Journey to the Spices

The Journey of Spice straitofmg

Ferdinand Magellan was assigned 5 vessels by the Spanish King Charles I. The objective of hiis fleet Armada de Molucca was to find the East Indies, otherwise known as the Spice Islands, through the water routes from Atlantic and going west, supposedly sailing in the territory of Spain. In 1519, at the port of Sanlucar de Barramada of Spain, at the mouth of Guadalquivir River, they set sail towards the west, going around Africa, crossed the Atlantic towards South America. Magellan believed that there must be a strait in South America which would connect him to the Spice Islands.

Being a Portuguese by birth, but was commissioned by a Spanish king who distrusted him, Magellan had to endure several mutinines from his Spanish subordinates. He proved to be a tenacious and knowledgeable captain in handling his 260 men crew who came from several countries, and speaking severl languages.

The ships sailed around Brazil, with Magellan being convinced that there must be a waterway connection to the Far East. With persistence and determination throughout the winter and spring months, he kept sending out explorative ships to find his strait connection, at the expense of losing one ship Santiago. During April at Port San Julian, and continued through August same year, despite another mutiny, Magellan pressed on and finally by November 28, he found out where the mouth of the connection was. The next 38 days were spent amid icy cold waters and by the 39th day, they found the ocean connection from the strait. This strait was named Cape of Eleven Thousand Virgins by the crew, but later named Strait of Magellan in his honor. The ocean was the Pacific Ocean, and Magellan did succeed in proving to himself and to the world that water connected the world as one whole.

The Pacific Ocean was larger, much larger than Magellan had estimated. His 4 ships had to sail for the next 98 days before they reached Guam. In these 98 days, his food provisions ran out, causing his crew to suffer from scurvy due to lack of fresh fruit and resorting to eating leather hides, ropes and even rats. Many died during the journey and when they arrived the Philippines, they stayed a few months.

During this period, Magellan stayed at Cebu Island, befriended and converted a local king to Christianity. His friendship with King Humabon costed him his life, when other local native tribes banded against them. On April 27, 1521, during one of the fierce battles, Magellan was killed. His secretary Antonio Pigafetta stayed by him and recorded the entire event. Among the 4 remaining ships, the captain of San Antonio deserted the team and sailed back to Spain on its own. Its return with no spice led King Charles I to be furious of Magellan.. Tthe other 3 vessels continued their journey around the Philippine Islands and moving towards Indonesia. During then, the vessel Concepcion was burnt.

With only 2 ships left, Captain Juan Sebastian de Camo succeeded in arriving Tibore and there, a trading house was set up for the Spanish crew to trade their cloth, trinkets with cloves. Trinidad sank with leaking problems. The smallest of the 5 ships, Victoria, piloted by Captain Juan Sebastian, endured its own leakage and hardship sailing back to Spain by going round Cape of Good Hope. On September 6, 1522, with 18 men left all exhausted and sick, Victoria made it back to port of Sanlucar with a cargo of cloves. This one cargo made up for King Charles I all the expenses he put into the expedition. This journey was the longest ocean journey ever taken during the Age of Discovery in the 16th century.



		The Journey of Spice Ferdinand Magellan was assigned 5 vessels by the Spanish King Charles I. The objective of hiis fleet Armada de Molucca was to find the East Indies, otherwise known as the Spice Islands, through the water routes from Atlantic and going west, supposedly sailing in the territory of Spain. In 1519, at the port of Sanlucar de Barramada of Spain, at the mouth of Guadalquivir River, they set sail towards the west, going around Africa, crossed the Atlantic towards South America. Magellan believed that there must be a strait in South America which would connect him to the Spice Islands. Being a Portuguese by birth, but was commissioned by a Spanish king who distrusted him, Magellan had to endure several mutinines from his Spanish subordinates. He proved to be a tenacious and knowledgeable captain in handling his 260 men crew who came from several countries, and speaking severl languages. The ships sailed around Brazil, with Magellan being convinced that there must be a waterway connection to the Far East. With persistence and determination throughout the winter and spring months, he kept sending out explorative ships to find his strait connection, at the expense of losing one ship Santiago. During April at Port San Julian, and continued through August same year, despite another mutiny, Magellan pressed on and finally by November 28, he found out where the mouth of the connection was. The next 38 days were spent amid icy cold waters and by the 39th day, they found the ocean connection from the strait. This strait was named Cape of Eleven Thousand Virgins by the crew, but later named Strait of Magellan in his honor. The ocean was the Pacific Ocean, and Magellan did succeed in proving to himself and to the world that water connected the world as one whole. The Pacific Ocean was larger, much larger than Magellan had estimated. His 4 ships had to sail for the next 98 days before they reached Guam. In these 98 days, his food provisions ran out, causing his crew to suffer from scurvy due to lack of fresh fruit and resorting to eating leather hides, ropes and even rats. Many died during the journey and when they arrived the Philippines, they stayed a few months. During this period, Magellan stayed at Cebu Island, befriended and converted a local king to Christianity. His friendship with King Humabon costed him his life, when other local native tribes banded against them. On April 27, 1521, during one of the fierce battles, Magellan was killed. His secretary Antonio Pigafetta stayed by him and recorded the entire event. Among the 4 remaining ships, the captain of San Antonio deserted the team and sailed back to Spain on its own. Its return with no spice led King Charles I to be furious of Magellan.. Tthe other 3 vessels continued their journey around the Philippine Islands and moving towards Indonesia. During then, the vessel Concepcion was burnt. With only 2 ships left, Captain Juan Sebastian de Camo succeeded in arriving Tibore and there, a trading house was set up for the Spanish crew to trade their cloth, trinkets with cloves. Trinidad sank with leaking problems. The smallest of the 5 ships, Victoria, piloted by Captain Juan Sebastian, endured its own leakage and hardship sailing back to Spain by going round Cape of Good Hope. On September 6, 1522, with 18 men left all exhausted and sick, Victoria made it back to port of Sanlucar with a cargo of cloves. This one cargo made up for King Charles I all the expenses he put into the expedition. This journey was the longest ocean journey ever taken during the Age of Discovery in the 16th century.