The Battle Unfolds

        On April 27, 1521, Magellan and forty-nine of his men waded into the shores of Mactan to face Lapu-Lapu, having refused an offer of aid from Rajah Humabon, in order to show the natives the power of the Spanish. Phelan argues that by throwing himself into the work of spreading the gospel, Magellan “reached a state of spiritual intoxication” that clouded his judgment leading to “the unwise ultimatum to Lapu-Lapu to abandon paganism, the battle of Mactan, and a heroic but unnecessary death” which “followed each other in rapid sequence".

        Pigafetta records that the Spanish struggled to defend themselves against fifteen hundreds of Lapu-Lapu’s men who were armed with arrows and bamboo spears. In a retaliatory effort, Magellan sent men to burn houses in the village which served to further enrage the native warriors. Magellan, immortalized by Pigafetta as “so noble a captain” was tackled and killed by Lapu-Lapu’s men. Magellan’s confidence in European weapons proved to be ill-founded when faced with LapuLapu’s forces.