Magellan 20 september 1519

By Pietro Pigafetta

This is the story of events that actually happened and that you will read later on.
Pietro Pigafetta, a descendant of Antonio Pigafetta, tells this story.
Thanks to documents and memoirs, passed down from generation to generation, I could put together many details of that era and the great journey of Magellan and Pigafetta.
A good part of the story was written in the book, “Primo viaggio intorno al globo terracqueo” (First trip around the globe) by Antonio Pigafetta.
A very important detail, which can be defined as a mystery, is the death of this great navigator.
There are many assumptions told by several writers and historians.
It is presumed that he died far from his home in Vicenza, since no grave or tomb was never found.
We know for sure that by the end of August 1525 no trace of Antonio Pigafetta was ever found.
An old family tradition, handed down from father to son, from the Pigafetta family of Agugliaro, states that Antonio died in the Aegean Sea during a naval battle between the Venetians and the Turks.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Editrice Veneta
• Release date: Sep 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9788884496935

Book preview

Conclusions

The Author

Presentation

This is the story of events that actually happened and that you will read later on. 

Pietro Pigafetta, a descendant of Antonio Pigafetta, tells this story.

Thanks to documents and memoirs, passed down from generation to generation, I could put together many details of that era and the great journey of Magellan and Pigafetta.

A good part of the story was written in the book, Primo viaggio intorno al globo terracqueo (First trip around the globe) by Antonio Pigafetta.

A very important detail, which can be defined as a mystery, is the death of this great navigator.

There are many assumptions told by several writers and historians.

It is presumed that he died far from his home in Vicenza, since no grave or tomb was never found.

We know for sure that by the end of August 1525 no trace of Antonio Pigafetta was ever found.

An old family tradition, handed down from father to son, from the Pigafetta family of Agugliaro, states that Antonio died in the Aegean Sea during a naval battle between the Venetians and the Turks.

The author thanks

Dr. Antonio Boraso

for his kind

collaboration

Introduction

Often we speak of adventure, history, men of valor. This story tries to tell of the courage and enterprise of bold navigators who knew how to make great discoveries and to leave to posterity the memory of their courage. 

It is 1519, Charles V, Emperor of Spain, not satisfied with his already enormous achievements, resulting from the discoveries of Columbus, decided to organize a new shipping expedition, convinced that the project could go to the East, the East Indies, and the famous mysterious lands of spices, sailing towards the West.

The company, among enormous difficulties and constant danger, was successful and the Spaniards, even with the help of local fishermen, arrived at the much sought after islands, then already known by the Portuguese, who had reached them by sailing eastward, passing to the south of Africa.

In those islands the Spaniards remained for a few months, since several island leaders became friends with both Pigafetta, because he could communicate with them, and with the other sailors, for the trade in spices and other goods available.

In December of 1521, they set sail once again and with the symbol of a large cross on each of them, from the island of Timor they sailed across the Indian Ocean. Since one of the ships, the Trinidad, kept taking in water they decided not to make her sail: thus only the Vittoria sailed the great seas. It was February 11, 1522.

After about three months they succeeded in passing the Cape of Good Hope, exhausted by hunger and with some crew members sick. The few survivors continued to sail until they came to the island of Cape Verde.

Here they barely managed to obtain supplies and escaped just in time to avoid being taken by the Portuguese, who at that time ruled the islands. Finally, exhausted and suffering, on September 8, 1522, they arrived at the dock in Seville with the Vittoria, which by now was taking in water from all sides.

The next day eighteen men dressed in only shirts, barefoot and with a candle in their hands went to church, praying and giving thanks to the Virgin Mary.

The few brave survivors, at the end of the journey, realized that, having been around the world, had gained one day with respect to the departure date.

Among them was our Antonio Pigafetta, with his diligent, interesting and rich diary, full of information, records, and data on the long journey and the lands that these European navigators saw for

Reviews for Magellan 20 september 1519

[Dennis Pinpin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed that. I’m Filipino and I wanted to see what a firsthand account of the first European colonization attempt of my country was like. I appreciate Pigafetta’s account even though I had to contend with the antiquated way of description used (imagine how more roundabout it was in the original language!).