Category History

               Ferdinand Magellan accidentally discovered the Pacific Ocean. This is how it happened. Magellan’s ships went through a long passage which he called ‘All Saints’ Channel’ now named the Strait of Magellan. The Strait of Magellan, a navigable sea route, is the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.

               For thirty-eight days, and over 482 kilometres, Magellan’s ships battled day and night through the straits. After sailing through the dangerous straits, Magellan and his crew entered the Pacific Ocean with three ships. Thus, Magellan became the first European explorer to reach the Pacific.

               On first seeing the majestic ocean, Magellan was taken aback because it was so calm. He named it ‘the Pacific’, because of its pacifying stillness, and peacefulness.

               Magellan and his crew were the first Europeans to reach Tierra del Fuego just east of the Pacific side of the strait. 

          Columbus’s finding that the West Indies were near the coast of India was not convincing enough. Magellan believed that there was a western sea route to reach the Spice Islands. He wanted to go on a voyage to discover this sea route. He sought financial aid from the Portuguese King, but the King was intent on developing a route to the East around the Cape of Good Hope. He refused to give Magellan the support he needed.

          A vexed Magellan renounced his Portuguese citizenship. He relocated to Spain in 1518, and sought the help of the king of Spain.

          He got a positive nod from the king. Magellan intended to search for a passage around the south of  America into the Pacific Ocean.

          He was given the financial support he needed and also provided a fleet of five ships. But the Spanish king did not provide funds for the crew.

          This did not discourage Ferdinand Magellan. He recruited sailors by himself. 

               Magellan was greatly inspired by the adventurous voyages of Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama.

               Magellan was too young when Bartholomeu Dias returned from the Cape of Good Hope, but he was old enough to remember the successful arrival of Christopher Columbus from his first voyage. He was 19 years old when Vasco da Gama returned from his victorious voyage to India.

               The last decade of the fifteenth century, and the first decades of the following century witnessed many discoveries. In 1500, Pedro Alvarez Cabral discovered the east coast of Brazil. Later, Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513.

               However, it became more evident, that a whole continent between Europe and Asia had not yet been discovered. Inspired by his predecessors, Ferdinand Magellan decided to follow the paths of the Portuguese explorers, and to make new discoveries of his own.

               Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage was proved successful as he discovered many new islands. Even though, Magellan faced an unfortunate death; his remaining crew circumnavigated the world. Hence, the voyages of Ferdinand Magellan are considered as some of the greatest voyages ever. 

               Magellan was born into a Portuguese noble family in 1480. His adventurous spirit led him to a career as an explorer. As the Portuguese king refused to finance Magellan’s expedition, he decided to offer his services to King Charles I of Spain, who agreed to finance him.

               Magellan’s expedition to the East Indies resulted in the first circumnavigation of the Earth, completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano. Magellan set out from Spain in 1519, with a fleet of five ships, to discover a western sea route to the Spice Islands. On the way, he discovered what is now known as the Strait of Magellan. He was the first European navigator to cross the Pacific Ocean.

               While voyaging through the Pacific Ocean, the fleet had to face many hurdles like storms, and lack of food.

               However, without being disheartened, they sailed further, and reached the Philippines. On 15th March, 1521, they headed to Suluan and dropped anchor for a few hours of respite. Suluan is a small island in the province of Eastern Samar. They then next dropped anchor at Homonhon, another small island in the province of Eastern Samar.

              On 27th April 1521, Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan.

               Cabral’s fleet set out from South America on 2nd May 1500, and sailed along the east coast of South America. On 5th May, the fleet veered eastwards towards Africa. A terrible storm hit the ships on 24th May, in South Atlantic. The fleet lost four ships, and the remaining ships were greatly damaged by the rough weather.

               On 26th May, the expedition reached Kilwa Kisiwani, where Cabral made an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate a treaty with its king. Further, on the way to India, they reached Malindi. Sailors were recruited from Malindi for the last leg to India. Later, they reached their destination, Calicut.

               After a few days, the expedition sailed to the Kingdom of Cochin, where Cabral befriended its ruler and collected so many varieties of spices and gems to take back home.

               Despite the loss of human lives and ships, the profit raked in by selling the rare spices was great. The voyage also helped in demonstrating the power of the Portuguese Empire to the whole world. Colonies were set up from Americas to the Far East. 

            Pedro Alvares Cabral was the first European to discover Brazil. He also established a successful commercial link with India. Cabral is regarded as the first captain to lead an expedition that united Europe, Africa, America, and Asia.

            Pedro was the third son of Fernao Cabral, the Governor of Beria and Belmonte. In 1499, Cabral was appointed chief captain of a fleet bound for the Malabar Coast of southern India. The expedition was intended to establish trading outposts. The fleet left Lisbon on March 9th, 1500, with 13 ships and 1,000 men. Cabral decided not to follow Dias’ route around the west coast of Africa. Instead, he followed Vasco da Gama’s route.

            On the way, he made landfall on a large landmass, which was probably a continent. He claimed it for Portugal. The continent was South America, and the land he had claimed for Portugal later came to be known as Brazil. This led to Portuguese monopoly in the South American continent. His discovery of Brazil made Pedro Cabral popular, and he was regarded as a prominent figure in the Age of Discovery.