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- Herausgeber: 50Minutes.com
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Serie: History
- Sprache: Englisch
Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Ferdinand Magellan in next to no time with this concise guide.
50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of Ferdinand Magellan. In early modern Europe, maritime exploration was hugely important as different countries vied for control of the lucrative spice trade. In 1519, the Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail with a small fleet in search of a new route to the Indies. Although the fleet was decimated by fighting, illness and starvation, they eventually discovered this new route and completed the first ever circumnavigation of the globe.
In just 50 minutes you will:
• Learn about Magellan’s life and the maritime expeditions he took part in
• Analyse the scientific, political and economic consequences of his expedition around the world
• Understand the importance of maritime exploration and the spice trade in early modern Europe
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Seitenzahl: 30
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
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Ferdinand Magellan
Key information
Born: around 1480 in Sabrosa or Porto (Kingdom of Portugal).Died: 27 April 1521 on Mactan Island (the Philippines).Aim of the expedition: to reach the Moluccas (a group of islands, also known as the Spice Islands, in eastern Indonesia) via a westward route.Regions of the world explored:The mouth of the Río de la Plata.The Strait of Magellan.The Pacific Ocean.The Mariana Islands.The Philippines.The Moluccas.Famous discoveries:The Strait of Magellan.The fact that the Earth is round.Introduction
On 20 September 1519, 265 men under the command of the navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail on a journey that would revolutionise the way we see the world. In just under three years, they completed the first circumnavigation of the globe.
However, the real aim of their expedition was commercial. The men were trying to reach the Moluccas in the Far East, known for their significant spice production. Spices were an important source of wealth in this period: they were highly prized in Europe and made the men who traded them rich. Already an experienced sailor, Magellan intended to reach these islands and came up with the idea of opening a new westward maritime route which would go around America.
The journey was fraught with challenges: Magellan had to overcome storms at sea, false hopes, miscalculations, illnesses, starvation and mutinies, but he stood firm and continued his exploration. In the course of his journey, he discovered a previously unknown strait while sailing around America, successfully crossed the vast Pacific Ocean and finally reached the Far East from the west. When his expedition returned to Spain, it confirmed once and for all that the Earth is round and shook the very foundations of geographical knowledge, giving the world a new outlook.
Biography
Portrait of Magellan by Charles Legrand, around 1841.
First experiences at sea
Ferdinand Magellan (known as Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese) was a navigator and explorer who led the first circumnavigation of the globe. He was born in the north of Portugal (in Sabrosa or Porto) in around 1480 to a family from the lower Portuguese nobility. When he reached adulthood, he decided to embark on a maritime career. In 1505, he took part in the expedition of Francisco de Almeida (admiral and first viceroy of Portuguese India, c. 1450-1510), which allowed him to become familiar with the route to the Indies and the dangers of maritime voyages.
A few accidents and injuries did nothing to diminish his taste for adventure. In 1509 and 1511 he went to Malacca (now Melaka, Malaysia), where he bought a slave, Enrique (born around 1495). Shortly afterwards, he joined a fleet under Afonso de Albuquerque (the Portuguese governor in India, 1453-1515) and took part in the Portuguese expedition to defeat Malacca in order to reach the Moluccas. Although Magellan did not go to the Moluccas, his closest friend Francisco Serrão (died in 1521) did continue the journey and reach the islands. Once he was settled there, Serrão sent Magellan letters describing the islands’ abundant riches, such as spices. This correspondence provided fuel for the navigator’s grand plan.
