Letter from Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa to Charles I on the fate of the Trinidad Letter from Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa to Charles I on the fate of the Trinidad / Page 01

Letter from Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa to Charles I narrating the vicissitudes of the solitary journey of the Trinidad across the North Pacific and its capture by the Portuguese.

The document narrates the journey of the Trinidad, captained by Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa, after its separation from the Victoria in Tidore (Maluku Islands). They attempted to arrive at the Isthmus of Panama from here. It tells of the discovery "of 500 leagues from the Maluku Islands" from 40 islands (apparently Palau in the Caroline Islands), with whose natives they could not reach an understanding. At 42º North, faced with adverse weather conditions and the sickness of its crew, it made the decision to return to the Maluku Islands. After seven months at sea, they arrived in Ternate, where they requested the Portuguese governor for help in return for their willing imprisonment.

Gómez de Espinosa and the Spanish who survived were relocated multiple times before landing in Kochi where the letter was written. The letter tells of the wealth of the Maluku Islands and warns the Emperor of the intentions of the Portuguese who attempted to take over the lands by sending armadas from their tradings posts in India; it also denounces the poor treatment received from the Portuguese for the Spanish prisoners and calls for help.