The Background

      

        In 1518, Magellan received support from King Charles of Spain, who agreed to sponsor his expedition. The king agreed to finance the journey, promising percentages of the potential revenues to Magellan and his partners, as he expected the expedition to bring in large profits from the lucrative spice trade. Magellan’s five ships set sail from the port of Seville on September 20, 1519. The voyage proved to be eventful and lacked nothing in setbacks and hardships. While anchored for the winter in St. Julian Bay in Patagonia, Magellan’s crew mutinied, led by Juan de Cartegna, Gaspar Quesada, and Antonio de Coca. The expedition ran into further hardship when they lost the ship Santiago on an exploring expedition.

      In the early 16th century, Ferdinand Magellan embarked on a Spanish expedition to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. Arriving in the Philippines in 1521, Magellan aimed to establish alliances and spread Christianity. However, tensions escalated on Mactan Island when negotiations with Lapu-Lapu failed, leading to the Battle of Mactan.

     A lasting impact of Magellan’s time in the Philippines is the spread of Catholicism in the islands. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, Magellan’s crew celebrated the first mass in the Philippines. The Kings Rajah Colambu and Rajah Siagu were present at the mass and showed reverence to the cross. Richard Field argues that the first mass was most likely heard onboard the ship on March 16 but was not recorded by Pigafetta, as he only recorded departures from regular displays of religion such as eating meat on Good Friday. The expedition arrived at the Island of Cebu on Sunday April 7 and sent an ambassador and an interpreter, Magellan’s slave Enrique, to meet Rajah Humabon, the king of Cebu. John Leddy Phelan notes that, “It was not until his arrival in Cebu that the religious sentiments of Magellan’s nature began to assert themselves with vehemence and ardor". Magellan instructed the people of Cebu in the faith and they requested that the Spaniards leave them one or two men to teach them.