Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 2
The Magellan Expedition
Although they were not the first
Europeans in the Philippines, the first well documented arrival of western Europeans in the archipelago was the Spanish expedition led by Poruguese Ferdinand Magellan, which first sighted the mountains of Samar at dawn on March 17, 1521, making landfall the following day at the small, uninhabited island of Homonhon at the mouth of Leyte Gulf. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, at Masao, Butuan, (now in Agusan Del Norte), he solemnly planted a cross on the summit of a hill overlooking the sea and claimed possession of the islands he had seen for Spain, naming them Archipelago of Saint Lazarus. Magellan sought friendship among the natives beginning with Datu Zula, the chieftain of Sugbu (now Cebu), and too special pride in converting them to Catholicism. At dawn of April 27, 1521, Magellan invaded Mactan Island with 60 armed men and 1 000 Cebuano warriors. Lapu-Lapu had an army of 1 500 on land. Magellan seriously underestimated the Lapu-Lapu and his men, and grossly outnumbered, Magellan and 14 of his soldiers were killed. Magellans remaining men was forced to leave Cebu aboard their remaning ships Trinindad and Victoria. From there, the expedition split into two groups Trinindad tried to sail eastward across the Pacific Ocean, while Victoria continued sailing westward and managed to return to Spain in 1522.
The Legazpi Expedition
Since none of the expedition after Magellan from Loaisa to Villalobos had succeeded in taking over the Philippines, King Charles I stopped sending colonizers to the Islands. However, when Philip II succeeded his father to the throne in 1556, he instructed Luis de Velasco, the viceroy of Mexico, to prepare a new expedition to be headed by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. On February 13, 1565, Legazpi's expedition landed in Cebu Island. After a short struggle with the natives, he proceeded to Leyte, then to Camiguin and to Bohol. There Legaspi made a blood compact with the chieftain, Datu Sikatuna as a sign of friendship. Legaspi was able to obtain spices and gold in Bohol due to his friendship with Sikatuna. On April 27, 1565, Legaspi returned to Cebu; destroyed the town of Raja Tupas and establish a settlement. On orders of the King Philip II, 2,100 men arrived from Mexico. They built the port of Fuerza de San Pedro which became the Spanish trading outpost and stronghold for the region. Hearing of the riches of Manila, an expedition of 300 men headed by Martin de Goiti left Cebu for Manila. They found the islands of Panay and Mindoro. Goiti arrived in Manila on May 8, 1570. On 1571, Filipinos were deafeated and Legazpi took over Manila. On June 24, 1571, Legazpi made Manila the Capital of the Archipelago. On August 20, 1572, Salcedo returned to Manila and tragedy greeted him, he was informed