On This Day - 6 September 1552 - The Victoria Circumnavigated The World

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The date, the 6th of September 1522 –

On this day, the first ship to circumnavigate the world completed its journey.

Fernão de Magalhães, often anglicised as Ferdinand Magellan, or Magellan, was a Portugese explorer who organised a expedition, funded largely by the Spanish crown, to reach Asia by sailing westward. The 1494 Treaty of Tordisillas granted Portugal a monopoly on trade routes travelling to Asia via the coast of Africa, and prevented Spain from effectively entering the spice trade. Christofo Colombo, or Christopher Columbus, had tried to reach Asia via the west at the end of the 15th century, but instead found and explored the American continent. The Spannish ambition to establish a westward a trade route remained however, and in 1517 Magalhães began organising expedition, with King Charles 1st of Spain, who later became Holy Roman Ermperor Charles V, granting Magalhães and others to accompany him a number of concessions and the funding required to furnish such an expedition.

Magalhães left Seville with 5 ships with a crew of around 260 or 270 crew, on the 19th of August 1519. After establishing a temporary settlement on the South Eastern Coast of modern-day Argentina, at the end of March 1520, a number of the crew mutinied. The mutiny was quelled, but several were killed. After resuming their journey the smallest ship, Sanitago, was wrecked after being sent on a scouting mission, however all hands survived.

In what is now known as The Strait Of Magellan, Magalhães sent two ships, Concepcion and San Antonio, to chart a safe passage, however on the 20th of November the San Antonio deserted the expedition and returned to Spain. The three remaining ships entered the South Pacific eight days later. On the 16th of March 1521 Magalhães reached the Phillipine archipelago – the first Europeans to do so. There Magalhães was killed whilst battling one tribe on behalf of another, on the 27th of April 1521.

With insufficient crew for three ships, after the battle, the voyagers burned Concepcion, and continued their journey through the Indian ocean with Trinidad and Victoria. After taking on water Trinidad was left behind for repairs, but was captured by the Portugese and ultimately wrecked in a storm.

Juan Sebastian Elcano captained Victoria on the journey back to Spain Having decided to push Westward,, beginning the crossing of the Indian ocean on the 21st of December 1521. Elcano returned to Spain on the 6th of September 1522. Although some crewmen abandoned or shipwrecked later returned, and others did not return but did not perish on the expedition, and others deserted of the original compliment of around 260 or 70 men, only 18 returned with the Victoria.

Sources:

173-Year-Old Whaling Ship Returns to Save Whales - National Geographic

The Eve Of Blythe Tall Ship Festival – Kevin Richardson

Magellan Ship – Fort Mysersbeach

5 Ships – Magellan By Colby

Nao Victoria – Fnao Victoria

The Death of Magellan - Eye Witness History

Map Of Magellan's Route - Wikipedia

Magellan - Biography