Fernand Magellan - famous portuguesenavigator and explorer, born in the small village of Sabroza in the north of Portugal into the family of an impoverished knight. For some time he served as a soldier in the expeditionary force sent to India. At the beginning of the 16th century, he returned to Portugal, where he offered the king a project to reach the Spice Islands, strategically important, by the western sea route. However, King Manuel the First rejected the world tour of Magellan, considering it utopian. In 1517, Magellan moved to Spain, where he proposed a similar plan. The Indian Council, which was engaged in all overseas affairs, gave the go-ahead to organize the expedition, and soon the Spanish king, Charles I, signed a decree financing the expedition of Magellan. Work was begun on finding captains and crew capable of enduring long sea crossings.
The beginning of the path and the first difficulties
The Portuguese was given the title of Viceroy of allopen land and given the right to the twentieth of all income from them. The organizational part met many obstacles from both the Portuguese agents and the Spanish captains, who did not want to be subordinate to the foreigner. However, having overcome all disagreements, a small fleet consisting of five ships: Victoria, Trinidad, Concepción, San Antonio and Santiago, in September 1519 went to sea from the port of San Lukar. So began the world tour of Magellan. In November, they reached the coast of Brazil. And following the southern direction, the flotilla entered the bay of San Juan, where it remained to wait for the winter. Soon one of the ships of Magellan, which he sent to reconnaissance, was killed, another ship deserted back to Spain. With three ships, the first round-the-world trip of Magellan was made. In November, they went out into the ocean, which the famous navigator called the Quiet, since there was not a single storm throughout. Along the way, the expedition discovered the Mariana Islands. For a long time they did not have the opportunity to replenish the supplies necessary for the crew, as a result of which many became sick with scurvy, and some people died.
A step away from the goal
However, Fernand's world tourMagellan continued, and in March 1521 the flotilla reached a group of Philippine Islands. In an effort to conquer them, Magellan intervened in local civil strife, and during one of the punitive expeditions into the interior of the island Fernand died in a skirmish with the inhabitants.
Кругосветное путешествие Магеллана подходило к At the end, by this time there were already 2 ships left, 113 sailors under the direction of J. Carvalho, who was soon killed by the rebels. The Portuguese seized one of the ships and set off in the direction of Borneo, another ship with a Spanish crew and under the leadership of Captain Del Cano crossed the Indian Ocean, and in September 1522 reached the port of San Lúcar. The round-the-world journey of Magellan ended only 18 people, but it radically turned the sea routes and expanded the geography of voyages.
