The Auhor of First Voyage was known by the name of Antonio Pigafetta. Pigafetta was born in 1491 into a prosperous family and died in 1534. He majored in astronomy, geography, and cartography at college. He was an explorer and scholar from Italy. He joined King Charles I of Spain's expedition to the Spice Islands, which was headed by explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
On August 10, 1519, five ships set off from Seville on the first tour of the globe. Much of the mission is known thanks to Antonio Pigafetta's travelogue, which was written by one of the few crew members who returned to Spain, and is related to the captain's name, Magellan. The First Voyage Around the World, by Pigafetta, is a masterpiece of exploration and adventure literature, comprising a historical and geographic chronicle of the journey with 23 hand-drawn watercolour charts from Patagonia to Indonesia, as well as from the Philippines to the Cape of Good Hope.
Magellan's fleet crossed the Atlantic Ocean in September 1519, sailing from Sanlcar de Barrameda, Spain. In a little more than a month, the fleet arrived in South America.On October 21, 1520, Magellan finally entered the fabled strait that would allow passage into South America. The crossing of the strait was perilous and chilly, and many seamen continued to doubt their captain and complain about the dangers that lay ahead.
In November 1520, Magellan's remaining fleet emerged from the strait after more than a month of journey to find a wide ocean in front of them. They were the first Europeans to view the Pacific Ocean, which Magellan dubbed Mar Pacifico. At the time, little was known about the topography outside of South America, and Magellan naively predicted that the journey across the Pacific would be quick. In actuality, the armada needed three months to slowly make its way across the enormous Mar Pacifico.
According to Pigafetta, their fleet arrived in the LADRONES ISLANDS, also known as the "Islands of the Thieves." The Marianas Islands are the current name for the Ladrones Islands. Pigafetta stated that they had arrived at the Isle of Zamal, now Samar, ten days after they had arrived in the Ladrones Islands, but Magellan decided to stop on another uninhabited island for more security and to rest for a few days. On March 18, nine men approached them, beaming and anxious to see them. Magellan recognized the men's decency and greeted them with food, drink, and gifts.Pigafetta detailed in amazement and fascination the palm tree which bore fruits called cochos and wine.
He described the folks as "extremely familiar and kind," and he eagerly showed them other islands and their names. The fleet arrived on Humunu Island (Homonhon), where they discovered the "Watering Place of Good Evidence," as he called it, because it was here that they discovered the first signs of gold on the island. They named the archipelago of St. Lazarus after the island and another nearby island. Pigafetta recalled seeing two balanghai (balangay), a long boat full of passengers, in Mazzava/Mazaus on March 25th.
As they exchanged gifts, the leader, whom he referred to as the king, developed a strong bond with Magellan. Magellan instructed the chaplain to preside over a Mass along the shore on March 31st (Easter Sunday). When the king learned of the plan, he dispatched two dead pigs and joined the other king at Mass. “...when the offertory of the mass came, the two kings, like us, went to kiss the cross, but they offered nothing, and at the elevation of our Lord's body, they were kneeling like us, and adored our Lord with joined hands,” Pigafetta wrote. This would be the Philippines' first Mass, and the crucifix would have become known as Magellan's Cross, which is still in use today. This was the identical cross that Magellan explained to the kings as a sign from his emperor, who had commanded him to plan it in the locations where it was needed.
By April 7th, Magellan and his men had arrived at the port of Zzubu (Cebu), thanks to Raja Humabon's willingness to pilot them to the island. The people of Cebu sought tribute, which was customary, but Magellan refused. Magellan's troops and the king of Cebu, together with other important men of Cebu, convened in an open location the next day. The king provided a drop of his blood and requested that Magellan reciprocate. Magellan spoke to the kind on April 14 and advised him to be a good Christian by burning all of his idols and worshiping the cross instead. After that, Cebu's king was baptized as a Christian. After 8 days, the entire island's population had been baptized. Magellan handed the queen an image of the Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta himself when she arrived to Mass one day. On April 26th, Zula, a chief from the island of Matan (Mactan), went to meet Magellan and requested a boat full of warriors so that he could battle the chief named Silapulapu (Lapulapu).
Instead, Magellan offered three boats and set off towards Mactan to confront the chief. They numbered 49 people in all, with Mactan's islanders estimated to number 1,500. Magellan was killed in combat. In his right leg, he was pierced by a poison arrow. The king of Cebu, who had been baptized, offered assistance, but Magellan declined so that he might observe the battle.The people of Mactan were also given gifts of any worth and amount in exchange for Magellan's body, but the chief declined, preferring to keep Magellan's body as a reminder of their victory. The soldiers of Magellan then chose Duarte Barbosa as their new captain. Pigafetta also described how Magellan's slave and interpreter, Henry, betrayed them and informed the king of Cebu that they planned to leave as soon as possible. What remained of
Magellan's soldiers were betrayed by Henry and the king of Cebu. The monarch called these individuals to a banquet where he promised to showcase the gems that he would deliver to King Ferdinand of Spain. Following Magellan's death, a succession of individuals assumed command of the voyage, but none of them lasted more than a few months. Later that year, Juan Sebastian el Cano, one of the few remaining men, gained command of the Victoria, one of the two surviving ships. Despite scurvy and famine, he successfully returned the mission to Spain in September 1522. The crew of the Victoria cast anchor off the coast of Seville, Spain, on September 8, 1522, after completing the first round of the globe.
His book is used by local textbook writers as a source of historical information regarding the beginnings of Christianity in the Philippines. The narratives of the First Mass in the Philippines, Rajah Humabon's and his wife's conversions, and the story of the Sto. Nio's picture were primarily taken from Pigafetta's book.
Relevance to contemporary time, Pigafetta's tale contributed significantly to Eureopean historiography by preserving and popularizing the accomplishments of the Magellan expedition. If Pigafetta had not survived the journey, we would know very little about Magellan's significant contributions to geography, navigation, history, and other related subjects.
For instance, the Magellan expedition deserves credit for establishing that the planet is an anoblate spherical rather than a flat one. They further established that boiling does not occur somewhere at Equator. Second, Magellan and his crew accomplished the world's first voyage. Third, they confirmed that the Portuguese route is not the only one to the Spice Islands. They confirmed the hypothesis that it is possible to expand westward and reach east. Fourth, they notified Europeans of the existence of the Pacific Ocean, a vast body of water on the other side of the American continent.
All of these discoveries altered Europe's world map, allowing new areas to be incorporated into their worldview. Pigafetta's account advanced Philippine history by providing important details on the condition in the Visayan Islands in the sixteenth century. Some of the time's most powerful leaders were identified, along with their economic activity, social and cultural practices, and religious beliefs. His book is also cited in local textbooks as a source of historical information on the Philippines' Christian origins.
Pigafetta's book was used to tell the account of the First Mass in the Philippines, Rajah Humabon's and his wife's conversions, and the story of the Sto. Nino painting. Finally, Pigafetta has several descriptions of how the Filipinos reacted when they first met the Spaniards. The Spaniards quickly made friends with certain Filipinos, but others refused to socialize or trade with them. In Pigafetta's story, Lapu-lapu is the most prominent character. He was the first Filipino to lead a resistance movement against Spanish rule, thereby foiling the Spaniards' first attempt to seize control of the Philippines.