page_title: Magellan's circumnavigation
section_title: Battle of Mactan
hierarchical_section_title: Magellan's circumnavigation / The Philippines / Battle of Mactan
caption_attribution_description: 19th cent. picture showing the death of F.Magellan
context_page_description: In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led a Spanish expedition with a fleet known as the Armada de Molucca to reach the Moluccas or Spice Islands. Upon the death of Magellan in the Philippines in 1521, Spanish navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano led the expedition to the Spice Islands and ultimately the return trip to Spain, resulting in the first circumnavigation of the world in 1522. Thus the expedition is called the Magellan–Elcano circumnavigation.
  The goal of the expedition was to find a western route to the Moluccas and trade for spices. Magellan left Spain on 20 September 1519, sailed across the Atlantic, and discovered the strait that now bears his name, allowing him to pass through the southern tip of South America into the Pacific Ocean. The fleet performed the first ever crossing of the Pacific, stopping in what is today called the Philippines, and eventually reached the Moluccas, accomplishing its goal. A much-depleted crew finally returned to Spain on 6 September 1522.
  The fleet initially consisted of about 270 men and five ships: four carracks and one caravel.
context_section_description: Magellan mustered a force of 60 armed men from his crew to oppose Lapu-Lapu's forces. Some Cebuano men followed Magellan to Mactan, but were instructed by Magellan not to join the fight, but merely to watch. He first sent an envoy to Lapu-Lapu, offering him a last chance to accept the king of Spain as their ruler, and avoid bloodshed. Lapu-Lapu refused. Though they had the benefit of relatively advanced armour and weaponry, Magellan's forces were greatly outnumbered. Pigafetta (who was present on the battlefield) estimated the enemy's number at 1,500. Magellan's forces were driven back and decisively defeated. Magellan died in battle, along with several comrades, including Cristovao Rebelo, Magellan's illegitimate son.
caption: 19th century artist's depiction of Magellan's death at the hands of Mactan warriors.
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