Ferdinand Magellan
Floating through the ocean with 50 other people, packed into a vessel the length of a school bus. Sickness traveled like a tornado and there was no real attempt at proper cleanliness or hygiene. To most people this sounds like a nightmare, but to Ferdinand Magellan, this was his lifestyle, his happiness. Magellan should be considered great because he was an adventurous explorer who was known as the first European to circumnavigate the world, he discovered a sea route to the Spice Islands which made Spain’s economy go through the roof, and he made cultural impacts like naming the Pacific Ocean and spreading Christianity. Ferdinand Magellan was born into a noble family of seven in Portugal circa 1480. As a young boy, Ferdinand studied mapmaking and navigation. After his parents’ death, at the age of 12, him and his brother traveled to Lisbon to serve as pages for Queen Leonora’s court. Over a period of 2 years, the court had exposed Ferdinand to trade, sea exploration and dominance over the Spice Islands. These subjects fascinated Ferdinand and led him into becoming an adventurous continental explorer. Furthermore, in 1505 Magellan and his brother traveled in a fleet to India. This trip began the 7 years of perpetual sea travel and expeditions Magellan took part in, traveling anywhere from Morocco, India and Africa. A few years after his long span of exploration, he finally settled down and married a woman named María Caldera Beatriz Barbosa in December of 1517. Together they had 2 children, Rodrigo de Magalhães and Carlos de Magalhães. Inspiration from Christopher Columbus mixed with his own wild spirit urged Magellan to take one last journey, which ended up becoming his most famous one. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set out with a fleet of 5 ships to find a easier route to the Spice Islands. This travel however, resulted in him and his crew circumnavigating the world. Unfortunately, during his voyage he died from a poisoned arrow in a battle on April 27th, 1521.
Spices at the time of Ferdinand in the 15th century were the epicenter of the world economy and trade routes, similar to how oil is today. They were highly prized for flavoring and preserving food and were considered an extremely valu possession to have. Europeans had already reached a route to the Spice Islands by sailing east, but none had yet tried to sail west. This task that had never been done is where Ferdinand Magellan’s journey began. In 1517, Magellan arrived in Spain speaking little spanish and knowing no one. He was looking for someone new to petition his voyage because the King of Portugal had recently refused his offer. Within months, Ferdinand had made multiple connections and conclusively gave his petition to King Charles I of Spain, who was only 18 years old at the time. Promising riches to Spain, Ferdinand Magellan received support from King Charles to seek out and explore a western sea route to the Spice Islands. Ferdinand set out from Seville, Spain in September 1519 with 5 ships and a crew of 270 men with hope to find this sea route in which would bring him fame and fortune. By Easter Day of 1520 they had reached Port San Julian in South America when crew members started to mutiny Magellan. These rebellious acts did not last for long because if one was caught participating, he would simply be executed or left behind. Furthermore, the population of the crew was slowly starting to decrease. Whether from shipwreck, execution, or sickness, many men began to die. But death of his shipmates wasn’t going to stop Ferdinand. After traveling up and down the coast of South America for about 6 months, Ferdinand Magellan made his famous discovery of The Strait of Magellan, on October 21st, 1520. This strait is a natural passageway through South America that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Not known at the time, but this discovery would soon become a revolutionary impact on trade. Immediately, the sailors started traversing the strait and soon the vast Pacific Ocean emerged in front of their staggered eyes. The crew had planned for a rapid, stormy, and rough conquest across the Pacific. This jump was vital for Ferdinand and his crew because within weeks their lack of a plentiful food amount would begin to hinder their survival and this was the way to find their initial wish, The Spice Islands. It took 3 long, torturous months to travel across the ocean before the ships docked in the Pacific Island of Guam, where they were able to replenish their food. Continuing on, boats sailed to Cebu, Phillipines and the crew stayed there for a while. Philippines and the Europeans exchanged ideas and teachings and after some time, the army of Cebu was begging for help from them to attack a neighboring island of Mactan. The men who were intrigued sailors a year ago, were now suited and armored, prepared to battle Mactan. Unfortunately for Ferdinand, the Mactan Army got the best of him and he was killed by a poisoned arrow. As a result of this devastating loss, Magellan’s crew left Cebu and bee-lined straight back to Seville making an exception to stop for spices. Not until September 1522, after three years of exploration, did Magellan’s crew return to Spain. But, it wasn’t the greatest end to a historic journey, it was actually quite tragic. An astonishing 18/270 men arrived alive at the port in Spain, coming in on ⅕ ships that set sail 3 years prior. Since Ferdinand was not one of the survivors, does he really deserve the title of being the first European to circumnavigate the world. And if he doesn’t fit that title, then can we still consider him great?
How is one defined great? Is it by how much fame or fortune a person has earned, because that is what most people think it is. I don’t think of Ferdinand being considered great because of what is said about him being the “first” to do something. Ferdinand Magellan should be labeled as great because of what his voyage brought to other people. In other words, his fame should be talked about as not that he took a journey, but what came about because of the journey. Religion, economy and culture in the 15th century were three areas that were positively affected because of Ferdinand and the voyage he risked his life for. First, Ferdinand spread Christianity to the different places he traveled to. For example, when his ships ported in Cebu, he taught them many of the teachings of Christianity. These teachings were then spread to other Phillippines, even the ones Magellan didn’t travel to. Today, over 85% of the Phillippines practice Christianity. In addition to spreading Christianity, Magellan’s voyage also influenced cultural ideas that continued on into our nation today. To start with, Ferdinand actually named the Pacific Ocean. When his ships first caught a glimpse of the vast body of water, he described it as very peaceful. He originally called it Mar Pacifico, meaning peaceful sea, but since then it has modernized into the Pacific Ocean. Secondly, his bold and adventurous personality gave reassurance to other young sailors of his time period. When Ferdinand first set sail, most of the water on Earth was unknown, which made it very dangerous to travel on and sailors very skeptical to go out and explore. But when Ferdinand Magellan and his crew set out, and then there was actually some survivors, the skepticism of men assuaged. They now had proof that the sea could be traveled and they weren’t afraid to try. This was so important because with more and more people out there exploring, many more places and resources were discovered. Lastly, Ferdinand’s main goal of finding a trade route to the Spice Islands was accomplished and lots of riches were brought back to Spain. Magellan’s crew arrived at the Spice Islands after his death, on their way back to Seville. These islands were loaded with the multi-purpose spices that were so high-end at the time. The crew stocked up the remaining vessels and sailed back to Spain with tons of spices. As a result, Spain’s economy became much stronger now that they had an abundance of this powerful resource for trade. During the period after their return, Spain was a very rich country. Not only did they have this large amount of spice, but they now also had knowledge of a faster route to the Spice Islands, in which they could obtain more goods as time went on, at a faster pace than their surrounding competitors.
In conclusion, Ferdinand Magellan should be considered a great explorer because he lead an exploration that traveled sea that no one ever had before, he was the first to discover a western sea route to the Spice Islands, and he initiated many cultural, religious, and economical changes. The spreading of Christianity by him and his crew to other parts of the world helped the religion become a more popular, his fearless personality reassured dubious sailors about investigating the world, and his travels brought fame and fortune to Spain.
Citations
“Biography.com Editors. "Ferdinand Magellan." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2016.
Web. 06 June 2016.”
“Domingues, Francisco Contente. "Ferdinand Magellan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016. Web. 06 June 2016.”
“History.com Staff. "Ferdinand Magellan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan.
2009. Web. 18 May 2016.”
“Nussbaum, Greg. "Ferdinand Magellan Biography for Kids – First Circumnavigation." Mr.
Nussbaum! Learning+Fun. Nussbaum Education Network, 2015. Web. 06 June
2016.”
“Szalay, Jessie. "Ferdinand Magellan: Facts & Biography." LiveScience. TechMedia
Network, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 June 2016.”
Floating through the ocean with 50 other people, packed into a vessel the length of a school bus. Sickness traveled like a tornado and there was no real attempt at proper cleanliness or hygiene. To most people this sounds like a nightmare, but to Ferdinand Magellan, this was his lifestyle, his happiness. Magellan should be considered great because he was an adventurous explorer who was known as the first European to circumnavigate the world, he discovered a sea route to the Spice Islands which made Spain’s economy go through the roof, and he made cultural impacts like naming the Pacific Ocean and spreading Christianity. Ferdinand Magellan was born into a noble family of seven in Portugal circa 1480. As a young boy, Ferdinand studied mapmaking and navigation. After his parents’ death, at the age of 12, him and his brother traveled to Lisbon to serve as pages for Queen Leonora’s court. Over a period of 2 years, the court had exposed Ferdinand to trade, sea exploration and dominance over the Spice Islands. These subjects fascinated Ferdinand and led him into becoming an adventurous continental explorer. Furthermore, in 1505 Magellan and his brother traveled in a fleet to India. This trip began the 7 years of perpetual sea travel and expeditions Magellan took part in, traveling anywhere from Morocco, India and Africa. A few years after his long span of exploration, he finally settled down and married a woman named María Caldera Beatriz Barbosa in December of 1517. Together they had 2 children, Rodrigo de Magalhães and Carlos de Magalhães. Inspiration from Christopher Columbus mixed with his own wild spirit urged Magellan to take one last journey, which ended up becoming his most famous one. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set out with a fleet of 5 ships to find a easier route to the Spice Islands. This travel however, resulted in him and his crew circumnavigating the world. Unfortunately, during his voyage he died from a poisoned arrow in a battle on April 27th, 1521.
Spices at the time of Ferdinand in the 15th century were the epicenter of the world economy and trade routes, similar to how oil is today. They were highly prized for flavoring and preserving food and were considered an extremely valu possession to have. Europeans had already reached a route to the Spice Islands by sailing east, but none had yet tried to sail west. This task that had never been done is where Ferdinand Magellan’s journey began. In 1517, Magellan arrived in Spain speaking little spanish and knowing no one. He was looking for someone new to petition his voyage because the King of Portugal had recently refused his offer. Within months, Ferdinand had made multiple connections and conclusively gave his petition to King Charles I of Spain, who was only 18 years old at the time. Promising riches to Spain, Ferdinand Magellan received support from King Charles to seek out and explore a western sea route to the Spice Islands. Ferdinand set out from Seville, Spain in September 1519 with 5 ships and a crew of 270 men with hope to find this sea route in which would bring him fame and fortune. By Easter Day of 1520 they had reached Port San Julian in South America when crew members started to mutiny Magellan. These rebellious acts did not last for long because if one was caught participating, he would simply be executed or left behind. Furthermore, the population of the crew was slowly starting to decrease. Whether from shipwreck, execution, or sickness, many men began to die. But death of his shipmates wasn’t going to stop Ferdinand. After traveling up and down the coast of South America for about 6 months, Ferdinand Magellan made his famous discovery of The Strait of Magellan, on October 21st, 1520. This strait is a natural passageway through South America that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Not known at the time, but this discovery would soon become a revolutionary impact on trade. Immediately, the sailors started traversing the strait and soon the vast Pacific Ocean emerged in front of their staggered eyes. The crew had planned for a rapid, stormy, and rough conquest across the Pacific. This jump was vital for Ferdinand and his crew because within weeks their lack of a plentiful food amount would begin to hinder their survival and this was the way to find their initial wish, The Spice Islands. It took 3 long, torturous months to travel across the ocean before the ships docked in the Pacific Island of Guam, where they were able to replenish their food. Continuing on, boats sailed to Cebu, Phillipines and the crew stayed there for a while. Philippines and the Europeans exchanged ideas and teachings and after some time, the army of Cebu was begging for help from them to attack a neighboring island of Mactan. The men who were intrigued sailors a year ago, were now suited and armored, prepared to battle Mactan. Unfortunately for Ferdinand, the Mactan Army got the best of him and he was killed by a poisoned arrow. As a result of this devastating loss, Magellan’s crew left Cebu and bee-lined straight back to Seville making an exception to stop for spices. Not until September 1522, after three years of exploration, did Magellan’s crew return to Spain. But, it wasn’t the greatest end to a historic journey, it was actually quite tragic. An astonishing 18/270 men arrived alive at the port in Spain, coming in on ⅕ ships that set sail 3 years prior. Since Ferdinand was not one of the survivors, does he really deserve the title of being the first European to circumnavigate the world. And if he doesn’t fit that title, then can we still consider him great?
How is one defined great? Is it by how much fame or fortune a person has earned, because that is what most people think it is. I don’t think of Ferdinand being considered great because of what is said about him being the “first” to do something. Ferdinand Magellan should be labeled as great because of what his voyage brought to other people. In other words, his fame should be talked about as not that he took a journey, but what came about because of the journey. Religion, economy and culture in the 15th century were three areas that were positively affected because of Ferdinand and the voyage he risked his life for. First, Ferdinand spread Christianity to the different places he traveled to. For example, when his ships ported in Cebu, he taught them many of the teachings of Christianity. These teachings were then spread to other Phillippines, even the ones Magellan didn’t travel to. Today, over 85% of the Phillippines practice Christianity. In addition to spreading Christianity, Magellan’s voyage also influenced cultural ideas that continued on into our nation today. To start with, Ferdinand actually named the Pacific Ocean. When his ships first caught a glimpse of the vast body of water, he described it as very peaceful. He originally called it Mar Pacifico, meaning peaceful sea, but since then it has modernized into the Pacific Ocean. Secondly, his bold and adventurous personality gave reassurance to other young sailors of his time period. When Ferdinand first set sail, most of the water on Earth was unknown, which made it very dangerous to travel on and sailors very skeptical to go out and explore. But when Ferdinand Magellan and his crew set out, and then there was actually some survivors, the skepticism of men assuaged. They now had proof that the sea could be traveled and they weren’t afraid to try. This was so important because with more and more people out there exploring, many more places and resources were discovered. Lastly, Ferdinand’s main goal of finding a trade route to the Spice Islands was accomplished and lots of riches were brought back to Spain. Magellan’s crew arrived at the Spice Islands after his death, on their way back to Seville. These islands were loaded with the multi-purpose spices that were so high-end at the time. The crew stocked up the remaining vessels and sailed back to Spain with tons of spices. As a result, Spain’s economy became much stronger now that they had an abundance of this powerful resource for trade. During the period after their return, Spain was a very rich country. Not only did they have this large amount of spice, but they now also had knowledge of a faster route to the Spice Islands, in which they could obtain more goods as time went on, at a faster pace than their surrounding competitors.
In conclusion, Ferdinand Magellan should be considered a great explorer because he lead an exploration that traveled sea that no one ever had before, he was the first to discover a western sea route to the Spice Islands, and he initiated many cultural, religious, and economical changes. The spreading of Christianity by him and his crew to other parts of the world helped the religion become a more popular, his fearless personality reassured dubious sailors about investigating the world, and his travels brought fame and fortune to Spain.
Citations
“Biography.com Editors. "Ferdinand Magellan." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2016.
Web. 06 June 2016.”
“Domingues, Francisco Contente. "Ferdinand Magellan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016. Web. 06 June 2016.”
“History.com Staff. "Ferdinand Magellan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan.
2009. Web. 18 May 2016.”
“Nussbaum, Greg. "Ferdinand Magellan Biography for Kids – First Circumnavigation." Mr.
Nussbaum! Learning+Fun. Nussbaum Education Network, 2015. Web. 06 June
2016.”
“Szalay, Jessie. "Ferdinand Magellan: Facts & Biography." LiveScience. TechMedia
Network, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 June 2016.”