6 ms·

Magellan was first to sail around the world, right? Think again

12 points by benbreen 7y ago

yread 7y ago
> the expedition reached the Philippines. To the crew’s surprise, Enrique, an enslaved man Magellan had purchased before the journey, could understand and speak the indigenous people’s language. It turned out he was likely raised there before his enslavement—making him, not Magellan, the first person to circumnavigate the globe. But it's an interesting article.
- blessedwithsuck 7y ago
  An excerpt about another explorer from a book i'm reading - In July 1497 when Vasco da Gama set sail for India, King Manuel of Portugal assorted a distinctly expendable crew of convicts and criminals to go with him. After all, the prospects of this voyage succeeding were rather slender considering that no European had ever advanced beyond Africa’s Cape of Good Hope before, let alone reached the fabled spice gardens of India. Da Gama’s mirthless quest was essentially to navigate uncharted, perilous waters, and so it seemed wiser to invest in men whose chances in life were not especially more inspiring than in death. Driven by formidable ambition and undaunted spirit, it took da Gama ten whole months, full of dangerous adventures and gripping episodes, to finally hit India’s shores. It was the dawn of a great new epoch in human history and this pioneer knew he was standing at the very brink of greatness. Prudence and experience, however, dictated that in an unknown land it was probably wiser not to enter all at once. So one of his motley crew was selected to swim ashore and sense the mood of the ‘natives’ there before the captain could make his triumphant, choreographed entrance. And thus, ironically, the first modern European to sail all the way from the West and to set foot on Indian soil was a petty criminal from the gutters of Lisbon
  - sunstone 7y ago
    The Romans had several trading posts along India's coast long before this.
- kerng 7y ago
  Magellan himself was killed, he didn't complete the journey in the first place. So, the title already didn't make sense (clickbait) What most mean when the say Magellan did that, they mean his project/vision/mission to sail around the world. In that spirit everything remains the same, even with this additional information.
  - spanxx 7y ago
    Magellan had the vision and Elcano completed it.
  - mikeash 7y ago
    Didn’t Magellan visit the Philippines previously, coming from the other direction?
dr_dshiv 7y ago
The first man to sail around the world was a Philippino? Can't wait for the film.
- spanxx 7y ago
  Not on one voyage. However, I'm sure his life was an interesting one.

12 points by benbreen 7y ago

> the expedition reached the Philippines. To the crew’s surprise, Enrique, an enslaved man Magellan had purchased before the journey, could understand and speak the indigenous people’s language. It turned out he was likely raised there before his enslavement—making him, not Magellan, the first person to circumnavigate the globe. But it's an interesting article.

blessedwithsuck 7y ago
An excerpt about another explorer from a book i'm reading - In July 1497 when Vasco da Gama set sail for India, King Manuel of Portugal assorted a distinctly expendable crew of convicts and criminals to go with him. After all, the prospects of this voyage succeeding were rather slender considering that no European had ever advanced beyond Africa’s Cape of Good Hope before, let alone reached the fabled spice gardens of India. Da Gama’s mirthless quest was essentially to navigate uncharted, perilous waters, and so it seemed wiser to invest in men whose chances in life were not especially more inspiring than in death. Driven by formidable ambition and undaunted spirit, it took da Gama ten whole months, full of dangerous adventures and gripping episodes, to finally hit India’s shores. It was the dawn of a great new epoch in human history and this pioneer knew he was standing at the very brink of greatness. Prudence and experience, however, dictated that in an unknown land it was probably wiser not to enter all at once. So one of his motley crew was selected to swim ashore and sense the mood of the ‘natives’ there before the captain could make his triumphant, choreographed entrance. And thus, ironically, the first modern European to sail all the way from the West and to set foot on Indian soil was a petty criminal from the gutters of Lisbon
- sunstone 7y ago
  The Romans had several trading posts along India's coast long before this.
kerng 7y ago
Magellan himself was killed, he didn't complete the journey in the first place. So, the title already didn't make sense (clickbait) What most mean when the say Magellan did that, they mean his project/vision/mission to sail around the world. In that spirit everything remains the same, even with this additional information.
- spanxx 7y ago
  Magellan had the vision and Elcano completed it.
- mikeash 7y ago
  Didn’t Magellan visit the Philippines previously, coming from the other direction?

dr_dshiv 7y ago

The first man to sail around the world was a Philippino? Can't wait for the film.

spanxx 7y ago
Not on one voyage. However, I'm sure his life was an interesting one.