Magellan, in 1517 after a quarrel with King Manuel I, who denied his persistent demands to lead an expedition to reach the spice islands from the east (i.e., while sailing westwards, seeking to avoid the need to sail around the tip of Africa), he left for Spain.

Magellan devoted himself to studying the most recent charts, investigating, in partnership with Cosmographer Rui Faleiro, a gateway from the Atlantic to the South Pacific and the possibility of the Moluccas being Spanish according to the demarcation of the Treaty of Tordesillas. This treaty basically granted to the Portuguese the ‘exclusive rights’ to travel to ‘Asia’ via what is now the Cape of Good Hope (the southern most Cape of Africa). To avoid conflict the Spaniards wanted to explore to western route around the Americas, through what would become known as the Straights of Magellan.

Christopher Columbus’ voyages to the West (1492–1503) had the goal of reaching the Indies and to establish direct commercial relations between Spain and the Asian kingdoms.

The Spanish soon realized that the lands of the Americas were not a part of Asia, but a new continent. The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas reserved for Portugal the eastern routes that went around Africa, and Vasco de Gama and the Portuguese had arrived in India in 1498.

Spain urgently needed to find a new commercial route to Asia. After the Junta de Toro conference of 1505, the Spanish Crown commissioned expeditions to discover a route to the west. Spanish explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa reached the Pacific Ocean in 1513 after crossing the Isthmus of Panama, and Juan Diaz de Solis died in Rio de la Plata in 1516 while exploring South America in the service of Spain.

Spain urgently needed to find a new commercial route to Asia. After the Junta de Toro conference of 1505, the Spanish Crown commissioned expeditions to discover a route to the west. Spanish explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa reached the Pacific Ocean in 1513 after crossing the Isthmus of Panama, and Juan Diaz de Solis died in Rio de la Plata in 1516 while exploring South America in the service of Spain.In October 1517 in Seville, Magellan contacted Juan de Aranda, Factor of the Casa de Contratación. Following the arrival of his partner Rui Faleiro, and with the support of Aranda, they presented their project to the Spanish king, Charles I, future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Magellan’s project, if successful, would realize Columbus’ plan of a spice route by sailing west without damaging relations with the Portuguese. The idea was in tune with the times and had already been discussed after Balboa’s discovery of the Pacific.In October 1517 in Seville, Magellan contacted Juan de Aranda, Factor of the Casa de Contratación. Following the arrival of his partner Rui Faleiro, and with the support of Aranda, they presented their project to the Spanish king, Charles I, future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Magellan’s project, if successful, would realize Columbus’ plan of a spice route by sailing west without damaging relations with the Portuguese. The idea was in tune with the times and had already been discussed after Balboa’s discovery of the Pacific.

Voila! A series of 4 videos on the last and most important voyage of discovery by Ferdinand Magellan and his discovery of the Philippines.

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3:

Episode 4:

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Based on a work at www.historicphilippines.com.
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