Magellan: The First Man To Unite The Oceans

Men are distinguished by their actions and Magalhães established himself as one of the most eminent figures in history by conceiving a project that he led with great tenacity through the longest and toughest sea voyage ever undertaken.

A Descoberta de um Único OceanoThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

Arrival of the Antaviana at Tidore and Ternate (Moluccas) (1991) by José M. NuñezThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

Circumnavigation in two stages

When he accomplished in 1521 the feat of being the first man to circumnavigate the Earth, Magalhães was aware that he did it indirectly in two stages.

Opening of the old Puente de Hierro (Seville) for the departure of the Antaviana, (1990) by José M. NuñezThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

The first stage was carried out by east between Lisbon and the Moluccas between 1505 and 1512 and the second between Seville and the Philippines between 1519 and 1521, because these islands are at a similar longitude of the Moluccas.

Stilt village around Cebu (1991) by José M. NuñezThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

In fact, in 1519 Magalhães did not want to go around the Earth in a row, but he knew that if he reached the Moluccas by west (or close to it) he was completing a tour of the world that he had started by east.

The Journey Chronology

Discover, through map and videos, the main moments of the circumnavigation voyage started by Magalhães and completed by Elcano between 1519 and 1522.

Circumnavigation route (2019) by Gonçalo CastilhoThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

In white: the route followed by Magalhães between 1519 and 1521. 
In yellow: the route followed by Sebastian Elcano between 1521 and 1522.

1519

September 20th -  Magalhães and his armada depart from Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

1519

December 13th -  Arrival in Rio de Janeiro.

1519

Circumnavigation route (2019) by Gonçalo CastilhoThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

1520

February 7th - End of the reconnaissance of the Rio de la Plata estuary. 
October 21st - Discovery of the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Virgins, which marks the entrance to the Strait of Magalhães, which he then named "Canal de Todos los Santos".

1520

December 18th- Beginning of the crossing of the Pacific Ocean.

1520

Circumnavigation route (2019) by Gonçalo CastilhoThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

1521

March 16th - Arrival in the archipelago of the Philippines, which Magalhães named St Lazarus. 
April 7th - Arrival at the island of Cebu. 
April 27th - Magalhães is killed in a battle on the island of Mactan. 

1521

Circumnavigation route (2019) by Gonçalo CastilhoThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

1522

May 19th - The ship Victoria crosses the Cape of Good Hope. 

1522

September 6th - The Victoria arrives in Sanlúcar de Barrameda with 18 survivors of the first round-the-world trip.

1522

Planet Ocean

Magalhães’ expedition proved the intercommunicability of the oceans. In an interview with the Estrutura de Missão, the Minister of the Sea, Ricardo Serrão Santos, reflects on the importance and implications of this discovery.

Talks: Ocean Planet by Mission Structure of the V the 5th Centennial of the First Voyage of Circum-NavigationThe Portuguese Task Force for the Commemorations of the V Centenary of Circumnavigation

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