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Ferdinand Magellan decides to revolutionise trade routes by attempting to sail to the East by the West.He approaches Portugal first for sponsorship and when they refuse, turns to Spain.They agree in the hope that it will result in greater profit and power for their empire.
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The explorer had a vast fleet of five ships with 277 men, a mixture of prisoners and sailors, working abord. They depart from Spain with the intention of crossing the Atlantic and entering the East, via America.
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The officers of the San Antonio, Victoria and Concepcion are angered by the hardship of the long journey and challenge Magellan's authority. Though they attempt to organise a mutiny on board the three ships, the sailors remain loyal to Magellan.
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Magellan sends the Santiago scouting southward down the coast bu she is wrecked 70 miles south of San Julian. Only one man dies as the 37 survivors manage to struggle onto land.
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Magellan finds the Eastern entrance to the strait which he had always sworn existed: a narrow inlet, lashed by screamng gales and flanked by snow-capped mountains. It takes the expedition over a month to negotiate the strait during which the San Antonio deserts and heads home to Spain.
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The three ships finally emerge from the maze of islands at the western end of the strait, which are later renamed the "Straits of Magellan". This is the first time this has been accomplished by Europeans. The four remaining ships head into the "South Sea".
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The weakened crew cross the ocean, without the hassle of a storm which they would never have been able to fight. Magellan thankfully names this tranquil new ocean the "Pacific". They eventually sight the green and fertile lands of Marianas. At this point, the men ar ravaged by scurvy, starvation and thirst.
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Sick and starving, the men have intentions to rest but the islanders begin to ravage their ships, stealing everything not nailed down. When they rob the longboat towed astern by the Trinidad, Magellan chooses 40 of his fittest men and leads them ashore to retrieve the boat. Before burning the native boats, the Europeans snatch all the food they could carry: coconuts, fruit, sweet potatoes and fish. This stock of food gives Magellan's crew enough strength to raise anchor and sail further west.
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The ships travel through a number of the Philippine Islands on their way to the Spice Islands. A local chief in Limasawa advises Magellan to visit Cebu where they would find ample supplies of food. The ships reach Cebu on 6th April where the ruler is impressed by the explorer's diplomacy and fairness and agrees that he and his people will become Chtistians. However, on 27th April, Magellan is killed when attacking the defiant ruler of Mactan ruler with a tiny force of only 50 men.
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Magellan's death shatters the myth that Spaniards are invincible and the chief of Cebu turns against them. The Trinidad and the Victoria divide the crew of the Concepcion between them and discard her cargo, on the advice of the fleet pilot. They reach the Moluccas on 6th November. Both ships take on huge cargoes of cloves. On the eve of departure, the Trinidad springs a huge leak and it's agreed that the Victoria will sail home alone and the Trinidad will follow when its repaired.
