The first trip around the world and other famous trips around the world. Circumnavigations and travel
Ferdinand Magellan is considered the first traveler to travel around the globe. However, he had no intention of becoming the first world traveler. His task was completely different - more mundane. And then all the glory from global discoveries did not go to him at all.
Idea author
The idea of the expedition that led to the discoveries was proposed by Ferdinand Magellan, who was born in 1470 and died in 1521. A nobleman by birth, he was born in Portugal, was a royal page. It is known that Magellan was well educated, engaged in cosmography, navigation and astronomy. His first voyage took place when Fernand was twenty years old: he participated in military battles. Magellan managed to suppress the uprising of the natives in Malacca, and then remained in the service in Africa. The false accusation stopped the career of a sea captain. The idea to go by ship to the west, proposed to the Portuguese king, was rejected.
In 1517, Magellan, with the approval of the King of Portugal, left for Spain, becoming her subject. He managed to convince King Charles V of the existence of a transition between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. If it were possible to find this strait, Spain would receive all the lands that are located to the west of the Canary Islands (at the behest of Pope Alexander VI).
A friend, the astronomer Ruy Falière, and also the aristocrat De Aranda, who offered to give him 20% of the profit that the expedition would bring, in exchange for supporting the project, helped to get the royal “good”. So the project of finding a way to the Spice Islands was accepted by the king. However, Faler managed to reduce De Aranda's stake to 8%.
When Magellan proposed the idea of his journey, the world already knew about Central and parts of South America, as well as about the ocean that stretches beyond them. The Isthmus of Panama has already been crossed. But then no one suspected that East and West could be connected by another path.
Magellan decided to find evidence that the location of the Spice Islands was in the New World, and not in Asia. This would mean that spicy wealth is the area of influence of Spain, and not Portugal, as was then believed.
Magellan did not think about a round-the-world trip. He was looking for a strait that could be in South America. He wanted to get to the Spice Islands, buy goods, bring them to Spain and make a profit.
Preparing for the expedition
Five ships set sail. There was enough money for their equipment. Many of the merchants of Europe decided to participate in the enterprise. They wanted to access the profitable spices directly, without the mediation of Portugal.
Despite attempts by the Portuguese authorities to thwart the expedition, as there was fear that it would actually succeed, the voyage took place.
The Portuguese ambassador to Spain, Alvaro da Costa, did everything possible to prevent Magellan from going on an expedition. He spread rumors about the impracticability of his idea. The fact that the Spaniards do not trust the captain, and only trouble can be expected from royal officials who will also participate in the voyage. Magellan was also told that the Portuguese king was waiting for him at home, where a favorable place was prepared for him.
Everything was in vain. Then the ambassador organized an attempt on Magellan, which failed. Alvaro da Costa continued his work: he arranged for the ships to be supplied with equipment and products of poor quality, he put up various obstacles. All this was not successful.
True, in Spain there were many dissatisfied that the expedition would be led by the Portuguese, who, in addition, would also receive a good jackpot: a fifth of the profits, a twentieth from the new discovered lands, and the right to own a third of the new islands.
This led to a mutiny on the flagship, when Magellan's personal standard flew over it: it strongly resembled the flag of Portugal. The rebellion was crushed, but concessions had to be made. There could be no more than five people from Portugal on the ship, and the standard was replaced.
The expedition went to sea on September 20, 1519. Throughout the journey, Magellan was pursued by conflicts with the Spaniards, who sailed with him.
The first happened to Captain Juan de Cartagena. He was outraged that Magellan decided to change the approved route in order to avoid meeting with the Portuguese. The admiral decided to go to Africa, and not to America, as planned.
Magellan and Cartagena even got into a fight. The Spaniard was stripped of his captain's position and transferred to passengers on another ship. This increased the authority of Magellan, but he had an angry enemy.
Atlantic Ocean
The way across the Atlantic Ocean was quite calm. It was here that Magellan first applied his own signaling system, with the help of which the ships were able to communicate with each other. This helped ships not to get lost in the ocean.
From the equator, the ships went to the Land of the Holy Cross, as Brazil was then called, and on December 13 they stopped in the bay of Santa Lucia. Now here is Rio de Janeiro. Having reached the coast of Brazil, the sailors found out that La Plata is the mouth of the river, and not the strait, as previously assumed.
rebellion
By the end of March 1520, Magellan decides to stop for the winter in the harbor of San Julian. The strait, which they had been looking for for so long, was very close, but the sailors were not yet aware of this.
I had to reduce my food intake. This was the reason for the organization of a new rebellion. The rebellion was led by officers from Spain. They succeeded in capturing three ships. One of the officers was killed for refusing to join the rebellion.
Magellan had to act decisively. Captured by cunning big ship and blocked the other two. The rebels had no choice but to surrender. The court sentenced the two main instigators (de Catagena and one priest) to leave in Argentina, on the rocks where the penguins lived. The fate of these people is unknown.
During the winter, one ship, a reconnaissance ship, was badly damaged and out of order. About thirty people died from scurvy and other diseases.
The captains on the ships were people whom Magellan trusted - immigrants from Portugal. At this time, five natives were taken prisoner by cunning, but they all died on the way to Europe.
Strait of Magellan
The ships left San Julian on the twenty-fourth of August. Having reached the Santa Cruz River, they stopped and spent almost two months here. Food supplies could be replenished.
The strait was found at the 52nd south parallel. Two ships sent out to reconnoiter found out that this was not a river. This meant that a new path to the East had been found.
It took thirty 38 days to cross the strait. It was difficult and required courage from the leader of the expedition and all its participants. All four remaining ships passed this way safely. But just before the very end of the strait, a riot began again on one of them. The ship was commanded by a Portuguese, and a native of Portugal, Gomes, also became the leader of the rebels. He said that this is the end of the world - and we must go back, otherwise everyone will die. The team arrested the captain and traveled back to Spain, where they were arrested. Magellan decided that the ship was lost in the strait: he was not aware of the rebellion.
Pacific Ocean
For about 15 thousand kilometers, the ships sailed through the vast expanses, not meeting a single island where people lived.
Food was running out. People even ate rats, which became a delicacy, and leather upholstery, which was removed from the masts and sides. Three months were very difficult.
However, in some ways the sailors were lucky: there were no storms along the way. This was the reason to call the new ocean the Pacific. He turned out to be much larger than Magellan thought before.
It was possible to stock up on food and water on the island of Guam. Here I had to fight a little with the locals, who were angry that they could not steal anything on the ships.
In April 1521, the expedition reached the Philippines. And here the slave of Magellan, who was born in Sumatra, managed to see people who spoke the same language as he did. This was another proof that the Earth is spherical.
Death of Magellan
In the Philippines, Magellan was unexpectedly supported by Arab merchants who persuaded the local population not to engage in battle with the sailors. Magellan convinced one ruler, Humabon, to become a Christian and a vassal of the king of Spain. Humabon soon complained that the neighboring rajah was being disobedient.
The sailors got involved in a battle that turned out to be difficult. The arrows of the natives hit the Spaniards exactly at the feet, and the bullets of the sailors could hardly penetrate their wooden shields. Magellan died in this battle. He was 41 years old.
After that, the sailors had to urgently leave the Philippines. Since there were few people left, they could not manage three ships. It was decided to burn the Conciepsin, setting off on two ships - the Victoria and the Trinidad.
Completion of the expedition
It was not easy for the squadron to get back. I had to dodge the Portuguese ships. The expedition reached the Moluccas of the Spice Islands, where they bought goods.
There were many battles, transitions, ships fell into storms. It was decided to disperse. "Victoria" went along the African continent, and "Trinidad" - along the Isthmus of Panama.
The first ship returned to Spain, and the second, unable to overcome the headwinds, went to the Moluccas. Off the African coast, the team had to fight the Portuguese, who had been waiting here since the expedition led by Magellan had just set off. The sailors were captured and sent to penal servitude in India.
"Victoria" was led by the Spaniard Juan Sebastian del Cano (Elcano). Once he took part in a rebellion against Magellan, but the admiral forgave him. Kano managed to navigate the ship for several months on rough seas, overcoming a lot of dangers. Upon returning to his homeland, he got all the glory and a good profit.
It turned out that the calendar of sailors from the Victoria was a day behind the Spanish one. Later, such a discrepancy was described in the novel by Jules Verne.
Expedition results
The result of this campaign was the opening of the western route to Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Islands, the coast of South America and the island of Guam, and the first trip around the world.
Spanish ambitions were satisfied. The country declared that the Marianas and Philippine Islands. The rights to the islands of the Moluccas were also presented.
It also became known for sure that the Earth is round, and most of it is covered with water. Before that, people believed that the main area of the planet is land.
Of the three hundred people who set sail with Magellan, only 18 returned home, then another 18 were released by the Portuguese from hard labor in India.
The money for the spices and the gold went to cover the expenses, but still the savers made a good profit. The royal Spanish court also received income.
Where Magellan was buried is unknown: his body remained with the natives. At that time, no one spoke of him as a discoverer and the first to travel around the Earth. On the contrary, he was accused of disobeying the royal will. Now the name of this person is the strait he discovered and two constellations - the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.
The discoveries of Russian travelers are amazing. Let's go in chronological order short descriptions seven most significant round-the-world trips of our compatriots.
The first Russian round-the-world trip - Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky's round-the-world expedition
Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern and Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky were combat Russian sailors: both in 1788-1790. participated in four battles against the Swedes. The voyage of Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky is the beginning of a new era in the history of Russian navigation. 
The expedition started from Kronstadt on July 26 (August 7), 1803 under the leadership of Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, who was 32 years old. The expedition included:
- Three-masted sloop Nadezhda. The total team size is 65 people. Commander - Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern.
- Three-masted sloop "Neva". The total number of the ship's crew is 54 people. Commander - Yury Fedorovich Lisyansky.
The sailors were all Russians - this was Kruzenshtern's condition
In July 1806, with a difference of two weeks, the Neva and Nadezhda returned to the Kronstadt raid, making the whole trip in 3 years 12 days. Both of these sailboats, like their captains, have become world famous. The first Russian round-the-world expedition was of great scientific importance on a world scale.
As a result of the expedition, many books were published, about two dozen geographical points were named after famous captains.
On the left is Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern. Right - Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky The description of the expedition was published under the title "Journey around the world in 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1806 on the ships Nadezhda and Neva, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Kruzenshtern", in 3 volumes, with an atlas of 104 maps and engraved paintings, and has been translated into English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian and Danish.
And now, answering the question: "Which of the Russians was the first to circumnavigate the world?", You can easily answer.
Discovery of Antarctica - round-the-world expedition of Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev
Aivazovsky's work "Ice Mountains in Antarctica", based on the memoirs of Admiral Lazarev In 1819, after a long and very thorough preparation, the southern polar expedition set off from Kronstadt on a long voyage, consisting of two sloops of war - Vostok and Mirny. The first was commanded by Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen, the second - by Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev. The crew of the ships consisted of experienced, seasoned sailors. There was a long journey to unknown countries. The expedition was given the task of how to fully penetrate further to the south in order to finally resolve the question of the existence of the southern mainland.
The expedition members spent 751 days at sea, covered more than 92 thousand kilometers. 29 islands and one coral reef have been discovered. The scientific materials she collected made it possible to form the first idea of Antarctica.
Russian sailors not only discovered a huge continent located around South Pole, but also carried out the most important research in the field of oceanography. This branch of spiders was just in its infancy at that time. F. F. Bellingshausen for the first time correctly explained the reasons causing sea currents(for example, Canaries), the origin of the Sargasso Sea algae, as well as coral islands in tropical areas.
The discoveries of the expedition turned out to be a major achievement of Russian and world geographical science of that time.
And so January 16 (28), 1820 is considered - opening day of Antarctica. Bellingshausen and Lazarev, despite dense ice and fogs, passed around Antarctica at latitudes from 60 ° to 70 ° and irrefutably proved the existence of land in the region of the south pole.
Strikingly, the proof of the existence of Antarctica was immediately recognized as an outstanding geographical discovery. However, later scientists argued for more than a hundred years what was discovered. Was it the mainland, or just a group of islands covered by a common ice cap? Bellingshausen himself never spoke about the discovery of the mainland. It was possible to finally confirm the continental character of Antarctica only in the middle of the 20th century as a result of lengthy studies using sophisticated technical means.
Cycling around the world
On August 10, 1913, the finish of the round-the-world bicycle race took place in Harbin, which was passed by a 25-year-old Russian athlete Onisim Petrovich Pankratov.
This journey lasted 2 years 18 days. Pankratov chose a rather difficult route. The countries of almost all of Europe were included in it. Leaving Harbin in July 1911, the courageous cyclist arrived in St. Petersburg at the end of autumn. Then his path ran through Koenigsberg, Switzerland, Italy, Serbia, Turkey, Greece and again through Turkey, Italy, France, Southern Spain, Portugal, Northern Spain and again through France.
The Swiss authorities considered Pankratov crazy. No one would dare to cycle through the snow-covered rocky passes, which are accessible only to experienced climbers. Overcoming the mountains for a cyclist cost no small effort. He crossed Italy, passed through Austria, and Serbia, and Greece and Turkey. He had to sleep just under the starry sky, from food he often had only water and bread, but he still did not stop the journey.
Crossing the Pas de Calais by ship, the athlete crossed England on a bicycle. Then, having also got to America on a ship, he again got on a bicycle and traveled the entire American mainland, adhering to the route New York ─ Chicago ─ San Francisco. And from there by ship to Japan. Then he crossed Japan and China on a bicycle, after which Pankratov reached the initial point of his grandiose route ─ Harbin.
On a bicycle, a distance of more than 50 thousand kilometers was covered. To make such a trip around the earth, Onesimus was offered by his father
Pankratov's round-the-world trip was called great by his contemporaries. The Gritsner bicycle helped him to circumnavigate the world, during the trip Onisim had to change 11 chains, 2 handlebars, 53 tires, 750 spokes, etc.
Around the Earth - the first space flight
At 9 o'clock. 7 min. Moscow time, the Vostok satellite took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Having made a flight around the globe, he returned safely to Earth after 108 minutes. On board the spacecraft was a major pilot-cosmonaut.
The weight of the spacecraft-satellite is 4725 kilograms (excluding the last stage of the launch vehicle), the total power of the rocket engines is 20 million horsepower.
The first flight took place in automatic mode, in which the astronaut was, as it were, a passenger of the ship. However, at any moment he could switch the ship to manual control. Throughout the flight, two-way radio communication was maintained with the astronaut.
In orbit, Gagarin conducted the simplest experiments: he drank, ate, made notes with a pencil. "Putting" the pencil next to him, he accidentally discovered that he instantly began to float away. From this, Gagarin concluded that it is better to tie pencils and other objects in space. He recorded all his feelings and observations on the on-board tape recorder.
After the successful completion of the planned research and the completion of the flight program at 10 o'clock. 55 min. Moscow time, the Vostok satellite made a safe landing in a given area of the Soviet Union - near the village of Smelovka, Ternovsky District, Saratov Region.
The first people who met the astronaut after the flight were the wife of a local forester Anna (Anikhayat) Takhtarova and her six-year-old granddaughter Rita. Soon the military from the division and local collective farmers arrived at the scene. One group of military men guarded the descent vehicle, while the other group took Gagarin to the location of the unit. From there, Gagarin reported by phone to the commander of the air defense division:
I ask you to tell the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force: I completed the task, landed in a given area, I feel good, there are no bruises or breakdowns. Gagarin
The charred descent module of Vostok-1 was covered with a cloth immediately after Gagarin's landing and taken to Podlipki, near Moscow, to the regime territory of the Royal Design Bureau-1. Later, it became the main exhibit in the museum of the rocket and space corporation Energia, which grew out of OKB-1. The museum was closed for a long time (it was possible to get into it, but it was rather difficult - only as part of a group, by prior letter), in May 2016 the Gagarin ship became publicly available, as part of the exhibition.
First round-the-world voyage of a submarine without surfacing
February 12, 1966 - a successful round-the-world cruise of two nuclear submarines of the Northern Fleet started. At the same time, our boats passed the entire route, the length of which exceeded the length of the equator, in a submerged position, not surfacing even in the little-studied regions of the Southern Hemisphere. The heroism and courage of the Soviet submariners were of outstanding nationwide importance and became a continuation of the combat traditions of the submariners of the Great Patriotic War.
25 thousand miles were covered and at the same time the highest degree of secrecy was shown, the duration of the voyage took 1.5 months
To participate in the campaign, two serial production submarines were allocated without any modifications. Project 675 K-116 missile boat and the second Project 627A K-133 boat with torpedo armament.
In addition to its enormous political significance, it was an impressive demonstration of the scientific and technological achievements and military power of the state. The campaign showed that the entire World Ocean has become a global launching pad for our nuclear submarines, armed with both cruise and ballistic missiles. At the same time, it opened up new opportunities for maneuvering forces between the Northern and Pacific Fleets. More broadly, it can be said that at the height of the Cold War, the historical role of our fleet was to change the strategic situation in the oceans, and Soviet submariners were the first to do this.
The first and only voyage in the history of solo circumnavigations, made on a pleasure dinghy 5.5 meters long
On July 7, 1992, Evgeny Alexandrovich Gvozdev on the Lena yacht (micro class, only 5.5 meters long) from Makhachkala set off on his first solo circumnavigation. On July 19, 1996, the journey was successfully completed (it was 4 years and two weeks). This set a world record - the first and only voyage in the history of single circumnavigation of the world, made on an ordinary pleasure dinghy. Evgeny Gvozdev set out on a long-awaited round-the-world trip when he was 58 years old.
Surprisingly, the ship did not have an auxiliary engine, walkie-talkie, autopilot and stove. But there was a coveted "sailor's passport", which the new Russian authorities issued to the yachtsman after a year of struggle. This document not only helped Yevgeny Gvozdev to cross the border in the direction he needed: in the future, Gvozdev traveled without money and without visas.
On his journey, our hero experienced a severe psychological shock after a collision with treacherous Somali "guerrillas" who robbed him cleanly at Cape Ras Hafun and almost shot him.
His entire first trip around the world can be summed up in one word: "contrary". The chance of survival was too small. Yevgeny Gvozdev himself sees the world differently: it is a world similar to a single brotherhood of kind people, a world of complete disinterestedness, a world without barriers to global circulation ...
On the hot-air balloon around the Earth - Fedor Konyukhov
Fedor Konyukhov was the first in the world to circle the Earth in a balloon (on the first attempt). A total of 29 attempts were made, and only three of them were successful. During the trip, Fedor Konyukhov set several world records, the main of which is the duration of the flight. The traveler managed to fly around the Earth in about 11 days, 5 hours and 31 minutes.
The balloon was a two-level design that combined the use of helium and solar energy. Its height is 60 meters. A gondola was attached below, equipped with the best technical devices, from where Konyukhov piloted the ship.
I thought that I committed so many sins that I would burn not in hell, but here
The journey took place under extreme conditions: the temperature dropped to -40 degrees, the balloon fell into a zone of strong turbulence with zero visibility, and a cyclone with hail and strong wind passed. Due to complex weather conditions equipment failed several times and Fedor had to manually troubleshoot.
During the 11 days of the flight, Fedor hardly slept. According to him, even a moment of relaxation could lead to irreversible consequences. In moments when it was no longer possible to fight sleep, he took a wrench and sat down over an iron plate. As soon as the eyes were closed, the hand let go of the key, which fell on the plate, making a noise, which caused the aeronaut to instantly wake up. At the end of the journey, he did this procedure regularly. He almost exploded at a great height when he mistakenly began to interfere with various types of gas. It's good that I managed to cut off the ignited balloon.
During the entire route, air traffic controllers from various airports around the world helped Konyukhov as best they could, clearing air space. So he flew Pacific Ocean in 92 hours, he crossed through Chile and Argentina, rounded the storm front over the Atlantic, passed the Cape of Good Hope and safely returned to Australia, from where he began his journey.
Fedor Konyukhov:
I flew around the Earth in 11 days, it is very small, it must be protected. We have no idea about this, we, people, are only at war. The world is so beautiful - explore it, learn
In 1519, in the month of August, five ships were sent from the harbor of Seville to the first round the world expedition. Equipped and approved her on the road Charles I - King of Spain. The journey was very difficult, the path lay through America to the southwest, the expedition kept the direction to the Moluccas. When have a good trip, Spain could get the rights to new open lands.
The flotilla moved along the South American continent for a very long time, it tried to find a way out "South Sea". At the southern end of the mainland, they discovered a deep bay. It was decided to sail on, the shores looked completely deserted, but suddenly several fires lit up in the darkness. For this reason Magellan gave the name to this country - "Land of Fire" and become its pioneer.
Going through Strait of Magellan(strait between Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia), the ships entered the Pacific Ocean.
Strait of Magellan
The sailors did not see the land for 3 months, the supplies of drinking water and provisions ran out. Scurvy and hunger began on deck. Sailors, in order to somehow satisfy their hunger, had to chew ox skin and eat ship rats. In total, the crew suffered losses of 21 people who died of exhaustion. Through many setbacks, travelers were able to reach the Philippine Islands and stocked up on water and food. Magellan was not very lucky, and he got involved in the internecine strife of local rulers. In battle with the natives, he was killed on April 27, 1521.
Three years later, only one was able to return from swimming The ship is the Victoria. Under the command of J. S. Elcano, he and the crew members completed the voyage in 1522. At home, they were met with triumph and honors, they were heroes who were participants in the world's first circumnavigation.
Voyage of Magellan
Who made the first trip around the world and what is the significance of Magellan's voyage?
This hero turned out to be a Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan.
1) He was able to prove the sphericity of the Earth with his swimming.
2) Magellan's expedition gave the whole world some idea of the relative sizes of sea and land on the globe.
3) Magellan proved that the greatest ocean stretched between Asia and America. Actually it was he who called him Quiet. He chose this name because in all 4 months of sailing he did not encounter a single storm.
4) He proved that there is only one on the planet single world ocean.
During the 15th century, the Pyrenean powers - Spain and Portugal - embarked on the path of wide overseas expansion. In both countries, the features of their internal development and geographical location determined the need and possibility of searching for new lands and new sea routes. In the social battles of the XV century. both in Portugal and in Spain, the feudal nobility was defeated in the struggle against the royal power, which relied on the cities. Both here and there, the processes of unifying the country took place under the conditions of the Reconquista - continuous external wars with the Moors, who, step by step, were forced to cede the lands of the Iberian Peninsula captured by them in the 8th century. In Portugal, these wars ended in the middle of the 13th century, in Spain - only at the end of the 15th century.
The Reconquista gave birth to chivalry, a class that lived and fed on the war and, as it ended, gradually lost its economic position.
When the last Moorish lands in the south of the peninsula were captured, the greedy and indefatigable in their desire for easy prey, the chivalry rushed in search of new sources of income. Both the young, not yet strong bourgeoisie, and the royal power were in dire need of them.
The situation that prevailed in the same XV century. in Western Asia and in the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, prevented the establishment of direct links between Western Europe and the richest countries of the Far and Middle East, to which the thoughts of profit seekers rushed. The Mongol Empire collapsed, and direct trade routes laid in the 13th century were closed. overland from Europe to China and Central Asia. The Turks established themselves on the Balkan Peninsula and in Asia Minor, who blocked the European merchants from the path leading through the main gate of the East - Byzantium. True, the southern road to India through Egypt and the Red Sea was still free, but all the transit trade that was conducted through Alexandria with South Asia was in the hands of the Venetians.
Finding new routes to the lands of the East - such was the task that was persistently sought to be solved in the 15th century. in all Western European countries, and primarily in Portugal and Spain, located on a peninsula that is far advanced into the waters of the Atlantic.
Random photos of nature 
News of the voyages of Columbus, Cabot, Vespucci, and Gama set off a fever of discovery in Europe. Rumors of gold, slaves, spices, pearls, expensive and rare woods, fat and fertile lands, rich cities of the Eastern Indies and the still unexplored opportunities of the Western Indies excite and excite seekers of profit who rush across the ocean in the hope of quick and easy enrichment. .
Now it is difficult for us to imagine what importance the Europeans of the 15th century attached to. cloves, pepper, nutmeg. These now mediocre goods until the appearance of the Portuguese in South-East Asia were delivered to Europe in an extremely complicated and long way: Arab merchants bought spices from small kings in the Moluccas, Celebes (Sulawesi), Timor, Java and resold their goods in Ormuz or Alexandria to the Venetians. Then, already on Venetian ships, spices were delivered to Italy, France, Spain, and the Venetians, who themselves bought pepper or cloves from the Arabs at a price three times higher than regular prices in the markets of Southeast Asia, they received huge profits from the sale. After all, the monopoly of the spice trade belonged to them undividedly. The news of the penetration of the Portuguese to the very source of fabulous wealth - the shores of the Moluccas, which bore the tempting name of the Spice Islands, aroused the feverish activity of Spanish profit-seekers. Spanish navigators believed that the Moluccas were located very close to Veragua. But the Spice Islands could only be reached if one could find a passage leading from Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea.
The Spaniards had no doubt that this passage would soon be opened. And as soon as this happens, the Castilian flotillas, following the western, and, as it seemed then, the shortest way, will reach the Moluccas and drive out the zealous Portuguese competitors from there. Therefore, at that time, in the 10s of the 16th century, both the organizers of new overseas enterprises and the greedy gold-loving freemen, ready to go to the ends of the world in search of prey, faced a task that required a quick and effective solution. It was necessary at all costs to find a passage to the South Sea and, following them, get to the Spice Islands and drive out the Portuguese from there. However, the coveted Spice Islands were still out of reach for the Spaniards. The implementation of the plans of Vespucci, Solis and unknown Portuguese navigators fell to the lot of Ferdinand Magellan.
This little man with a stiff beard and cold, prickly eyes, dry, restrained and silent, personifies the harsh and stormy era of great overseas enterprises, an era when people crossed unknown seas in search of gold and spices and, at every step, risking their lives, overcoming immense difficulties. , conquered, dooming to hunger and ruin, the lands they discovered.
Fernando Magellan
Fernando Magellan, or in Portuguese Fernand de Magalhos, was born in Portugal, in the small village of Saboroja, in the province of Trazos-Montes, around 1480. Magellan came from a noble family and, like all young hidalgos of that time, spent his youth at the court of King Manuel as a page. No information has been preserved about this period of Magellan's life, but one must think that Magellan's energetic and enterprising nature could not be satisfied with secular life at the royal court. Be that as it may, but Magellan left the court service at the age of twenty and became an officer in the detachment of Francisco Almeida, who went to India as governor. In 1505 he took part in the Portuguese expedition to East Africa.
It is not known how long Magellan spent in Africa, it is only known that in 1508 he was already in Portugal, where at that time an expedition was being equipped for new discoveries in the Malay Archipelago. The leadership of this expedition was entrusted to Diogo Lopis da Sequeira, who accepted Magellan as one of his companions. Together with Sequeira, Magellan visited the city of Malacca, which at that time was the center of international trade in the east. In this city, which lay on the very border of countries unknown to Europeans, from where expensive spices were brought, Magellan carefully tried to find out where cloves, nutmegs, camphor, pepper and cinnamon were brought from.
Almost being captured by the Malays, Magellan and da Sequeira were forced to hastily withdraw with their ships from Malacca to Kannanur, where the Portuguese already dominated. Here Magellan met Alphonse d'Albuquerque, Viceroy of India. Together with d'Albuquerque, Magellan participated in the conquest of the city of Goa, in the establishment of Portuguese rule on the Malabar coast, and in the expedition of d'Albuquerque to Malacca.
Thanks to the study of geographical issues, Magellan had a plan to reach the rich islands of spices, following not the usual route, past Africa and India, but across the western Atlantic Ocean, bypassing the mainland of South America. Magellan, recognizing the sphericity of the earth, assumed that the western path would be straighter and, therefore, shorter than the eastern one. This idea of a western route to the shores of Asia is known to have been the idea of Columbus. Magellan spoke of his plan to the Lisbon cosmographer Rui Faleiro, who approved the plan and advised Magellan to approach King Manuel.
However, the king rejected Magellan's proposal. Then Magellan left Portugal and moved to Spain. On October 20, 1517, he arrived in Seville, where at that time his acquaintance, the Portuguese sailor Diogo Barbosa, lived. Soon, Barbosa filed a petition with the Spanish government to assist Magellan in the implementation of his plan. To this end, a special commission was established to review the Magellan project.
In the commission, Magellan proposed “to find a new way to India and to the islands of spices” and argued that the islands of spices - this pearl of India - are, according to the division of the world made by the pope between Spain and Portugal, within the Spanish possessions.
But the commission rejected Magellan's proposal and declared it unfeasible, so the members of the commission assumed that the American mainland, like a barrier, stretches from one pole to the other and therefore there is no passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea. Fortunately for Magellan, among the members of the commission was a certain Juan de Aranda, who alone appreciated the full significance of the Magellan project and became interested in it. Juan de Aranda got to know Magellan better and secured an audience with the king for him.
The king took Magellan's proposal seriously; Magellan's proposal was again discussed at the council of ministers, and the king agreed to help him; he only demanded that Magellan mark his path more precisely, since the Spaniards had already explored the coast of the mainland of South America at a great distance to the south and had not found a passage anywhere. Magellan replied that he was thinking of looking for a passage to the South Sea far from the equator.
During his voyages around Africa, Magellan drew attention to the fact that this mainland is somewhat pointed to the south; in the same way, the studies of the Spanish sailors on the coast of Brazil found that the coast of South America goes southwest beyond Cape Augustine. Comparing these two facts, Magellan came to the conclusion that the mainland of America, like Africa, ends in a wedge in the southern hemisphere and, therefore, in the south of America there is a passage to the South Sea. This assumption of Magellan is absolutely correct, but he, nevertheless, was not destined to go around the mainland of America, he did not reach the extreme tip of this mainland, and, although he penetrated the Great Ocean, but not in the way he expected.
Magellan's plan was accepted by the king, and Magellan was appointed admiral and commander of an expedition consisting of five ships and 265 crew members.
In July 1519, all preparations for the departure were completed. After a solemn ceremony of swearing allegiance to the Spanish king, Magellan received the royal standard, and on the morning of August 10, the expedition left Seville. Having replenished their supplies in the harbor of Sanlucar de Barrameda, on September 10, Magellan's squadron, with a favorable southeast wind, entered the open ocean. Magellan himself commanded the ship "Trinidad", the captain of the second ship "Santo Antonio" was Juan de Cartagena; these ships were followed by the caravels "Concepcion" with captain Gaspar de Quesada, "Victoria" under the command of the royal treasurer Luis de Mendoza and, finally, a small ship "Sant Yago" with helmsman João Serran. Among the companions on Magellan's ship were the Portuguese Duarte Barbosa and the Italian Antonio Pifaghetta, the future historian of this first round-the-world trip.
When the squadron passed Canary Islands, Magellan, without consulting with his comrades, somewhat changed course; the captain of the ship "Santo Antonio" - Juan de Cartagena, considering himself equal in power to Magellan, protested against this and pointed out to Magellan that he was deviating from royal instructions. This was the beginning of disagreements between Magellan and Juan de Cartagena. Cartagena began to incite against Magellan and other officers; then Magellan, having invited Juan de Cartagena and other officers to his ship for a meeting, ordered the arrest of Juan de Cartagena and put him in chains. On November 29, the shores of South America appeared ahead of the coast of South America - Cape Augustine, and on December 13, following the coast of Brazil, Magellan's squadron reached the bay of Rio de Janeiro. Soon, Magellan's ships entered areas completely unexplored until that time. Stopping sometimes near the coast, the Spaniards entered into trade relations with the natives and exchanged fruits and various food supplies for various trinkets and small things.
Describing the natives of Brazil, Pythaghetta says that “the Brazilians are not Christians, but they are not idolaters either, since they worship nothing; natural instinct is their only law. They go completely naked and sleep on cotton nets called hammocks and tied to two trees. They sometimes eat human flesh, killing only captives and people of a foreign tribe for this.
The natives of this region were tall, broad-faced, red-skinned, with bleached hair, they were shod in wide fur boots, for which the Spaniards called them "Patagonians", that is, big-footed.
Anticipating that the wintering would be long, and taking into account that there were very few food supplies in the country of the Patagonians, Magellan ordered food to be given to the crew in portions. This measure increased the discontent among the sailors, and several officers who stood on the side of Juan de Cartagena decided to start a riot. They talked. That further sailing to the south is madness, since the strait from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great in all probability does not exist. But Magellan did not want to hear about returning back. Meanwhile, the unrest became more and more serious. The dissatisfied freed Juan de Cartagena and took possession of two ships; soon the captain of the third ship, the Victoria, joined the rebels. The rebels announced to Magellan that he should return to Spain, in case of refusal, they threatened to resort to arms.
Magellan decided to suppress the rebellion with harsh measures. He sent his devoted Genzalo Gomez Espinosa to the ship "Victoria" with orders to the captain to report immediately. The captain of the Victoria, Luis Mendoza, considering himself completely safe, listened to Magellan's order with a sneer and flatly refused to go to him. Then Espinosa suddenly drew a small dagger and struck Mendoza in the neck, another Spaniard, who arrived with Espinoza, struck a second blow to Mendoza, and Mendoza fell dead on the deck of the ship. A struggle ensued, but Magellan, who was following her from his ship, immediately sent boats with soldiers to the Victoria, and soon a signal flag raised on the mast of the Victoria informed Magellan of the victory.
Thus, the plans of the enemy were dealt a blow. Struck by the energy and determination of Magellan, Juan Cartagena and his comrades decided to secretly sail to Spain. But the next day, Magellan's ships, which took up position at the entrance to the harbor, cut off their path. An attempt to break through under the cover of night ended unsuccessfully, and soon the captains of both ships - Quesada and Cartagena - were already prisoners of Magellan. Magellan decided to severely punish the rebels. Court-martialed, they were sentenced to death. “The conspirators were the superintendent of the fleet Juan de Cartagena, the treasurer Luis de Mendoza, the accountant Antonio de Coca and Gaspar de Quesada. The plot was discovered, and the caretaker was quartered, and the treasurer died from dagger blows. A few days after this, Gaspar de Quesada, along with one clergyman, was exiled to Patagonia. The captain-general did not want to kill him, since the emperor don Karl himself appointed him captain.
In the harbor of San Julian, Magellan's squadron stood all winter. After waiting for the stormy time to pass and spring comes, Magellan set off further south. Magellan announced to his companions that he would sail south to 75 degrees south latitude, and only after making sure that the strait did not exist, he would turn back to the east. On October 21, Magellan's flotilla reached the cape, which was named Cape Virgenes, in honor of the corresponding holiday of the Catholic Church, which coincided with this day.
Having reached this point and seeing the bay jutting out into the mainland in front of him, Magellan had no idea that he was in front of the entrance to the desired strait. The next day he sent two ships to explore the bay, but the ships returned before reaching the end of the bay. Then Magellan decided that this was the strait he was looking for, and therefore gave the order to the entire squadron to go into the strait. The ships moved forward carefully, exploring the path through the labyrinth of side straits, bays and coves.
Both banks were deserted. At night on south coast in different places on the tops of the mountains, numerous lights were visible, which is why Magellan called this country - Tierra del Fuego.
Strait of Magellan and access to the Pacific Ocean
After a twenty-two-day voyage along the strait, sometimes expanding to four or more miles, sometimes narrowing to one mile, Magellan's flotilla safely got to the other end of the strait. While wandering the strait, one ship, the Santo Antonio, escaped and its captain returned to Spain. Magellan, after searching for this ship for several days, decided to continue his journey further and finally saw another boundless ocean in front of him.
The first cape, which ended the strait, Magellan called Cape Deseado (desirable), "because - says Pigafetta - we have long sought to see it." November 27 "Victoria", walking ahead of other ships, the first reached the exit to the open ocean, where the coast of the American mainland turned sharply to the north. The cape, which ended the strait, the Spaniards named after their ship "Victoria".
One can imagine the general joy when the sailors saw a new ocean before them. From now on new road to the Far East was discovered and Magellan's assumptions were confirmed. The strait, through which Magellan first passed, received the name from the Spaniards of the Strait of All Saints, since on this day the ships of Magellan entered this strait for the first time; subsequent generations, however, did not recognize this name and gave it the name of Magellan, by which it is known today.
Persecuted fair wind Magellan's ships headed north along West Bank South America. Magellan wanted to rise to warmer latitudes, in order to then head west again. On January 27, Magellan reached 16 degrees south latitude and turned west here. Soon the coast of the American mainland disappeared from sight, and the ships found themselves in the middle of a completely unknown boundless water desert of the ocean. Magellan gave the name to this new Pacific Ocean, since, compared with the Atlantic, here Magellan met less storms.
The ocean voyage lasted for four whole months and was accompanied by incredible hardships. There were almost no food supplies, fresh water was all spoiled and the sailors were forced to eat rotten crackers and rats. Pigafetta, describing the misfortunes of his comrades, says: “For three months and twenty days we were completely deprived of fresh food. We ate rusks, but they were no longer rusks, but rusk dust mixed with worms that ate the best rusks. She smelled strongly of rat urine. We drank yellow water that had been rotting for days. We also ate the cowhide that covered the grey, so that the shrouds would not fray; from the action of the sun, rain and wind, it became incredibly hard. We soaked her in sea water for four or five days, after which they put it on hot coals for several minutes and ate it. We often ate sawdust. Rats were sold for half a ducat a piece, but even at that price they were impossible to get.
However, worse than all these troubles was this one. Some of the crew had their upper and lower gums swollen to such an extent that they were unable to take any food, and as a result they died. Nineteen people died from this disease, including a giant, as well as an Indian from the Verzin country. Of the thirty crew members, twenty-five fell ill, some with their feet, some with their hands, some who experienced pain in other places, very few remained healthy. I, thank the Lord, have not experienced any ailment.”
In the midst of such disasters and hardships, sailors sailed to no one knows where, and this killed their energy even more. During the three months of sailing in the Pacific, 19 people died and about 13 were sick. Everyone considered themselves doomed to death. Between there in the ocean there was not a single island. Only in one place in the ocean did the sailors see two islands, but they did not find anything on them that could support their forces. Magellan called these islands Unfortunate.
On March 16, west of the Vorovsky Islands, Magellan discovered another new island covered with luxurious tropical vegetation. Here Magellan decided to rest his exhausted crew and set up two tents for the sick on the shore. Soon the natives came ashore, bringing with them bananas, palm wine, coconuts and fish. The Spaniards traded all these products for mirrors, scallops, rattles and other small things. This island, named by Magellan Samar, was one of the many islands that form an entire archipelago. Magellan called this archipelago the San Lazaro Archipelago, but later this group of islands became known as the Philippine Islands, in honor of King Philip II of Spain.
A favorable reception from the natives, gold and other valuables found on the islands by the Spaniards - all this taken together distracted Magellan for a while from his original goal - reaching the Moluccas. Magellan set about exploring these islands and on the night of March 27, approaching one island, he met a Malay on a boat. The Malay translator who was with Magellan learned that on some islands the inhabitants speak the Malay dialect.
The Malay promised Magellan to bring the raja of this island to the ships, and, indeed, the next day he appeared to Magellan, accompanied by eight close raja Massawa. He brought gifts to Magellan, instead of which he received a caftan made of red cloth, tailored in an oriental way, a cap of bright red color; knives and mirrors were distributed to his associates. Magellan showed the Raja firearms and cannons, the shots from which greatly frightened him.
“Then the captain-general ordered one of ours to put on full armor, and three others, armed with swords and daggers, to strike him all over the body. The ruler was utterly amazed by this spectacle. At the same time, the captain-general told him through a slave that one man armed in this way could fight against a hundred of his own people. To which the ruler replied that he was convinced of this with his own eyes. The captain-general stated that each of the ships had two hundred men armed in the same way. He showed him cuirasses, swords, shields, and how to use them, ”writes Pigafetta.
At parting, the rajah asked Magellan to send several people with him to see the treasures of the rajah and his dwelling. Magellan released Pigafetta with the Raja, who was given a very good reception. The Raja told him that he found on his island pieces of gold the size of a nut or even an egg; all bowls and some household utensils of the Raja were made of gold. He was dressed, according to the custom of the country, very neatly and had a handsome appearance. His black hair fell over his shoulders; the silk coverlet descended in beautiful folds; he was perfumed with styrax and aloes; in his ears he had large gold earrings, and his face and hands were painted with different colors.
On the first day of the Easter holiday, the fleet set sail and sailed for the island of Cebu, where, as the natives reported, food supplies could be found in abundance. Together with Magellan, he expressed a desire to visit Cebu and Raja Massawa, who was ready to serve Magellan as an interpreter.
When the flotilla arrived on the island of Cebu, Magellan sent one of his officers to the local rajah. The envoy of Magellan, when asked by the Raja what kind of people they were, said: “We are in the service of the greatest king on earth, and this king sent us to the Moluccas to establish trade relations.”
The Raja received the officer amiably, but told him that if they intended to trade on his island, they must first pay the duties to which all ships coming to Cebu are subject.
The Spaniard objected that his master was too great a monarch to submit to such requirements; the officer added that they came here with peaceful intentions, but if they want to make war with them, then they will talk differently.
A Moorish merchant who was at the court of the Raja confirmed the words of the officer about the power of the Spanish king, and after negotiations, the Raja gave the Spaniards the exclusive right to trade on the island, and he himself went to Magellan on the shore.
After this meeting, the natives began to bring food to the Spaniards in abundance, and relations between the natives and the Spaniards became extremely friendly. The Raja and many of the natives even converted to Christianity.
Not far from the island of Cebu was another island, Mactan, whose raja, who had previously recognized the supremacy of the raja of Cebu, for some time did not want to pay tribute to him. When the Raja of Cebu Island told Magellan about this, Magellan decided to render a service to the new vassal of Spain and at the same time show the natives the superiority of weapons and the military art of Europeans. He invited the Raja to go to Mactan and punish the indignant Raja. On April 26, three boats, on which 60 soldiers fit, and about thirty native boats, on which were the Raja of Cebu, his nephew and many soldiers, set off for the island of Mactan.
Speaking about this campaign, Pigafetta writes: “Then the captain formed us into two detachments, and the battle began. Musketeers and archers fired from a distance for about half an hour, but to no avail, since bullets and arrows pierced only their shields, made of thin wooden planks, and their arms. The captain shouted: “Stop firing! Stop shooting!" - but no one paid attention to his cries. When the natives were convinced that our shooting was not reaching the target, they began to shout that they would hold on steadfastly, and resumed shouting with even greater force. During our shooting, the natives did not stay in one place, but ran here and there, hiding behind their shields. They showered us with so many arrows and hurled so many spears towards the captain (some of the spears were iron-tipped), and fire-hardened stakes, and stones and earth, that we were hardly able to defend ourselves. Seeing this, the captain sent out several men with orders to burn down their houses in order to act on them with fear. The sight of the houses being burned infuriated them even more. Two of ours were killed near the houses, while we burned twenty to thirty houses. We were attacked by such a number of natives that they managed to wound the captain in the leg with a poisoned arrow. As a result, he gave the order to slowly retreat, but ours, with the exception of six or eight people who remained with the captain, immediately turned to flight. The natives only shot at our feet because we were not shod. And so great was the number of spears and stones they threw at us that we were unable to resist. The guns from our ships could not help us, as they were too far away. We continued to retreat and, being at a distance of a shot from the shore, continued to fight, standing knee-deep in the water. The natives continued the pursuit, and, picking up four or six times the same spear from the ground, they threw them at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many people attacked him that twice his helmet was knocked off his head, but still he continued to stand firm, as befits a glorious knight, along with others standing next to him. So we fought for more than an hour, refusing to retreat any further. One Indian threw a bamboo spear right into the captain's face, but the latter immediately killed him with his spear stuck in the Indian's body. Then, trying to draw his sword, he drew it only halfway, as he was wounded in the arm by a bamboo spear. Seeing this, all the natives attacked him. One of them wounded him in the left leg with a large cleaver similar to a Turkish broadsword, but even wider. The captain fell face down, and immediately they threw iron and bamboo spears at him and began to strike with cleavers until they destroyed our mirror, our light, our joy and our true leader. He kept looking back to see if we all had time to get on the boats.”
Magellan was killed on April 27, 1521 at the age of 41. Although he never reached the goal of his journey - the Moluccas - he went through the most difficult part of the journey, opened the strait at the southern tip of America and was the first to cross the greatest ocean on earth.
Further journey of the expedition after the death of Magellan
Having recovered from the defeat, the Spaniards made an attempt to get the body of Magellan from the natives for a large ransom, but the natives refused. They wanted to have the trophy of their victory. After this ill-fated expedition, the surviving Spaniards returned to the island of Cebu, but here, too, the mood of the previously friendly Indians changed dramatically. A Malay, Magellan's slave, who served as his translator, considering himself free after Magellan's death, fled from the ship and told the Raja of Cebu that the Spaniards had plotted against the Raja. The Raja believed him, and invited Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrano, who, after the death of Magellan, became the heads of the expedition. Suspecting nothing, the Spaniards, including 26 people, went ashore and arrived at the Raja's court. But as soon as they entered the premises of the rajah, they were surrounded by a detachment of armed Indians and attacked them. Any resistance was useless. All Spaniards except Juan Serrano were killed. When the ships learned the sad news that had befallen their comrades, they immediately approached the shore and opened heavy fire from cannons at the village. In vain, wounded Serrano, whom the natives brought to the shore, begged to stop firing and ransom him from the enemies. The Portuguese Carvalho, who took command of the expedition, did not dare to risk other people and hastened to move away from the island, since it could be expected that the Indians would sail in their canoes to the ships and could harm the flotilla. The unfortunate Serrano was left to fend for himself in the hands of the Indians, who probably killed him.
Carvalho, meanwhile, sent his ships to the neighboring island of Bohol. Here the Spaniards were convinced that the total number of participants in the expedition was not enough to manage three ships, as a result of which it was decided to burn one ship, the oldest Concepsion, to burn it, removing everything of value from it. On the neighboring islands the Spaniards sought out guides who promised to lead them to the Moluccas. Indeed, after a short voyage on November 6, the Spaniards saw 4 islands on the horizon. The Indian guide announced that this was the Moluccas. “We,” Pigafetta writes, “as a sign of our joy, fired a volley from all the cannons. Our joy at the sight of these islands will not seem surprising to anyone, for for almost 26 months we have sailed the oceans, visited many islands, constantly looking for the Moluccas.
Soon the ships landed on an island, where the Spaniards found spices in abundance. Having loaded the ships with spices and stocked up on food supplies, the Spaniards stood for some time, and then headed for the island of Borneo, which at that time was the center of the Malay civilization. Rajah Borneo islands gave the Spaniards a magnificent reception: he sent two richly decorated elephants and a guard of honor for the officers. The Spaniards, arriving at the palace, were greeted very cordially by the Raja himself, who inquired about the purpose of their journey. The Raja promised to help the Spaniards and provide them with provisions. He released the Spaniards to the ships, assuring them of his friendship. However, on July 29, more than a hundred pirogues surrounded both Spanish ships, apparently intending to attack them. Fearing an attack, the Spaniards decided to warn him and fired a volley from all the artillery at the pirogues, on which many people were killed. The Raja then sent his apology to the Spaniards, explaining that the pirogues did not come out against the Spaniards at all, but against the pagans with whom the Muslims were at war.
Leaving Borneo, the Spaniards landed on another island, more deserted. Here they decided to repair their ships, which were in need of repair. The Spaniards spent more than forty days repairing the ships. Pigafetta at that time was studying the vegetation of the island. On this island, in addition to the usual southern trees, Pigafetta was struck by extraordinary trees from which "animate leaves" fall. “We also found trees, the leaves of which, falling, come to life, even move. They look like mulberry leaves, but not as long. On both sides of the short and pointed petiole they have two legs. They have no blood, but one has only to touch them, as they immediately slip away. One of them I kept for nine days in a box. When I opened it, the sheet moved inside the box. I believe that these leaves live on air alone.
Having repaired their ships, the Spaniards moved on. They passed the Sulu archipelago, a hangout for Malay pirates, then visited the island of Mindanao. From here they decided to continue their journey across the ocean in order to return to their homeland as soon as possible, since the ships, despite the extensive repairs made, were destroyed more and more every day. As soon as the flotilla passed Mindanao and headed west, a leak formed on the Trinidad ship, and further navigation on it became impossible. As a result, the squadron landed on one island, where it was decided to make repairs. It was the island of Timor. Here the Spaniards were hospitably greeted by Raja Mansor, who, after repeated conversations with the Spaniards, expressed his desire to be under the patronage of the Spanish king.
The Raja's possessions consisted of several islands that were part of the Moluccan archipelago group. Pigafetta, describing these islands, admired the valuable plants that grow in abundance on these islands. The sago tree, mulberry, clove, nutmeg tree, pepper, camphor tree and other spice trees grow here. There are also whole forests of valuable ebony here.
Arriving at Timor, Carvalho convened a council at which it was decided to leave the Trinidad on Timor to be repaired, and the Victoria, with a cargo of spices under the command of Juan Sebastian de Elcano, immediately send to Spain. 53 Spaniards and 30 Indians went to the Victoria, and 54 Spaniards remained on the Trinidad. Then "Victoria" went to the southwest, to the island of Soude, or Xule. 10 miles away, the Victoria landed on the island of Buru, where she stocked up on provisions. Then, the Victoria landed at the island of Solora, whose inhabitants carried on a large trade in white sandalwood. Here the ship stood for 15 days and the ship was repaired, and Juan Sebastian de Elcano also exchanged a lot of wax and pepper. After that, visiting Timor again, he headed to the island of Java.
After leaving Java, the Victoria rounded the Malay Peninsula, carefully avoiding the Portuguese ships. May 6 "Victoria" rounded the cape Good Hope, and travelers could hope for a successful outcome of the trip. However, the sailors still had to endure many misfortunes. Food supplies were practically exhausted, all the crew's food consisted only of rice and water.
On July 9, the Victoria reached the Cape Verde Islands, the crew was literally dying of hunger, and de Elcano decided to land near the island of Boavista. Speaking of his arrival at Boavista, Pigafetta cites the following fact in his diary: “Wanting to know whether our diary was regularly kept, I ordered to ask on the shore what day of the week it was. They replied Thursday. This surprised me, because according to my notes, we only had Wednesday. It seemed impossible to us that we were all wrong for one day. I was surprised by this more than others, since I always kept my journal very regularly and noted, without missing, all the days of the week and the day of the month. Subsequently, we learned that there was no mistake in our account: sailing constantly to the west, we followed the movement of the sun, and, returning to the same place, we had to win 24 hours compared to those who remained in place.
On September 6, 1522, the Victoria entered the harbor of Sanlúcar de Barrameda safely. Of the 265 people who went to sea on September 20, 1519, only 18 people returned to the Victoria, but they were all sick and exhausted. Two days later, the Victoria arrived in Seville.
Conclusion
In the three years that have passed since Magellan's expedition set sail, much has changed in Spain. Mexico was discovered and conquered, and new sources of profit were thus found in that part of the world where the Spaniards had no need to fear Portuguese competition. Spain's foreign policy has also changed significantly. Charles V was guided in his policy by great-power imperial interests to a much greater extent than by the interests of Spain. A series of bloody and exhausting wars for hegemony in Europe began, and Spain was drawn into these wars. Nobility and chivalry were enriched in the military enterprises of Charles V; at the same time, booty was obtained not by robbing distant and inaccessible lands, but by ruining neighboring countries - Italy and Flanders, on the fields of which there was a continuous war with the French.
Finally, significant events took place in the internal life of Spain. In 1521 - 1522 an uprising of urban communities (comuneros) was suppressed, and on the ashes of urban freedoms, the nobility celebrated a bloody feast. The victory over the cities heralded the advent of the era of feudal reaction and dealt a crushing blow to the not yet strong bourgeois class, which was being formed in the depths of the Spanish city.
Therefore, the news of the opening of the strait leading to the South Sea, and the news that the Spanish ships reached the Spice Islands, did not arouse the interest of either the king's advisers or all kinds of money-seekers.
From a geographical point of view, the significance of this first round-the-world trip was enormous. It was a turning point that separates the ancient period in the field of geography from the new era. Before Magellan, the sphericity of the Earth, although theoretically recognized by scientists, was nevertheless the doctrine of the sphericity of the Earth was just a mental construction. The return of the ship "Victoria", which set off to the west, from the east was the strongest argument in the system of evidence that the Earth is a large ball. The journey of Magellan and de Elcano thus contributed to the spread and strengthening in the minds of people of a somewhat strange idea for the human mind about the sphericity of the Earth. No preconceived opinion could resist the convincing force of the fact, and the voyage of the Victoria dealt another powerful blow to the old cosmographic ideas.
The fact that the Earth is a huge ball, freely hanging in space, had a huge impact on all human thinking, immense horizons immediately opened up before the human mind, and a new question involuntarily arose before man: if our Earth is a ball, and, therefore, is the same celestial body as the Sun and the Moon, then maybe it does not stand still, but revolves around the Sun along with other planets? This idea was tried to substantiate and prove by the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who published his famous book on the revolution of the Earth in 1548, that is, twenty-one years after the return of Juan Sebastian de Elcano from the world tour.
The crews included: 1) commanders, 2) crown officials and priests, 3) junior commanders, which included ship's carpenters, boatswains, caulkers, coopers and scorers, 4) sailors marineros-sailors of the first article and grametes-deck sailors and cabin boys, 5) supernumerary-sobresalientes-people who did not have certain duties on ships, and soldiers (Antonio Pigafetta is also among the spares), 6) servants of commanders and officials.
According to their national composition, the crew was very motley. It consisted of: 37 Portuguese, 30 or more Italians, 19 French, not counting the Spaniards, Flemings, Germans, Sicilians, English, Malays, Negroes, Moors, natives of Madeira, Azores and Canary Islands.
“Fernando Magellan sought to ensure that other rulers, the neighbors of this one, obeyed this ruler, who became a Christian, but they refused to obey him. In view of this, Fernando Magellan set out one night in his boats and set fire to the settlements of those who refused to submit. 10-12 days after that, he ordered the settlement, located at a distance of half a league from the settlement he burned and called Mactan, also located on the island, to send him three goats, three pigs, three measures of rice and three measures of millet. In response, they declared that instead of the three pieces of each item he demanded, they were ready to give him two and that if he agreed to this, they would immediately fulfill everything, but if not, then as he pleased, they would give nothing more. . In view of the fact that they refused to give him what he demanded of them, Fernando Magellan gave the order to equip three boats with a crew of 50-60 people and marched against this village on April 28 in the morning. They were met by many people, about three or four thousand people, who fought with such tenacity that Fernando Magellan and six people who were with him were killed in 1521.
A week tour, one-day hiking trips and excursions combined with comfort (trekking) in the mountain resort of Khadzhokh (Adygea, Krasnodar region). Tourists live at the camp site and visit numerous natural monuments. Rufabgo Waterfalls, Lago-Naki Plateau, Meshoko Gorge, Big Azish Cave, Belaya River Canyon, Guam Gorge.
June 1st, 2018
Ask anyone, and he will tell you that the first person to circumnavigate the world was the Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who died on Mactan Island (Philippines) during an armed skirmish with the natives (1521). The same is written in history books. Actually, this is a myth. After all, it turns out that one excludes the other.
Magellan managed to go only half way.
Primus circumdedisti me (you were the first to bypass me)- reads the Latin inscription on the emblem of Juan Sebastian Elcano crowned with a globe. Indeed, Elcano was the first person to commit circumnavigation.
The San Telmo Museum in San Sebastian houses Salaverria's painting "The Return of the Victoria". Eighteen emaciated people in white shrouds, with lighted candles in their hands, staggering down the ladder from the ship to the embankment of Seville. These are sailors from the only ship that returned to Spain from the entire flotilla of Magellan. In front is their captain, Juan Sebastian Elcano.
Much in the biography of Elcano has not yet been clarified. Oddly enough, the man who circumnavigated the globe for the first time did not attract the attention of artists and historians of his time. There is not even a reliable portrait of him, and of the documents written by him, only letters to the king, petitions and a will have survived.
Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1486 in Getaria, a small port town in the Basque Country, not far from San Sebastian. He early connected his own fate with the sea, making a "career" not uncommon for an enterprising person of that time - first changing his job as a fisherman to a smuggler, and later enrolling in the navy to avoid punishment for his too free attitude to laws and trade duties. Elcano took part in the Italian Wars and the Spanish military campaign in Algeria in 1509. Bask had mastered maritime business quite well in practice when he was a smuggler, but it was in the navy that Elcano received the “correct” education in the field of navigation and astronomy.
In 1510, Elcano, the owner and captain of a ship, took part in the siege of Tripoli. But the Spanish Treasury refused to pay Elcano the amount due for settlements with the crew. After leaving the military service, which never seriously attracted the young adventurer with low wages and the need to maintain discipline, Elcano decides to start new life in Seville. It seems to Basque that he has a bright future ahead of him - in a new city for him, no one knows about his not entirely impeccable past, the navigator atoned for his guilt before the law in battles with the enemies of Spain, he has official papers that allow him to work as a captain on a merchant ship … But the trade enterprises, in which Elcano becomes a participant, turn out to be unprofitable as one.
In 1517, in payment of debts, he sold the ship under his command to the Genoese bankers - and this trading operation determined his whole fate. The fact is that the owner of the sold ship was not Elcano himself, but the Spanish crown, and the Basque is expected to again have difficulties with the law, this time threatening him with the death penalty. At that time it was considered a serious crime. Knowing that the court would not take into account any excuses, Elcano fled to Seville, where it was easy to get lost, and then take refuge on any ship: in those days, the captains were least interested in the biographies of their people. In addition, there were many Elcano fellow countrymen in Seville, and one of them, Ibarolla, was well acquainted with Magellan. He helped Elcano to enlist in Magellan's flotilla. Having passed the exams and received beans as a sign of a good grade (those who did not pass received peas from the examination board), Elcano became helmsman on the third largest ship in the flotilla, the Concepcione.
Ships of Magellan's flotilla
On September 20, 1519, Magellan's flotilla left the mouth of the Guadalquivir and headed for the coast of Brazil. In April 1520, when the ships settled down for the winter in the frosty and deserted bay of San Julian, the captains, dissatisfied with Magellan, mutinied. Elcano was drawn into it, not daring to disobey his commander, the captain of the Concepción Quesada.
Magellan vigorously and brutally suppressed the rebellion: Quesada and another of the leaders of the conspiracy were cut off their heads, the corpses were quartered and the mutilated remains were stumbled on poles. Captain Cartagena and one priest, also the instigator of the rebellion, Magellan ordered to be landed on the deserted shore of the bay, where they subsequently died. The remaining forty rebels, including Elcano, Magellan spared.
1. The first ever circumnavigation of the world
On November 28, 1520, the remaining three ships left the strait and in March 1521, after an unprecedentedly difficult passage through the Pacific Ocean, they approached the islands, which later became known as the Marianas. In the same month, Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands, and on April 27, 1521, he died in a skirmish with local residents on the island of Matan. Elcano, stricken with scurvy, did not participate in this skirmish. After the death of Magellan, Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrano were elected captains of the flotilla. At the head of a small detachment, they went ashore to the Raja of Cebu and were treacherously killed. Fate again - for the umpteenth time - spared Elcano. Karvalyo became the head of the flotilla. But there were only 115 men left on the three ships; many of them are sick. Therefore, the Concepcion was burned in the strait between the islands of Cebu and Bohol; and his team moved to the other two ships - "Victoria" and "Trinidad". Both ships wandered between the islands for a long time, until, finally, on November 8, 1521, they anchored off the island of Tidore, one of the "Spice Islands" - the Moluccas. Then, in general, it was decided to continue sailing on one ship - the Victoria, of which Elcano had become the captain shortly before, and leave the Trinidad on the Moluccas. And Elcano managed to navigate his worm-eaten ship with a hungry crew through Indian Ocean and along the African coast. A third of the team died, about a third was detained by the Portuguese, but still, on September 8, 1522, the Victoria entered the mouth of the Guadalquivir.
It was an unprecedented, unheard-of passage in the history of navigation. Contemporaries wrote that Elcano surpassed King Solomon, the Argonauts and the cunning Odysseus. The first ever circumnavigation of the world has been completed! The king granted the navigator an annual pension of 500 gold ducats and knighted Elcano. The coat of arms assigned to Elcano (since then del Cano) commemorated his voyage. The coat of arms depicted two cinnamon sticks framed with nutmeg and cloves, a golden padlock surmounted by a helmet. Above the helmet is a globe with a Latin inscription: "You were the first to circle me." And finally, by special decree, the king announced forgiveness to Elcano for selling the ship to a foreigner. But if it was quite simple to reward and forgive the brave captain, then it turned out to be more difficult to resolve all the controversial issues related to the fate of the Moluccas. The Spanish-Portuguese congress sat for a long time, but was never able to “divide” the islands located on the other side of the “earthly apple” between the two powerful powers. And the Spanish government decided not to delay sending a second expedition to the Moluccas.
2. Goodbye A Coruña
A Coruna was considered the safest port in Spain, which "could accommodate all the fleets of the world." The importance of the city increased even more when the Chamber of Indies was temporarily transferred here from Seville. This chamber developed plans for a new expedition to the Moluccas in order to finally establish Spanish domination on these islands. Elcano arrived in A Coruña full of bright hopes - he already saw himself as an admiral of the armada - and set about equipping the flotilla. However, Charles I did not appoint Elcano as commander, but a certain Jofre de Loais, a participant in many naval battles, but completely unfamiliar with navigation. Elcano's pride was deeply wounded. In addition, the “highest refusal” came from the royal office to Elcano’s request for the payment of an annual pension granted to him of 500 gold ducats: the king ordered that this amount be paid only after returning from the expedition. So Elcano experienced the traditional ingratitude of the Spanish crown to the famous navigators.
Before sailing, Elcano visited his native Getaria, where he, an illustrious sailor, easily managed to recruit many volunteers to his ships: with a man who has bypassed the “earthly apple”, you will not be lost even in the jaws of the devil, the port brethren argued. At the beginning of the summer of 1525, Elcano brought his four ships to A Coruña and was appointed helmsman and deputy commander of the flotilla. In total, the flotilla consisted of seven ships and 450 crew members. There were no Portuguese on this expedition. last night before the departure of the flotilla in A Coruña it was very lively and solemn. At midnight on Mount Hercules, on the site of the ruins of a Roman lighthouse, a huge fire was lit. The city said goodbye to the sailors. The cries of the townspeople, who treated the sailors with wine from leather bottles, the sobs of women and the hymns of the pilgrims mixed with the sounds of the cheerful dance “La Muneira”. The sailors of the flotilla remembered this night for a long time. They went to another hemisphere, and now they faced a life full of dangers and hardships. AT last time Elcano walked under the narrow archway of Puerto de San Miguel and descended the sixteen pink steps to the beach. These steps, already completely worn out, have survived to this day.
Death of Magellan
3. Misfortunes of the chief helmsman
The powerful, well-armed flotilla of Loaysa put to sea on July 24, 1525. According to the royal instructions, and Loaisa had fifty-three in total, the flotilla was to follow the path of Magellan, but avoid his mistakes. But neither Elcano, the king's chief adviser, nor the king himself foresaw that this would be the last expedition sent through the Strait of Magellan. It was the Loaisa expedition that was destined to prove that this was not the most profitable way. And all subsequent expeditions to Asia departed from the Pacific ports of New Spain (Mexico).
July 26 vessels rounded Cape Finisterre. On August 18, the ships were caught in a severe storm. On the admiral's ship, the mainmast was broken, but two carpenters sent by Elcano, risking their lives, nevertheless got there in a small boat. While the mast was being repaired, the flagship collided with the Parral, breaking its mizzen mast. Swimming was very difficult. Not enough fresh water, provisions. Who knows what the fate of the expedition would have been if on October 20 the lookout had not seen the island of Annobón in the Gulf of Guinea on the horizon. The island was deserted - only a few skeletons lay under a tree on which a strange inscription was carved: "Here lies the unfortunate Juan Ruiz, killed because he deserved it." Superstitious sailors saw this as a formidable omen. The ships hastily filled with water, stocked up with provisions. On this occasion, the captains and officers of the flotilla were summoned to a festive dinner with the admiral, which almost ended tragically.
A huge fish of an unknown breed was served on the table. According to Urdaneta, Elcano's page and chronicler of the expedition, some sailors, "who tasted the meat of this fish, which had teeth like a big dog, had such stomach pains that they thought they would not survive." Soon the whole flotilla left the shores of the inhospitable Annobon. From here, Loaysa decided to sail to the coast of Brazil. And from that moment on, the Sancti Espiritus, Elcano's ship, began a streak of misfortune. Without having time to set the sails, the Sancti Espiritus almost collided with the admiral's ship, and then generally lagged behind the flotilla for some time. At latitude 31º, after a strong storm, the admiral's ship disappeared from sight. Elcano assumed command of the remaining vessels. Then the San Gabriel separated from the flotilla. The remaining five ships searched for the admiral's ship for three days. The search was unsuccessful, and Elcano ordered to move on to the Strait of Magellan.
On January 12, the ships stopped at the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, and since neither the admiral's ship nor the San Gabriel came here, Elcano convened a council. Knowing from the experience of the previous voyage that this was an excellent anchorage, he suggested waiting for both ships, as was the instructions. However, the officers, who were eager to enter the strait as soon as possible, advised leaving only the Santiago pinnace at the mouth of the river, burying in a jar under a cross on an island a message that the ships were headed for the Strait of Magellan. On the morning of January 14, the flotilla weighed anchor. But what Elcano took for a strait turned out to be the mouth of the Gallegos River, five or six miles from the strait. Urdaneta, who despite his admiration for Elcano. retained the ability to be critical of his decisions, writes that such a mistake by Elcano struck him very much. On the same day they approached the real entrance to the strait and anchored at the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Holy Virgins.
An exact copy of the ship "Victoria"
At night, a terrible storm hit the flotilla. Raging waves flooded the ship to the middle of the masts, and it barely kept on four anchors. Elcano realized that all was lost. His only thought now was to save the team. He ordered the ship to be grounded. Panic broke out on the Sancti Espiritus. Several soldiers and sailors rushed into the water in horror; all drowned except one who managed to make it to shore. Then the rest crossed to the shore. Managed to save some of the provisions. However, at night the storm broke out with the same force and finally smashed the Sancti Espiritus. For Elcano - the captain, the first circumnavigator and the main helmsman of the expedition - the crash, especially through his fault, was a big blow. Never before has Elcano been in such a difficult position. When the storm finally subsided, the captains of other ships sent a boat for Elcano, offering him to lead them through the Strait of Magellan, since he had been here before. Elcano agreed, but took only Urdaneta with him. He left the rest of the sailors on the shore ...
But failures did not leave the exhausted flotilla. From the very beginning, one of the ships almost ran into the rocks, and only the determination of Elcano saved the ship. After some time, Elcano sent Urdaneta with a group of sailors for the sailors left on the shore. Soon, Urdaneta's group ran out of provisions. It was very cold at night, and people were forced to burrow up to their necks in the sand, which also did not warm much. On the fourth day, Urdaneta and his companions approached the sailors dying on the shore from hunger and cold, and on the same day, the Loaysa ship, the San Gabriel, and the Santiago pinnass entered the mouth of the strait. On January 20, they joined the rest of the ships of the flotilla.
JUAN SEBASTIAN ELCANO
On February 5, a severe storm broke out again. The Elcano ship took refuge in the strait, and the San Lesmes was driven further south by the storm, to 54 ° 50 ′ south latitude, that is, it approached the very tip of Tierra del Fuego. Not a single ship went south in those days. A little more, and the expedition would be able to open the way around Cape Horn. After the storm, it turned out that the admiral's ship was aground, and Loaysa and the crew left the ship. Elcano immediately sent a group of the best sailors to help the admiral. On the same day, the Anunsiada deserted. The captain of the ship de Vera decided to independently get to the Moluccas past the Cape of Good Hope. The Anunciad has gone missing. A few days later, the San Gabriel also deserted. The remaining ships returned to the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, where the sailors began to repair the admiral's ship, which was badly battered by storms. Under other conditions, it would have had to be abandoned altogether, but now that the flotilla had lost three of its largest ships, this could no longer be afforded. Elcano, who, on his return to Spain, criticized Magellan for having lingered at the mouth of this river for seven weeks, now he himself was forced to spend five weeks here. At the end of March, somehow patched up ships again headed for the Strait of Magellan. The expedition now included only the admiral's ship, two caravels and a pinnace.
On April 5, the ships entered the Strait of Magellan. Between the islands of Santa Maria and Santa Magdalena, another misfortune befell the admiral's ship. A cauldron of boiling tar caught fire, a fire broke out on the ship.
Panic broke out, many sailors rushed to the boat, ignoring Loaysa, who showered them with curses. The fire was still put out. The flotilla went further through the strait, along the banks of which at high mountain peaks, "so tall that they seemed to stretch to the very sky," lay eternal bluish snow. At night, the fires of the Patagonians burned on both sides of the strait. Elcano already knew these lights from the first voyage. On April 25, the ships weighed anchor from the San Jorge anchorage, where they replenished their water and firewood supplies, and again set off on a difficult voyage.
And where the waves of both oceans meet with a deafening roar, the storm again hit Loaisa's flotilla. The ships anchored in the bay of San Juan de Portalina. Mountains several thousand feet high rose on the shore of the bay. It was terribly cold, and “no clothes could warm us,” writes Urdaneta. Elcano was on the flagship all the time: Loaysa, having no relevant experience, completely relied on Elcano. The passage through the strait lasted forty-eight days - ten days more than Magellan's. On May 31, a strong northeast wind blew. The whole sky was covered with clouds. On the night of June 1-2, a storm broke out, the most terrible of the former so far, scattering all ships. Although the weather later improved, they were never to meet again. Elcano, with most of the crew of the Sancti Espiritus, was now on the admiral's ship, which had one hundred and twenty men. Two pumps did not have time to pump out water, they feared that the ship could sink at any moment. In general, the ocean was Great, but by no means Pacific.
4 Pilot Dies Admiral
The ship was sailing alone, neither sail nor island could be seen on the vast horizon. “Every day,” writes Urdaneta, “we waited for the end. Due to the fact that people from the wrecked ship moved to us, we are forced to reduce rations. We worked hard and ate little. We had to endure great hardships and some of us died.” On July 30, Loaysa died. According to one of the expedition members, the cause of his death was a breakdown in spirit; he was so upset by the loss of the rest of the ships that he "became weaker and died." Loays did not forget to mention in the will of his chief helmsman: “I ask that Elcano be returned four barrels of white wine, which I owe him. The biscuits and other provisions that lie on my ship, the Santa Maria de la Victoria, shall be given to my nephew Alvaro de Loays, who must share them with Elcano. They say that by this time only rats remained on the ship. On the ship, many were ill with scurvy. Everywhere Elcano looked, everywhere he saw swollen pale faces and heard the groans of sailors.
Thirty people have died from scurvy since they left the channel. “They all died,” writes Urdaneta, “due to the fact that their gums were swollen and they could not eat anything. I saw a man whose gums were so swollen that he tore off pieces of meat as thick as a finger. The sailors had one hope - Elcano. They, in spite of everything, believed in his lucky star, although he was so ill that four days before the death of Loaysa he himself made a will. In honor of Elcano's assumption of the position of admiral - a position which he unsuccessfully sought two years ago - a cannon salute was given. But Elcano's strength was drying up. The day came when the admiral could no longer get up from his bunk. His relatives and faithful Urdaneta gathered in the cabin. By the flickering light of the candle, one could see how thin they were and how much they had suffered. Urdaneta kneels and touches the body of her dying master with one hand. The priest watches him closely. Finally, he raises his hand, and everyone present slowly falls to their knees. Elcano's wanderings are over...
“Monday, 6 August. The valiant lord Juan Sebastian de Elcano has died." So Urdaneta noted in his diary the death of the great navigator.
Four people lift the body of Juan Sebastian, wrapped in a shroud and tied to a plank. At a sign from the new admiral, they throw him into the sea. There was a splash, drowning out the priest's prayers.
MONUMENT IN HONOR OF ELCANO IN GETARIA
Epilogue
Exhausted by worms, tormented by storms and storms, the lone ship continued on its way. The team, according to Urdaneta, “was terribly exhausted and exhausted. Not a day went by that one of us didn't die.
Therefore, we decided that the best thing for us is to go to the Moluccas.” Thus, they abandoned the bold plan of Elcano, who was going to fulfill the dream of Columbus - to reach east coast Asia, following the shortest route from the west. “I am sure that if Elcano had not died, we would not have reached the Ladrone (Marian) Islands so soon, because his always intention was to search for Chipansu (Japan),” writes Urdaneta. He clearly considered Elcano's plan too risky. But the man who for the first time circumnavigated the "earthly apple" did not know what fear was. But he also did not know that in three years Charles I would cede his “rights” to the Moluccas to Portugal for 350 thousand gold ducats. Of the entire Loaysa expedition, only two ships survived: the San Gabriel, which reached Spain after a two-year voyage, and the Santiago pinasse under the command of Guevara, which passed along the Pacific coast of South America to Mexico. Although Guevara saw only once the coast of South America, his voyage proved that the coast does not protrude far to the west anywhere and South America has the shape of a triangle. This was the most important geographical discovery of Loaisa's expedition.
Getaria, in the homeland of Elcano, at the entrance to the church there is a stone slab, a half-erased inscription on which reads: “... the glorious captain Juan Sebastian del Cano, a native and resident of the noble and faithful city of Getaria, the first to circumnavigate the globe on the ship Victoria. In memory of the hero, this slab was erected in 1661 by Don Pedro de Etave y Asi, Knight of the Order of Calatrava. Pray for the repose of the soul of the one who first traveled around the world. And on the globe in the San Telmo Museum, the place where Elcano died is indicated - 157 degrees west and 9 degrees north latitude.
In the history books, Juan Sebastian Elcano undeservedly found himself in the shadow of the glory of Ferdinand Magellan, but he is remembered and revered in his homeland. The name Elcano is a training sailboat in the Spanish Navy. In the wheelhouse of the ship, you can see the coat of arms of Elcano, and the sailboat itself has already managed to carry out a dozen round-the-world expeditions.
