See full version: No, Magellan and His Spanish Crew Weren’t the First People Around the World
By the time Magellan thought of becoming the first seaman to travel to the Spice Islands in Asia by heading west, he was already a skilled navigator, having travelled and survived multiple Portuguese trips to India. However, the King of Portugal refused Magellan’s petition to offer him the ships, crew, and other resources he would need to make the journey. So, in 1517, Magellan renounced his citizenship and became a Spaniard.
If Magellan’s assumptions were correct and he was indeed from Malacca, Indonesia, then Enrique was less than three thousand kilometers from becoming the first man to travel around the world. However, according to historian Antonio Pigafetta, it’s possible he wasn’t from Malacca. [links]
This was because people believed that the world was flat. If the Spaniards sailed west, they would supposedly reach the edge of the earth and fall off. However, scholars claimed evidence that the world was indeed round. And when Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, it only strengthened the claim that there was more out there than people expected.
Before his death, Magellan provided in his will that Enrique would be freed after he died. However, the ships’ masters refused to free him, so he eventually escaped supposedly with the intention of returning to Malacca. [links]
Nonetheless, it’s clear that Ferdinand Magellan’s 1519 expedition changed the world forever. His journey was “the greatest sea voyage ever undertaken, and the most significant,” says historian Laurence Bergreen, author of Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. “That’s not hyperbole.” [links]
At the time, Portugal and Spain were involved in an intense rivalry to see who could find and claim new territory where they could source the spices coveted by European aristocrats. In 1505, Magellan joined the fight, traveling to India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. But his days in service to Portugal were numbered: He was accused of illegal trading and fell out with Manuel I, who turned down his proposal to locate a new spice route. more
Five hundred years ago, Ferdinand Magellan began a historic journey to circumnavigate the globe. Simple, right? Not really— the explorer and his voyage are a study in contradiction. Magellan was Portuguese, but sailed on behalf of Spain. He was a formidable captain, but his crew hated him. His expedition was the first to sail around the world, but he didn’t end up circling the globe himself. His name wasn’t even Magellan. more
Magellan was convinced that by sailing west instead of east and going through a rumored strait through South America, he could map a new route to Indonesia and India. So he abandoned his Portuguese loyalty and headed to Spain, where he gained both citizenship and Charles V’s blessing for a five-ship journey westward.
Fly into Denpasar Airport on day 1 (airport transfer included). You can arrive in advance of the start date and still take up the inclusive transfer if you book extra nights of accommodation through us. If you wish to arrive before the start date, then please let us know this in advance. The Bali Intro ends in Ubud on day 12. A return airport transfer is not included but your guide can help arrange this. A transfer by minivan takes around 1.5 hours. We recommend you do not book an onward flight until around 1pm on day 12. here
If you wish to choose your own accommodation, or want to stay longer in any of the locations along the route, to make the most of your 12 months flexible bus pass, then you are free to select your own accommodation and your guide can help you with advice and booking.
9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners are also provided. You’ll need to purchase the rest of your meals yourself.
Soak up some sunshine on this awesome tour of the West Coast. Including LA, San Diego, Phoenix, and the counter-culture hub of San Francisco. Marvel at the wonders of the Grand Canyon, take in nature on an epic scale at Yosemite National Park and party the night away on the strip in Las Vegas. It’s a classic all-American road-trip! more
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Brutal, bellicose, and brave, Magellan turned a commercial voyage into a hair-raising showdown with a wide world few Europeans could imagine. At the beginning of his journey, his contemporaries suspected it was impossible to sail around the entire globe—and feared that everything from sea monsters to killer fogs awaited anyone foolhardy enough to try. “It sounded suicidal to do this,” says Bergreen.
Magellan was convinced that by sailing west instead of east and going through a rumored strait through South America, he could map a new route to Indonesia and India. So he abandoned his Portuguese loyalty and headed to Spain, where he gained both citizenship and Charles V’s blessing for a five-ship journey westward. here
At the time, Portugal and Spain were involved in an intense rivalry to see who could find and claim new territory where they could source the spices coveted by European aristocrats. In 1505, Magellan joined the fight, traveling to India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. But his days in service to Portugal were numbered: He was accused of illegal trading and fell out with Manuel I, who turned down his proposal to locate a new spice route.
Five hundred years ago, Ferdinand Magellan began a historic journey to circumnavigate the globe. Simple, right? Not really— the explorer and his voyage are a study in contradiction. Magellan was Portuguese, but sailed on behalf of Spain. He was a formidable captain, but his crew hated him. His expedition was the first to sail around the world, but he didn’t end up circling the globe himself. His name wasn’t even Magellan. [links]
Five hundred years on, the explorer’s legacy is complicated—and contested. more