once Magellan lent one 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. For many years, Magellan remained the only captain who led the flotilla through the strait that received his name, without losing a single ship.
11. 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.
12. Magellan did not intend to circumnavigate the world - he was looking for a passage to the Moluccas.
13. 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.
14. Archipelago Tierra del Fuego It also got 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).
15. There is a monument to Magellan on the island of Mactan, Philippines. Moreover, next to it stands another monument - to the native leader, at whose hands Magellan died.

Magellan (Magalhaes, Magalhaes) Fernand (about 1480 - April 27, 1521) - navigator whose expedition made the first circumnavigation of the world. Portuguese by origin. Born in the village of Sabroza, Traz os Montis region, in the family of a knight. He served as a soldier in an expedition sent to India in 1505. After the capture of Cannanore (1506) he was a Portuguese agent in Sofala (East Africa). In 1508 he again served in India, then visited Malacca, was on the Moluccas, Sumatra, Java, Banda Islands, Amboina; in 1513 he returned to Portugal.

In 1517, Magellan, after the Portuguese king Manuel I rejected his project to reach the Moluccas by a western route, emigrated to Spain. By that time, access to the Pacific Ocean (1513) showed the possibility of reaching Asia by a western route. Without doubting the existence of a strait in the south South America, Magellan argued that the Moluccas are located in the western, Spanish hemisphere (according to the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which divided the world into two parts - Spanish and Portuguese) and the path to them is not far. The project to reach the Moluccas, proposed by Magellan, found the support of the “Indian Council”, which was in charge of overseas affairs, and in the spring of 1518, the Spanish king Charles I signed an agreement according to which he took equipment for the expedition at the expense of the treasury, and Magellan was given the title of governor of all lands, which he will open, and the right to a twentieth share of the income from them. The expedition's equipment encountered many obstacles. Magellan had to overcome great difficulties even after going to sea: Portuguese agents, taking advantage of the diversity of the crews, sowed discord. The Spanish captains, dissatisfied with subordination to a foreigner, also fueled the troubles.

Magellan's flotilla, consisting of five ships with a crew of 265 people, left the port of San Lucar in September 1519 and reached Brazil at the end of November. Following the coast to the south, the squadron at the end of March 1520 entered the Bay of San Julian and stopped for the winter; here a mutiny broke out on three ships, brutally suppressed by Magellan. In May, the Santiago ship sent for reconnaissance was lost. In October, the flotilla entered the Strait (later called the Strait of Magellan), from where the ship San Antonio deserted to Spain. With the three remaining ships, Magellan set out in November into the ocean, which he called the Pacific Ocean. Magellan passed through the most deserted part of it, encountering only two uninhabited islands. Before reaching the Mariana Islands in March 1521, Magellan could not replenish food and water supplies, which led to scurvy and the death of part of the crew. In March, Magellan approached the first Asian group of islands - the Philippines. In an effort to conquer the newly discovered lands, he intervened in the feuds of local rulers. Having entered into an alliance with the ruler of the island of Cebu, who declared himself a vassal of the Spanish king, Magellan organized a punitive campaign on the island of Matan, during which he died in a skirmish with the inhabitants of the island.

On two ships (the third - "Concepcion" - was burned due to disrepair) - "Victoria" and "Trinidad" - 113 sailors under the command of J. Carvalho, and after his removal - G. de Espinosa, continuing the search for "spicy" islands, visited Borneo (Kalimantan) and in November 1521 reached the island of Tidore of the Moluccas group. Taking a cargo of spices, the ships split up: the Trinidad, after an unsuccessful attempt to return across the Pacific Ocean, was captured by the Portuguese, and the Victoria, whose commander was the experienced sailor Juan Elcano, crossed the Indian Ocean and, bypassing the Cape of Good Hope, reached San Francisco in September 1522. Lucara. Only 18 people completed the trip around the world.

The appearance of the Spaniards in the Moluccas caused a sharp escalation in the rivalry of the Iberian powers and opened the Pacific Ocean to European expansion. The voyage of Magellan's expedition finally proved the sphericity of the Earth, established the presence of a single pestilent ocean and showed that most of the Earth's surface is covered with water.

The Strait of Magellan is named after Magellan.

F. Magellan's first circumnavigation of the world

The poor Portuguese nobleman Ferdinand Magellan, as he is commonly called, took part in the conquest of India and Malacca from 1505 to 1511; His real name is Magalhães. He was born about 1480 in Portugal; in 1509 and 1511 on Portuguese ships reached Malacca, and according to S. Morison, even the “Spice Islands” (Ambon Island)

In 1512, 1515 he fought in North Africa, where he was wounded. Returning to his homeland, he asked the king for a promotion, but was refused. Insulted, Magellan left for Spain and entered into company with the Portuguese astronomer Rui Faleiro, who claimed that he had found a way to accurately determine geographical longitudes. In March 1518, both appeared in Seville at the Council of the Indies and declared that the Moluccas, the most important source of Portuguese wealth, should belong to Spain, since they are located in the western, Spanish hemisphere (according to the treaty of 1494), but penetrate to these “Spice Islands” it is necessary to take a western route, so as not to arouse the suspicions of the Portuguese, through the South Sea, open and annexed by Balboa to the Spanish possessions. And Magellan convincingly argued that between the Atlantic Ocean and the South Sea there should be a strait south of Brazil. Magellan and Faleiro first demanded the same rights and benefits that were promised to Columbus. After a long bargaining with the royal advisers, who negotiated for themselves a substantial share of the expected income, and after concessions from the Portuguese, an agreement was concluded with them: Charles I undertook to equip five ships and supply the expedition with supplies for two years. Before sailing, Faleiro abandoned the enterprise, and Magellan, undoubtedly the soul of the whole affair, became the sole leader of the expedition. He raised the admiral's flag on the Trinidad (100 tons). The Spaniards were appointed captains of the remaining ships: “San Antonio” (120 tons) - Juan Cartagena, who also received the powers of the royal controller of the expedition; “Concepcion” (90 tons) – Gaspar Quesada; “Victoria” (85 tons) – Luis Mendoza and “Santiago” (75 tons) –

Juan, Serrano. The staff of the entire flotilla numbered 293 people; there were 26 more freelance crew members on board, among them the young Italian Antonio Pigafetta, the future historian of the expedition. Since he was neither a sailor nor a geographer, a very important primary source is the entries in the ship's logs that Francisco Albo, the assistant navigator, kept on the Trinidad. An international team set off on the first voyage around the world: in addition to the Portuguese and Spaniards, it included representatives of more than 10 nationalities.

On September 20, 1519, the flotilla left the port of San Lucar at the mouth of the Guadalquivir. While crossing the ocean, Magellan developed good system signaling, the different types of ships of his flotilla were never separated. Disagreements between him and the Spanish captains began very soon: beyond the Canary Islands, Cartagena demanded that the commander consult with him regarding any change of course. Magellan calmly and proudly replied: “Your duty is to follow my flag during the day and my lantern at night.” A few days later, Cartagena raised the issue again. Then Magellan, who, despite his small stature, was distinguished by great physical strength, grabbed him by the collar and ordered him to be kept in custody on the Victoria, and appointed his relative, the “supernumerary” sailor Alvara Mishkita, as captain of the San Antonio.

On September 26, the flotilla approached the Canary Islands, and on November 29 reached the coast of Brazil near 8° S. sh., December 13 - Guanabara Bay, and December 26 - La Plata. The expedition's navigators were the best at that time: while determining latitudes, they made adjustments to the map of the already known part of the continent. Thus, Cape Cabo Frio, according to their definition, is located not at 25° S, but at 23° S. – their error was less than 2 km from its true position. Not trusting the reports of Solis's satellites, Magellan explored both low-lying banks of La Plata for about a month; Continuing the discovery of the flat territory of Pampa, begun by Lizboa and Solis, he sent the Santiago up the Paraná, and, of course, did not find a passage to the South Sea. Further on stretched an unknown, sparsely populated land. And Magellan, fearing to miss the entrance to the elusive strait, on February 2, 1520, ordered to weigh anchor and move as close to the coast as possible only during the day, and stop in the evening. While anchored on February 13 in the large bay of Bahia Blanca he discovered, the flotilla withstood a terrifying thunderstorm, during which the lights of St. Elmo appeared on the masts of the ships. On February 24, Magellan discovered another large bay - San Matias, rounded the Valdez Peninsula he had identified and took refuge for the night in a small harbor, which he named Puerto San Matias (Golfo Nuevo Bay on our maps, at 43° S latitude) . To the south, near the mouth of the river. Chubut On February 27, the flotilla came across a huge concentration of penguins and southern elephant seals. To replenish food supplies, Magellan sent a boat to the shore, but an unexpected squall threw the ships into the open sea. The sailors who remained on the shore, in order not to die from the cold, covered themselves with the bodies of killed animals. Having collected the “procurers,” Magellan moved south, pursued by storms, explored another bay, San Jorge, and spent six stormy days in a narrow bay (the estuary of the Rio Deseado River, near 48° S). On March 31, when the approach of winter became noticeable, he decided to spend the winter in San Julian Bay (at 49° S). Four ships entered the bay, and the Trinidad anchored at its entrance. The Spanish officers wanted to force Magellan to “follow the royal instructions”: turn to the Cape of Good Hope and take the eastern route to the Moluccas. That same night a riot began. Cartagena was released, the rebels captured the Victoria, Concepción and San Antonio, arrested Mishkita, and Quezada mortally wounded an assistant loyal to Magellan. They pointed their guns at the Trinidad and demanded that Magellan come to them for negotiations. Opposite the admiral's two ships were three rebel ones, preparing for battle. But the rebels did not trust their sailors, and on one ship they even disarmed them.

Under dire circumstances, Magellan showed calm determination. He sent his loyal alguacil (police officer) Gonzalo Gomez Espinosa with several sailors to the Victoria to invite its captain for negotiations on the admiral's ship. He refused, then Alguacil thrust a dagger into his throat, and one sailor finished him off. Magellan's brother-in-law, the Portuguese Duarte Barbosa, immediately took possession of the Victoria and was appointed her captain. Now the rebels had only two ships, and to prevent them from deserting, the prudent admiral, as mentioned above, took up a convenient position in advance at the exit of the bay. The San Antonio tried to break into the ocean, but the sailors, after a salvo from the Trinidad, tied up the officers and surrendered. The same thing happened at Concepción. Magellan dealt harshly with the rebel captains: he ordered Quesada's head to be cut off, Mendoza's corpse to be quartered, and the conspirator-priest to be landed on the deserted shore of Cartagena, but he spared the rest of the rebels.

At the beginning of May, the admiral sent Serrano to the south on the Santiago for reconnaissance, but on May 3 the ship crashed on the rocks near the river. Santa Cruz (at 50° S) and its crew barely managed to escape (one sailor died).

Magellan transferred Serrano as captain to the Concepción.

Very tall Indians approached the wintering site. They were called Patagonians (in Spanish “patagon” means big-footed), their country has since been called Patagonia. Pigafetta exaggeratedly described the Patagonians as real giants (The name of this tribe is Tehuelchi. Capes made of guanaco skins with high hoods and moccasins made them taller than they really were: the height of the Indians, according to measurements at the end of 1891, ranged from 183 to 193 cm). On August 24, the flotilla left San Julian Bay and reached the mouth of Santa Cruz, where it remained until mid-October, waiting for the onset of spring. On October 18, the flotilla moved south along the Patagonian coast, which forms in this area (between 50 and 52° S) the wide bay of Bahia Grande. Before going to sea, Magellan told the captains that he would look for a passage to the South Sea and turn east if he did not find a strait to 75° S. sh., i.e. he himself doubted the existence of the “Patagonian Strait”, but wanted to continue the enterprise until the last opportunity. A bay or strait leading to the west was found on October 21, 1520, beyond 52° S. latitude, after Magellan discovered the previously unknown Atlantic coast of South America for about 3.5 thousand km (between 34 and 52° S).

Having rounded Cape Dev (Cabo Virgenes), the admiral sent two ships forward to find out whether there was access to the open sea in the west. At night a storm arose that lasted two days. The sent ships were in danger of death, but at the most difficult moment they noticed a narrow strait, rushed there and found themselves in a relatively wide bay; They continued along it and saw another strait, behind which a new, wider bay opened.

Then the captains of both ships - Mishkita and Serrano - decided to return and report to Magellan that, apparently, they had found a passage leading to the South Sea. “...We saw these two ships approaching us in full sail with flags fluttering in the wind. Coming closer to us... they began to fire their guns and noisily greet us.” However, it was still far from reaching the South Sea: Magellan walked south through narrow straits for several days until he saw two channels near the island. Dawson: one to the southeast, the other to the southwest. He sent the San Antonio and Concepcion to the southeast, and a boat to the southwest. The sailors returned “three days later with the news that they had seen the cape and the open sea.” The admiral shed tears of joy and named this cape Desired.

"Trinidad" and "Victoria" entered the southwest channel, stood at anchor there waiting for four days and returned back to join two other ships, but only the "Concepcion" was there: in the southeast it reached a dead end - in Inutil Bay - and turned back. San Antonio hit another dead end; on the way back, not finding the flotilla in place, the officers wounded and shackled Mishkita, and at the end of March 1521 he returned to Spain. The deserters accused Magellan of treason to justify themselves, and they were believed: Mishkita was arrested, Magellan’s family was deprived of government benefits. His wife and two children soon died in poverty. But the admiral did not know under what circumstances the San Antonio disappeared. He believed that the ship was lost, since Mishkita was his trusted friend. Following along the northern shore of the greatly narrowed Patagonian Strait (as Magellan called it), he rounded the southernmost point of the South American continent - Cape Froward (on the Brunswick Peninsula, 53 ° 54 "S) and another five days (23- November 28) led three ships to the northwest, as if along the bottom of a mountain gorge. The high mountains (the southern end of the Patagonian Cordillera) and the bare shores seemed to be deserted, but smoke was visible in the south during the day, and the lights of fires at night. And Magellan called this southern land, the extent of which he did not know, "Land of Fire" (Tierra del Fuego). On our maps it is inaccurately called Tierra del Fuego. 38 days after Magellan found the Atlantic entrance to the strait that actually connects the two oceans, he passed Cape “Zhelanny” (now Pilar at the Pacific exit from the Strait of Magellan (about 550 km).

Magellan left the strait into the open ocean on November 28, 1520 and led the remaining three ships first north, trying to quickly leave the cold high latitudes and staying about 100 km from the rocky coast. On December 1, it passed near the Taitao Peninsula (at 47° S), and then the ships moved away from the mainland - on December 5, the maximum distance was 300 km. On December 12-15, Magellan again came quite close to the coast at 40 and 38 ° 30 "S, that is, he saw high mountains– Patagonian Cordillera and the southern part of the Main Cordillera. From Fr. Mocha (38 ° 30 "S) the ships turned to the northwest, and on December 21, being at 30 ° S and 80 ° W, - to the west-northwest.

It cannot, of course, be said that during his 15-day voyage north from the Strait, Magellan discovered the coast of South America over 1,500 km, but he at least proved that in the latitude range from 53°15" to 38°30" S . w, the western coast of the mainland has an almost meridional direction.

“...We... plunged into the vastness of the Pacific Sea. For three months and twenty days we were completely deprived of fresh food. We ate crackers, but they were no longer crackers, but cracker dust mixed with worms... It smelled strongly of rat urine. We drank yellow water that had been rotting for many days. We also ate cowhide covering the yards... We soaked them in sea ​​water for four to five days, after which they placed it on hot coals for a few minutes and ate it. We often ate sawdust. Rats were sold for half a ducat apiece, but even for that price it was impossible to get them” (Pigafetta). Almost everyone suffered from scurvy; 19 people died, including a Brazilian and a Patagonian “giant”. Fortunately, the weather was good all the time; That is why Magellan called the ocean Pacific.

It was probably during their passage across the Pacific Ocean in the southern hemisphere that Magellan's satellites noticed two star systems, which were later called the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. " South Pole not as stellar as the northern one,” writes Pigafetta. “Clusters of a large number of small stars are visible here, reminiscent of clouds of dust. There is little distance between them and they are somewhat dim. Among them are two large, but not very bright stars, moving very slowly.” He meant the two stars of the circumpolar constellation Hydra. The Spaniards also discovered “five unusually brightly sparkling stars arranged in a cross...” - the constellation Cross, or Southern Cross.

Crossing the Pacific Ocean, Magellan's flotilla covered at least 17 thousand km, most of them in the waters of Southern Polynesia and Micronesia, where countless small islands are scattered. It is amazing that during this entire time the sailors encountered only “two deserted islands, on which they found only birds and trees.” According to Albo's records, the first (San Pablo), discovered on January 24, 1521, is located at 16° 15", and the second (Tivurones, i.e. "Sharks", February 4) is at 10° 40" S. w. Magellan and Albo determined latitude very accurately for that time, but since there is no need to talk about the correct calculation of longitude in the 16th century, it is impossible to confidently identify these islands with any islands on our maps (Most likely, San Pablo is one from the northeastern islands of the Tuamotu archipelago, Tivurones is one of the southern Line Islands (Central Polynesia). During this segment, Magellan made the first measurement of the sea depths, which can be classified as “scientific”. He was unable to reach the bottom with the help of six connected lines of several hundred fathoms and came to the conclusion that he had discovered the deepest part of the ocean.

Historians are puzzled why Magellan crossed the equator and went beyond 10° N. w. - he knew that the Moluccas are located at the equator. But that’s where the South Sea lies, already known to the Spaniards. Perhaps Magellan wanted to make sure whether it was really part of the newly discovered ocean.

On March 6, 1521, two inhabited islands finally appeared in the west (Guam and Rota, the southernmost of the Mariana group). Dozens of boats with balance beams came out to meet the strangers. They sailed with the help of triangular “Latin” sails made from palm leaves. Off Guam (13°30" N), the inhabitants - dark, well-built people, naked (the women wore loincloths, "a narrow strip of paper-thin bark"), but wearing small hats made of palm leaves - climbed onto the ship and They grabbed everything that caught their eye, as a result of which this group was called the “Robber Islands” (Ladrones).

When the islanders stole a boat tied behind the stern, an irritated Magellan went ashore with a detachment, burned dozens of huts and boats, killed seven people and returned the boat. “When one of the natives was wounded by arrows from our crossbows, which pierced him through, he swung the end of the arrow in all directions, pulled it out, looked at it with great amazement, and so died...”

On March 15, 1521, having traveled about another 2 thousand km to the west, the sailors saw mountains rising from the sea - it was Fr. Samar is an East Asian group of islands later called the Philippines. Magellan looked in vain for a place to anchor - the rocky coast of the island did not offer a single chance. The ships moved a little south, to the island of Siargao near the southern tip of the island. Samar (at 10 ° 45 "N) and spent the night there. The length of the path traveled by Magellan from South America to the Philippines turned out to be many times greater than the distance that was shown on the maps of that time between the New World and Japan. In fact, Magellan proved that between America and tropical Asia lies a gigantic expanse of water, much wider than the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery of a passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea and Magellan's voyage through this sea made a real revolution in geography. It turned out that most of the surface of the globe is not occupied by land, but the ocean, and the existence of a single World Ocean was proven.

Out of caution, Magellan moved from Siargao on March 17 to the uninhabited island of Homonkhon, which lies south of the big island. Samar to stock up on water and give people a rest. Residents of the neighboring island delivered fruits, coconuts and palm wine to the Spaniards. They reported that “there are many islands in this region.” Magellan named the archipelago San Lazaro. The Spaniards saw gold earrings and bracelets, cotton fabrics embroidered with silk, and edged weapons decorated with gold from the local elder. A week later, the flotilla moved southwest and stopped at about. Limasawa (10°N, 125°E, south of Leyte Island). A boat approached the Trinidad. And when the Malayan Enrique, Magellan's slave, called out to the rowers in his native language, they immediately understood him. A couple of hours later two large boats arrived, full of people, with the local ruler, and Enrique freely explained to them. It became clear to Magellan that he was in that part of the Old World where the Malay language was widespread, that is, not far from the “Spice Islands” or among them. And Magellan, who visited about. Ambon (128° E) as part of the expedition of A. Abreu, thus completed the first circumnavigation in history.

The ruler of the island gave Magellan pilots who accompanied the ships to the major trading port of Cebu. In Albo's journal and in Pigafetta, new island names appear for Europeans - Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, etc. Western European historians call this the discovery of the Philippines, although they had long been visited by Asian sailors, and Magellan and his companions saw Chinese goods there, for example porcelain dishes. In Cebu they met the order of the real “civilized” world. The Raja (ruler) began by demanding that they pay a fee. Magellan refused to pay, but offered him friendship and military assistance if he recognized himself as a vassal of the Spanish king. The ruler of Cebu accepted the offer and a week later he was even baptized along with his family and several hundred subjects. Soon, according to Pigafetta, “all the inhabitants of this island and some from other islands” were baptized. On about. Cebu, he talked with several Arab merchants who gave him information about other islands of the archipelago. As a result, for the first time, names such as Luzon, Mindanao and Sulu entered into geographical use with minor distortions.

In his role as patron of new Christians, Magellan intervened in internecine war rulers of the islet of Mactan, located opposite the city of Cebu. On the night of April 27, 1521, he went there with 60 people in boats, but because of the reefs they could not get close to the shore. Magellan, leaving crossbowmen and musketeers in the boats, waded to the island with 50 people. There, near the village, three detachments were waiting for them and attacked. They began firing at them from the boats, but arrows and even musket bullets at such a distance could not penetrate the wooden shields of the attackers. Magellan ordered the village to be set on fire. This enraged the Mactanians, and they began to shower the strangers with arrows and stones and throw spears at them. “...Our people, with the exception of six or eight people who remained with the captain, immediately fled... Having recognized the captain, many people attacked him... but still he continued to hold firm. Trying to pull out his sword, he only drew it halfway, as he was wounded in the arm... One [of the attackers] wounded him in the left leg... The captain fell face down, and then they pelted him... with spears and began to strike him with cutlasses, until they destroyed... our light, our joy... He kept turning back to see if we had all managed to get into the boats” (Pigafetta). In addition to Magellan, eight Spaniards and four allied islanders were killed. Among the sailors there were many wounded. Confirmed the old saying: “The Lord God gave the Portuguese a very small country to live in, but the whole world to die.”

After the death of Magellan, D. Barbosa and X. Serrano were elected captains of the flotilla. The newly baptized ruler of Cebu, having learned that the ships were about to leave, invited his allies to a farewell feast. 24 sailors, including Barbosa and Serrano, accepted the invitation and went ashore, but two - G. Espinosa and the Concepción pilot, Portuguese Joao Lopes Carvalho - returned, suspecting evil. Hearing screams and cries on the shore, they ordered the ships to come closer to the shore and fire their guns at the city. At this time, the Spaniards saw Serrano wounded, wearing only his shirt; he shouted to stop shooting, otherwise he would be killed and all his comrades would be killed, except for the Malay translator Enrique, begged to be ransomed, but Corvalho forbade the boat to approach the shore.

“...And he did this with the goal,” writes Pigafetta, “so that they alone would remain masters of the ships. And despite Juan Serrano crying and begging him not to raise the sails so quickly, as they would kill him... we immediately left.” Immediately, Carvalho was declared the head of the expedition, and Espinosa was elected captain of the Victory. There were 115 people left on the ships, many of them sick. It was difficult to manage three ships with such a crew, so the dilapidated Concepcion was burned in the strait between the islands of Cebu and Bohol.

"Victoria" and "Trinidad", leaving the strait, passed an island "where the people are black, like in Ethiopia" (the first reference to the Philippine Negritos); The Spaniards named this island Negros. In Mindanao, they first heard about the large island located to the northwest. Luzon. Random pilots guided ships through the Sulu Sea to Palawan, the westernmost island of the Philippine group.

Pigafetta, an accurate and thorough chronicler, was not a professional cartographer. But as an impartial artist, he made rough sketches of a number of islands in the Philippine archipelago touched by Magellan's expedition. They bear no resemblance to the originals and can only be identified by their names: Samar, the first of the islands visited, Homonkhon, where the first landing was made, Mactan, the place of the death of Magellan, and Panaon,

Leyte, Cebu and Palawan. From Fr. Palawan Spaniards arrived - the first of the Europeans - to the giant island. Kalimantan and on July 9 anchored off the city of Brunei, after which they, and then other Europeans, began to call the entire island Borneo. The Spaniards made alliances with local rajahs, bought food and local goods, sometimes robbed oncoming ships, but still could not find the way to the “Spice Islands.”

Pigafetta made productive use of the Victoria's month-long stay - he spent almost the entire month of July as a guest of the Sultan of Brunei and collected the first reliable information about Fr. Kalimantan: “This island is so large that it would take three months to circumnavigate it in a prau” (Malayan ship).

On September 7, the Spaniards set sail along the north west bank Kalimantan and, having reached its northern tip, stood for almost a month and a half near a small island, stocking up on food and firewood. They managed to capture a junk with a Malay sailor who knew the way to the Moluccas. Carvalho was soon removed “for failure to comply with royal decrees” and Espinosa was elected admiral. The captain of the Victoria was the former assistant navigator on the Concepción, Basque Juan Sevastian Elcano, otherwise known as del Cano. On October 26, in the Sulawesi Sea, the ships weathered the first storm after leaving the Strait of Magellan. On November 8, a Malay sailor led the ships to the spice market on the island. Tidore, off the western coast of Halmahera, the largest of the Moluccas islands, here the Spaniards bought spices cheaply - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. The Trinidad needed repairs, and it was decided that upon completion, Espinosa would go east to the Gulf of Panama, and Elcano would take the Victoria to her homeland by the western route, around the Cape of Good Hope.

On December 21, Victoria, with a crew of 60 people, including 13 Malays captured on the Indonesian islands, moved south from Tidore. At the end of January 1522, a Malay pilot led the ship to about. Timor. On February 13, the Spaniards lost sight of him and set course for the Cape of Good Hope, spending three times more time wandering among the Malay Islands than crossing the Pacific Ocean.

Elcano deliberately stayed away from the usual path of Portuguese ships, meeting with which threatened the Spaniards with prison and, perhaps, execution. In the southern part Indian Ocean the sailors saw only one island (at 37°50" S, Amsterdam). This happened on March 18. On May 20, Victoria rounded the Cape of Good Hope.

Having passed first in this part of the Indian Ocean, Elcano proved that the “Southern” continent does not reach 40° S. w. During the passage through the unknown sea expanses of the Indian Ocean, the ship's crew was reduced to 35 people, including four Malays. On the Cape Verde Islands, belonging to Portugal, where a stop was made to replenish supplies of fresh water and food, it turned out that the sailors “lost” one day, going around the land from the west. For this “loss”, all surviving members of the Victoria crew were subjected to humiliating punishment - public repentance: from a church point of view, such “negligence” led to incorrect observance of fasts. Here, near Santiago, 12 more Spaniards and one Malay fell behind, arrested on suspicion of having reached the Moluccas by the eastern route. On September 6, 1522, the Victoria, having lost another sailor on the way, reached the mouth of the Guadalquivir, completing the first circumnavigation in history in 1081 days.

Of Magellan's five ships, only one circumnavigated the globe, and of his crew of 265 people, only 18 returned home (there were three Malays on board). 13 sailors arrested on Santiago arrived home later, released by the Portuguese at the request of Charles I. But the Victoria brought so many spices that their sale more than covered the costs of the expedition, and Spain received the “right of first discovery” to the Mariana and Philippine Islands and laid claim to the Moluccas.

Magellan, with his circumnavigation of the world, proved that the greatest expanse of water stretches between America and Asia, and established the existence of a single World Ocean. Magellan put an end to the debate about the shape of our planet forever by providing practical evidence of its spherical shape. Thanks to him, scientists finally had the opportunity to establish the true size of the Earth not speculatively, but on the basis of irrefutable data.

The fate of the Trinidad team was as follows. Repairs to the Trinidad took more than three months, and she sailed from Tidore under the command of Espinosa (navigator Leone Pancaldo) with a crew of 53 people and an almost 50-ton cargo of spices only on April 6, 1522. Having rounded the northern end of the island. Halmacher and Espinosa immediately set a course to the east, towards Panama. However, contrary winds soon forced him to turn north. In early May, he discovered the Sonsorol Islands (at 5° N, in the extreme west of the Caroline chain), and between 12 and 20° N. w. – 14 other islands from the Mariana group. From one of them, most likely from Fr. Agrikhan (at 19° N), a native was taken on board. Battling easterly winds, stormy weather and cold, Espinosa reached 43°N on June 11. w. Now we can only guess how far to the east the ship moved - probably the Spaniards were between 150 and 160° east. d, a 12-day storm, bad food and weakness forced the sailors to turn back. By this time, more than half of the team had died from hunger and scurvy. On the return trip on August 22, Espinosa discovered several more northern Mariana Islands, including Maug at 20° N. sh., and returned to the Moluccas around October 20, 1522. The sailor Gonzalo Vigo, who deserted from Maug, later went by boat to about. Guam with the help of the indigenous people. Having become acquainted in this way with almost all the significant islands between Maug and Guam, he completed the discovery of the Mariana chain, which stretches more than 800 km.

Meanwhile, in mid-May 1522, the Portuguese approached the Moluccas military flotilla Antonio Brito. Fulfilling the task of taking possession of the archipelago and preventing the violation of the Portuguese monopoly, he built a fort on the island. Ternate. Having received news at the end of October that a European ship was near the Moluccas, Brito sent three ships with orders to capture it, and they brought the Trinidad to Ternate, which had 22 people. Britu seized the cargo and took away the nautical instruments, charts and, no doubt, the ship's log. This explains the Portuguese’s awareness of the path of Magellan’s expedition, his death and subsequent events, and Brito received additional information by interrogating “with passion” the sailors he captured. After a four-year imprisonment, only four of the Trinidad crew survived and in 1526 returned to Spain, including Gonzalo Espinosa, also completing a circumnavigation.

Bibliography

1. Biographical dictionary of figures in natural science and technology. T. 2. – Moscow: State. scientific publishing house "Big Soviet Encyclopedia", 1959. - 468 p.

Magdovich I.P. Essays on the history of geographical discoveries. T. II. Great geographical discoveries(end of the 15th – mid-17th century) / I. P. Magidovich, V. I. Magidovich. – Moscow: Education, 1983. – 400 p.

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese and Spanish explorer who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. This message is a story about him and his great journey that turned the world upside down.

The life of a traveler before his discoveries

Brief facts from the biography:

1. F. Magellan was born in the Portuguese city of Sabrosa in 1480.
2. At the age of 12, the boy received the opportunity to serve as a page to the Portuguese queen. So from 1492 to 1504 he was part of the retinue at the royal court, where he received his education. He studied sciences such as astronomy, cosmography, navigation, geometry, and naval warfare. And here he learned how important it is for Portugal to develop economic relations with other countries and open new trade routes for their development.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, there was an active competitive struggle between Spain and Portugal to seize land and develop new sea routes. The winner received not only new territories and subjects, but also more opportunities to trade with different countries. Economic and trade ties with India and the Moluccas (called the Spice Islands in those days) were considered especially important due to the spice trade.

In the Middle Ages spices were the most expensive commodity and brought fabulous profits to European traders. Therefore, the issue of dominance in trade relations was fundamentally important.

1. From 1505 to 1513, Magellan took part in naval battles and proved himself to be a brave warrior. For these qualities he was awarded the rank of sea captain. It was probably during this period, during numerous campaigns to the Indian shores, that Magellan had the idea that the route to India in the eastern direction was too long. Following the traditional route, which was established after, the sailors had to go around Africa, passing its western and eastern coasts and cross the Arabian Sea. One side had to spend about 10 months on the entire journey. Magellan decided that it might be possible to shorten the distance if he went west. According to one version, it was then that the idea of ​​finding a strait in the South Sea. Neither Magellan nor other travelers of that time had any idea about the true size of the globe.
2. The idea of ​​finding a new trade route did not find support from the Portuguese king, and after resigning from service, Magellan went to live in Spain in 1517, where he went into the service of the Spanish king Charles 1. He was already 37 years old and from that moment in his biography New great pages appear for the traveler.

Magellan's Expedition

Having received the support of the Spanish King and funding from the Spanish budget, Magellan began organizing the expedition. It took about 2 years to prepare for it.

In September 1519, little flotilla consisting of 5 sailing ships and 256 sailors on them, left the Spanish port of San Lucaras and headed towards the Canary Islands. On December 13, 1519, sailors entered the Bay of Banya Santa Lucia (Rio de Janeiro Bay today), previously discovered by the Portuguese.

Then the journey continued along the coast of South America and in January 1520 the flotilla passed land where the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, is located today. Previously, this place was discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Solis, who believed that there was a passage to the South Sea.

In October 1520, the flotilla entered another unknown bay. The 2 ships sent for reconnaissance returned to the other ships only a week later and reported that they were unable to reach the end of the bay and that there was probably a sea strait in front of them. The expedition sets off.

By mid-November 1920, having overcome a narrow, winding strait strewn with rocks and shoals, the ships reached an ocean not marked on any map.

Later this strait will be named after Magellan - the Strait of Magellan. The strait separates the continental part of South America and the islands of Tierra del Fuego and connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The journey of Magellan and his team across the South Sea lasted for 98 days. During the journey, nature was favorable to the captain and he was lucky to pass this part of the journey without storms, hurricanes and storms. That's why The navigator gave the South Sea a new name - the Pacific Ocean.

By the time the expedition reached the Mariana Islands, 13 thousand kilometers had already been covered. It was the world's first non-stop journey of such length.

Having replenished food supplies on the island. Guam, in March 1521, the expedition moved on in search of the Moluccas or Spice Islands, as they were then called.

Magellan is here decided to subjugate the lands and natives power of the Spanish king. Part of the population obeyed the visiting Europeans, while the other part refused to recognize the power of Spain. Then Magellan used force and with his team attacked the inhabitants of the island. Mactan. He died in a battle with the natives.

Sebastian Elcano, an experienced and brave sailor who had experience leading the ship's crew, took over the leadership of the expedition and the surviving Spaniards.

For six months, the remnants of the flotilla plied the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and in November 1521 the ships of the expedition reached the Spice Islands. In December 1521, the only ship remaining from the flotilla, loaded with herbs and spices, heads west and sets sail for home. He will have to travel 15,000 kilometers: the Indian and part of the Atlantic Ocean - to the Strait of Gibraltar.

In Spain the expedition was no longer expected back. However, in September 1522, the ship entered the Spanish port of Sant Lucar.

Thus ended the great campaign, as a result of which for the first time it was possible to circumnavigate the earth under sail. Despite the fact that Magellan himself, the initiator and ideological inspirer of the campaign, did not live to see the triumphal completion of the expedition, his undertaking was of great importance for further development Sci.

Results of Magellan's expedition:

• Of all the European travelers, he was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean.
• The world's first documented circumnavigation was completed.
• As a result of the expedition it was proven that:
  1. The earth has a spherical shape, since constantly adhering to the western direction, the expedition returned to Spain from the east.
  2. The Earth is covered not by separate bodies of water, but by a single World Ocean that washes the land and occupies much larger areas than expected.
• A previously unknown strait was discovered connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean, which was later named the Strait of Magellan.
• New islands were discovered, later named after him.

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Magellan Fernand - Portuguese navigator whose expedition made the first circumnavigation of the world; discoverer of part of the Atlantic coast of South America, the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, which he first crossed. Magellan proved the existence of a single World Ocean and provided practical evidence of the sphericity of the Earth.

The poor but noble nobleman Magellan served as a page in the retinue of the Portuguese queen in 1492-1504. He studied astronomy, navigation and cosmography. In 1505-13 he took part in naval battles with the Arabs, Indians and Moors, and showed himself to be a brave warrior, for which he received the rank of sea captain. Due to a false accusation, he was denied further promotion and, having resigned, Magellan moved to Spain in 1517. Having entered the service of King Charles I, he proposed a project for a circumnavigation of the world, which was accepted after much bargaining.

Opening of the strait between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans

On September 20, 1519, five small ships - Trinidad, San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion and Victoria with a crew of 265 people set out to sea. When crossing the Atlantic, Magellan used his signaling system, and the different types of ships of his flotilla were never separated. At the end of December he reached La Plata, explored the bay for about a month, but did not find a passage to the South Sea. On February 2, 1520, Magellan went south along the Atlantic coast of South America, moving only during the day so as not to miss the entrance to the strait. He settled for the winter on March 31 in a convenient bay at 49° south latitude. That same night, a mutiny began on three ships, which was soon brutally suppressed by Magellan. The ship Santiago, sent on reconnaissance in the spring, crashed on the rocks, but the crew was saved. On October 21, they entered a narrow, winding strait, later named after Magellan. On the southern shore of the strait, sailors saw the lights of fires. Magellan called this land Tierra del Fuego. A little over a month later, the strait (550 km) was crossed by three ships, the 4th ship “San Antonio” deserted and returned to Spain, where the captain slandered Magellan, accusing him of treason against the king.

On November 28, Magellan with the remaining three ships entered the unknown ocean, rounding America from the south along the strait they had discovered. The weather, fortunately, remained good, and Magellan called the ocean Pacific. A very difficult voyage continued for almost 4 months, when people ate dry dust mixed with worms, drank rotten water, ate cowhide, sawdust and ship rats. Hunger and scurvy began, many died. Magellan, although he was short, was distinguished by great physical strength and self-confidence. Crossing the ocean, he traveled at least 17 thousand km, but met only two islands - one in the Tuamotu archipelago, the other in the Line group. He also discovered two inhabited islands - Guam and Rota from the Mariana group. On March 15, the expedition approached the large Philippine archipelago. With the help of weapons, the decisive and brave Magellan forced the ruler of the island of Cebu to submit to the Spanish king.

The death of Magellan and the end of the expedition around the world

In the role of patron of the natives he baptized, Magellan intervened in the internecine war. One of the leaders of the island of Mactan opposed the new order. Magellan organized a military expedition against him. He wanted to clearly demonstrate to the local residents the power of Spain. The battle turned out to be unprepared. Because of the shallows, ships and boats were unable to get close enough to effectively support the landing force with fire. During the stay of Europeans in Cebu, local residents had the opportunity to study European weapons and their weak sides. They moved quickly, not allowing the Europeans to take aim, and attacked the sailors at their unprotected legs. When the Spaniards began to retreat, Magellan was killed.

There were only 115 people left on the three ships - there were not enough people, and the Concepcion ship had to be burned. For 4 months the ships wandered in search of the spice islands. From the island of Tidore, the Spaniards bought cheaply a lot of cloves, nutmeg, etc. and split up: “Victoria” with captain Juan Elcano moved west around Africa, and “Trinidad”, which needed repairs, remained behind. Captain Elcano, fearing a meeting with the Portuguese, stayed significantly south of the usual routes. He was the first to navigate the central part of the Indian Ocean and, having discovered only the island of Amsterdam (near 38° south latitude), proved that the “southern” continent does not reach this latitude. On September 6, 1522, “Victoria” with 18 people on board completed the “Around the World”, which lasted 1081 days. Later, 12 more Victoria crew members returned, and in 1526, five from Trinidad. The sale of the brought spices more than covered all the expenses of the expedition.

Thus ended the first circumnavigation of the world, which proved the sphericity of the earth. For the first time, Europeans crossed the largest of the oceans - the Pacific, opening a passage from the Atlantic. The expedition found that much of the earth's surface is occupied not by land, as Columbus and his contemporaries thought, but by oceans. Warlike and vain, Magellan received many wounds, one of which left him lame. His son died in 1521. His wife, who gave birth to a stillborn child, died in March 1522. The strait and two star clusters (the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds), which were described by the historiographer and expedition member Antonio Pifacetta, are named after Magellan. S. Zweig’s novel “Magellan” (1938) is dedicated to the fate of Magellan and his daring feat.

Monument to the famous traveler near the strait named after him

Biography and episodes of life Ferdinand Magellan. When born and died Ferdinand Magellan, memorable places and dates important events his life. Sailor Quotes, images and videos.

Years of life of Ferdinand Magellan:

born 1480, died April 27, 1521

Epitaph

“...our mirror, our light, our consolation and our faithful leader.”

From the book “The Voyage of Magellan” by Antonio Pigafetta

Biography

The name of Magellan, the first circumnavigator around the world, is known to every schoolchild today. He also knows that Magellan discovered a strait named after him and which opened the way for Europeans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Magellan was a good warrior and a real brave man, but, alas, his discovery and death brought nothing to civilization except glorious history another human achievement.

ABOUT early years We know little about the traveler. He was born, apparently, in the Portuguese city of Sabrosa, into a noble family. By the time Magellan reached 18, Vasco da Gama had opened the route to India and the Portuguese rushed east. On the expedition of 1505, Magellan was with the squadron as a warrior. He participated in several battles and construction of Mozambique, then ended up in India and was wounded twice.

According to some sources, it was Magellan who, after the Portuguese arrived in Malacca, warned the admiral about the threat posed by the Malays, so that the Portuguese sailors were able to repel the attack. He also saved his compatriots who found themselves on the shore. Another incident that clearly demonstrates Magellan’s authority and the strength of his personality occurred on the way home. The Portuguese ships were shipwrecked off a small island, and both crews escaped. But there was only enough space in the boats for the officers to get to their homeland, and Magellan of his own free will remained with the sailors as a guarantee that they would not be abandoned without help - and soon they returned for them.

Portrait of Magellan by an unknown artist

Once a simple warrior, Magellan became a man whose opinion the Viceroy of Albuquerque listened to. He took part in a new, successful campaign against Malacca. He lived in Lisbon, went to Morocco and fought near Azemmour, and was again wounded. After returning to Portugal, he begins planning a trip to the Spice Islands (Moluccas) and appeals to King Manuel I for help, but is refused. Then Magellan goes to Spain. There he finds support and, at the head of a flotilla of five ships, sets off.

On this journey, Magellan unsuccessfully searched for a strait between North and South America and was forced to winter in difficult conditions. Finally, the strait near Dawson Island was found, and the expedition entered the Pacific Ocean. Magellan reached the Philippines and established trade with the locals. Magellan converted one of the leaders of the island of Cebu to the Catholic faith and patronized him, which angered another leader. A conflict broke out, Magellan went with a military detachment to battle with the rebellious leader and was killed in the battle. According to the expedition's historian, Magellan fought to the last, was wounded several times and was eventually stabbed to death. Local residents refused to give the body of their admiral to the Portuguese, so Magellan's tomb does not exist.

Monument to Magellan at the site of his death and a monument to the leader Lapu-Lapu next to him

Life line

spring 1480 Date of birth of Ferdinand Magellan.
1505 Expedition to India.
1509 Arrival in Malacca.
1512 Life in Lisbon.
1514 Participation in hostilities in Morocco.
1518 Marriage in Seville.
1519 The birth of a son and a trip around the world.
1520 Wintering in San Julian Bay.
1521 Landing on the island of Cebu.
April 27, 1521 Date of death of Ferdinand Magellan

Memorable places

1. Cannanura Bay, where Magellan took part in the battle of the Portuguese squadron with the Indians and Turks.
2. The port of Malacca, in the capture of which Magellan participated twice, in 1509 and 1511.
3. The city of Azemmour in Morocco, in punitive expedition to which Magellan participated.
4. Seville, where Magellan lived after returning from military campaigns.
5. San Julian Bay in what is now Argentina, where Magellan’s flotilla wintered in April 1502.
6. Strait of Magellan.
7. Magellan Regional Museum and Monument at Plaza Muño Gameras in Punta Arenas, Chile.
8. Monument to Magellan and Chief Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island.
9. Chapel on the island of Cebu, at the site of Magellan's original landing. The chapel is built around a wooden cross that Magellan left on the island.

Magellan's Cross in the city of Cebu on the island of the same name

Episodes of life

Magellan never reached the Spice Islands, which were his original goal. He himself was unable to sail around the world. And of all five ships of his expedition, only one ship with eighteen people returned to their homeland.

The Strait of Magellan never became the great trade route that the navigator craved. Almost all the ships sent after Magellan crashed here. The Spaniards transported goods overland at the site of the future Suez Canal, instead of sending ships on such a long and dangerous expedition. Soon the strait is so thoroughly forgotten that the pirate Francis Drake uses it as a secret refuge for raids on Spanish ships and colonies. And after the construction of the Suez Canal in 1913, the passage turns out to be practically useless.

In that place on the island of Mactan near Cebu, where the traveler died, a monument to Magellan was erected, and later a monument to Lapu-Lapu, the rebel leader. A city in Mactan was also named after the latter, who became a national hero and symbol of independence.

"Magellan. The first trip around the world." Documentary TV channel "Russia-Culture" from the series "Great Geographical Discoveries"

Condolences

“I hope... the glory of this noble captain will not fade over the centuries and will not be consigned to oblivion. Along with his other virtues, he was adamant in the crucible of the greatest dangers like no other, and he endured hunger more stoically than any of us. He was knowledgeable in everything related to the art of driving ships, skillfully plotting a course and drawing up maps. This is truly so, for no one but him was so wise, possessed such strong willpower and such extensive knowledge to decide to undertake a voyage around the Earth, as he did.”
Historiographer of Magellan's expedition, Antonio Pigafetta

“Only to accomplish the feat did fate choose, out of countless millions of people, this gloomy, silent, self-contained man, always unswervingly ready to sacrifice for the sake of his plan everything he owned on earth, and in addition his life. She called him only for hard work and, without gratitude or reward, as a day laborer, drove him away after the job was completed.”
Stefan Zweig