The First Voyage
Around the World
by:
Antonio Pigaffeta
CONTENT OF THE
PRESENTATION
 Background of the Author
 Historical Background of the Document
 Content and Contextual Analysis of the Important Historical
Information Found in the Document
 Contribution and Relevance of the Document in
Understanding the Grand Narrative of Philippine History
Background of the Author
Antonio Pigaffeta (1491 – 1534)
He is also known as Antonio Lombardo or
Francisco Antonio Pigafetta.
Born in 1491, from a rich family of
Vicenza on the west portion of Venice,
Italy.
He was the eldest son of Giovanni
Pigafetta to second wife Angela Zoga.
He studied astronomy, geography and
cartography.
Background of the Author
Antonio Pigaffeta (1491 – 1534)
Served on board the ships of the Knights
of Rhodes at the beginning of the 16th
century.
Accompanied
Monsignor Francesco
Chieregati to Spain in 1519.
Accompanied
Ferdinand
Magellan
together with Juan Sebatian Elcano in the
famous expedition to Moluccas which
began in August 1519 and ended in
September 1522.
Background of the Author
Antonio Pigaffeta (1491 – 1534)
Returned to Spain on September 6, 1522
aboard the Victoria with Juan Sebatian
Elcano and more than a dozen more
survivors
Presented himself to Charles V, a book
written by his own hand, in which were
set down the things that happened from
day to day during their voyage.
Background of the Author
Antonio Pigaffeta (1491 – 1534)
On his way home, he passed by Portugal
and France and shared to the people the
things he knew about Magellan’s
expedition.
In Italy the Pope was impressed enough
to give him residence while he prepared
his manuscript for publication.
Joined the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem in its battle against the Turks.
Died sometime in 1534
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND OF
THE DOCUMENT
The First Voyage Around the World by
Antonio Pigafetta was written on
board in one of the 5 ships that was
first circumnavigate the world during
an expedition that was led the
Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand
Magellan and after his death during
the voyage, by Juan Sebatian Elcano.
The expedition started in 1519 and
ended in Spain in 1522.
Armada de Molucca
 Name of the Spanish fleet that was led by Ferdinand Magellan
 Provided by King Charles V
 Included by 5 ships
o Trinidad (55 crew) under Magellan’s command
o San Antonio (60 crew) commanded by Juan de Cartageña
o Conception (45 crew) commanded by Gaspar de Quesada
o Santiago (32 crew) commanded by Juan Rodriguez Serrano
o Victoria (43 crew) commanded by Mendoza, which carried supplies
and other provisions of all expeditions. This was the only ship that
was able to return to Spain.
CONTENT AND
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
OF THE DOCUMENT
MARCH 16, 1521
• Magellan and his crew arrived in the Philippine island. Or
what they called as Islands of Ladroni. They reached the
island of Zamal ( now Samar).
MARCH 18, 1521
• There came some natives giving signs of joy for the
presence of the crew of Magellan.
• Magellan named the place Islands of Humunu ( now
Homonhon) as the “Archipelago of San Lazarus”, as they
were discovered on the Sunday of St. Lazarus
MARCH 31, 1521
• Magellan succeeds in his plan to influence the faith of the
people on the island he has conquered.
• The first mass in the Philippines was held in Mazaua
(Limasawa)
• Its was attended my Magella,Raia Colambu( Rajah
Kolambu), Raia Siaui (Rajah Siagu), Spanish voyagers, and
the local islanders
APRIL 7, 1521
• Magellan and his crew went to Zubu (now Cebu), upon
hearing good reports about island from King of Mazaua.
• There was a negotiation through a notary. The King of
Zubu asked for a drop of their blood as a sign of their
friendship, both agreed.
APRIL 14, 1521
• Magellan spoke to the king and encourage him to be a
good Christian buy burning all the idols, and worshp the
cross instead.
• On Zubu, the captain’s power to influence the faith of
people worked.
• A mass was held with Raia Humabon and his people
attending the ceremony.
• 800 souls were baptized.
• Pigafetta showed the queen an image of our Lady, a very
beautiful wooden child Jesus, and a cross.
• She asked for the little child Jesus to keep in place of her
idols and this image of child Jesus is now known as the
Sto. Niño in Cebu.
APRIL 26, 1521
According to Zula, the chief of Matan (
Mactan). Cilapupalu (Lapulapu) refused to
obey the king of spain.
 Cilapulapu did not want to pay Magellan
and his men the goat that tey were
promised
 Magellan was not pleased since they went
to Matan to garner food for their
expedition.
 Zula requested the captain to send him only
1 boatload of men to fight against the other
chief,.The captain- general decided to go
thither with 3 boatloads.

APRIL 27, 1521
• At midnight, 60 of Magellan’s men set out armed
with corselets and helmets, Christian king, prince,
some of the chief men, 20 or 30 balanghais.
• The local islanders had lances of bamboo and stakes
hardened with fire.
• Magellan was shot through the right leg with a
poisoned arrow, knocked his helmet off his head
twice.
• Magellan was hit with a lance in the face.
• 8 of Magellan’s men were killed, 4 Indians were
killed by mortars.
• Of Cilapulapu’s men, only 15 were killed.
• Pigafetta also accounted how Magellan’s slave and
interpreter named Henry betrayed them and told
the king of Cebu that they intended to leave as soon
as possible.
APRIL 27, 1521
• Henry and the king of Cebu conspired and betrayed
what was left of Magellan’s Men.
• The King invited these men to a gathering where he
said he would present the jewels that would send for
the king of Spain.
• Pigafetta was left on board the ship and was not able
to join the 24 men who went to the gathering he was
nursing his battle wounds.
• The native has slain all the men except the
interpreter and Juan Serrano who shouted at the
men on this ship to pay ransom so that he would be
spared but he was left on the island for they refused
to go back to shore.
• The fleet abandoned Serrano and left Cebu to their
Journey around the world.
CONTRIBUTION
AND RELEVANCE
• The account of Pigafetta is a proof of the richness, governance and independence In our
country in the pre-colonial era.
• Christianity, as the largest religion in the world, was propagated in the Philippines by
Ferdinand Magellan.
• The faith of the natives before is just about raising hands and clapping, building
different images of their idols, until Magellan introduced Christianity to them. It was
accepted and practiced by Filipinos and has been s considerable part of our culture and
beliefs.
• The account of Pigafetta enriched Philippine historiography because it contains
essential details about the conditions of the Visayan Island in the 16th century.
• Local textbook writers use his book as their historical information source the beginning
of Christianity in the Philippines.
• The document also narrated the status (inferiority) of the Filipinos in warfare, manner
and dressing a system of writing.
• It provides a description, location, and distances places visited, thereby
enhancing cartography knowledge at that time.
• He prove to other explorers and the people today that circumnavigating
the world was possible.
• They discovered a large body of water on the side of the American
continent, which they named the Pacific Ocean.
• They found a strait that connected the at Atlantic and Pacific oceans and
called it the Strait of Magellan.
THANK YOU!