Readings in

Philippine History
P R E SEN TED B Y T H E G R OU P O F :

P A Y UMO, R OS ETTE S OR O, J O R DAN

P O R NOB I , A E R E EN J O Y C E V I C TORIN O, N O R MI E L E E
S I B AL, C AR LOS F R AN C I S Y A O , J A M I LLE P A T RIC I A
Background of the Author
• Antonio Pigafetta (1492-c. 1534)
• Lives in the town of Vicenza, Venice, Italy
• The eldest son of Giovanni Pigafetta to second wife Angela Zoga.
• Studied astronomy, geography, and cartography and during his
younger years worked in the ships owned by the Knights of
Rhodes.
• Joined the delegation of Monsignor Francesco Chieregati and
was assigned as Papal Nuncio to Spain in 1519.
• Was admitted as one of the sobresalientes (supernumeraries)
• Was among the 18 survivors who returned to Spain on
September 6, 1522 aboard the Victoria.
• Died sometime in 1534.
Historical Background of the Document
• In the document of Antonio Pigafetta, he narrates about the
first circumnavigation.
• In the narration it found descriptions of people, countries,
goods and even languages spoken.
• In the document, Pigafetta heard about Magellan’s expedition
and wants to join with him.
Content Presentatin and Analysis of the
Important Historical Information found in the
Document
• August 1519 - Magellan set out with five ships and around 270
crewmen.
• September, 1519 - they left the continent of Europe
• November, 1519 - they crossed the equator
• December 1519 - they saw South America
• April 1520 – there was a mutiny involving Gaspar Quesada and
Juan de Cartagena.
• October, 1520 - the passage through South America was found.
• November, 1520 - they traveled through the stretch then called
All Saints Channel.
Content Presentatin and Analysis of the
Important Historical Information found in the
Document
• February, 1521 - they again reached the equator.
• April, 1521 - Magellan went with a small attack force of 60 to
kill the enemy tribe of a tribe he had befriended in the
Phillipines.
• May, 1521 – With too few people to manage the boats, they
burned the Concepcion so others could not use it.
• November, 1521 - they reached the Spice Islands.
• May, 1522 - the Victoria reached the Cape of Good Hope.
• September, 1522 - the Victoria made it back to Spain. It only
had 18 people left onboard.
Contrribution and Relevance of the Document
in Understanding the Grand Narrative of
Philippine History
• Pigafetta’s chronicle contributed immensely to European
historiography as it preserved and popularized the
achievements of the Magellan-Elcano expedition.
• If Pigafetta did not survive the journey, we would have very little
knowledge of Magellan’s numerous contributions in the fields of
geography, navigation, history, and other related areas.
• The account of Pigafetta also enriched Philippine historiography
because it contains important details about the conditions of
the Visayan Islands in the 16th century.
Learning Experiences
• Antonio Pigafetta studied astronomy, geography, and
cartography and during his younger years worked in the ships
owned by the Knights of Rhodes.
• His biographers described him as a well-educated young man
possessing an avid curiosity of the world around him.