During his exploration across the Pacific, Ferdinand Magellan recruited Antonio Pigafetta, as a chronicler for his expedition. This conquistador’s letters and documents soon became known as “The First Voyage Around the World”. His writings tackle the journey across the world including the hardships and struggles they faced that led to the death of most of the expedition, including Magellan.
Conquistador’s Letter During the Battle of Mactan
To find an alternate round to the famed Spice Islands, Portuguese explorers assembled an expedition numbering several hundred men and five ships. Among them was Antonio Pigafetta, a chronicler who recorded everything in a series of letters and documents. The conquistador’s letters became an important source in piecing together what happened, including Magellan’s death.
One of the documents shows that Magellan eventually landed in the Philippines where the explorer searched for allies among the natives and to convert them to Christianity. One of the rulers who was open to the idea was Rajah Humabon, the ruler of Cebu. But he only promised to help them if Magellan helped him fight a local chief named Lapu-Lapu.
Magellan confronted the troublesome chief on the island of Mactan where he led a force of fifty men to face Lapu-Lapu’s army of thousands. Despite their superior armor and weaponry, the Spaniards were overwhelmed and Magellan himself was slain alongside most of his men.
After this disaster, Juan Sebastian Elcano took command of the remaining expedition and led them home. Antonio was one of the few survivors and the conquistador’s letter would be compiled into a chronicle.
Sections of the conquistador’s letter talking about Magellan’s death can be seen here.
“When morning came, forty-nine of us leaped into the water up to our thighs, and walked through it for more than two crossbow flights before we could reach the shore. The boats of the king of Mactan were eighty in number, and he had armed them with their shields. We, then, began to fire the muskets, but the shots were of little effect, because they had shields to protect themselves… They shot their poisoned arrows at us, and we fought them for more than an hour, refusing to retreat. Magellan was hit in the leg by a poisoned arrow… When the natives saw this, they all threw themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembled a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon him with their iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide.”
-Antonio Pigafetta, Spansish explorer and chronicler.
Although it ended with a Philippine victory, this battle would mark the beginning of colonization in the country, something that would only end in 1946 with the country’s declaration of independence.
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