Bull Tiger Biographical Library · Giant Hundred -- Magellan

Author: (Austria) Stefan Zweig
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-10-01
Features: We are delighted to recommend the "Biographies of Giants" series to young friends. At the turn of the century, having such a premium series accompany you is a joy in wisdom. We believe that from the footsteps of these giants and masters, you can learn how to properly handle success and failure, comfort and hardship, joy and pain, smoothness and adversity, and understand how to approach life, how to learn to be a person, how to pursue knowledge, and how to shape oneself and the future.
Principal of Peking University, Secretary Zhao Yulin
Principal of Tsinghua University, Secretary Zhao Qinggang
Giants are the elite of humanity. They have made outstanding contributions to the progress and civilization of human society. Their spirit of struggle and extraordinary achievements are deeply admired and serve as role models for people to learn from. Giants are human, not gods; they come from ordinary people yet surpass them. Their lofty ideals and the belief that they must seek happiness for their country and humanity are the driving forces behind their relentless pursuit and fearlessness of difficulties.
Principal of Tianjin Nankai, Kang Xiuyan
To carefully read this series of books is like seeing their appearance, speech, and behavior, and feeling their ideals, beliefs, aspirations, and moral character. This will help you learn how to be a person, how to pursue knowledge, and how to build a career.
Principal of Fudan University, Cao Tianren
Magellan (Magellan, Ferdinand), a famous Portuguese navigator and explorer, made maritime expeditions for Portugal (1505–1512) and Spain (1519–1521). Departing from Spain, he rounded South America, discovered the Strait of Magellan, and then crossed the Pacific. Although he was killed in the Philippines, his ships continued westward and returned to Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. He is considered the first person to complete a circumnavigation. Magellan was born into a noble family and joined the Portuguese navy in 1505 to fight in India. Although Portugal achieved victories on the east coast of Africa and the west coast of India, breaking the Muslim power in the Indian Ocean anding control of maritime trade from the Arabs, it failed to control Malacca, leaving its achievements incomplete. For this, he participated in the conquest of Malacca in 1511. Wealth from the East flowed through Malacca into the ports of the Western world. Because Portugal controlled the Strait of Malacca, it held the key to the seas and ports of Malaysia. However, it was still necessary to explore the Spice Islands and the Banda Islands, which produced wealth. Therefore, in December 1511, he made a reconnaissance voyage, reached the Banda Islands, brought back a batch of spices, and returned to Lisbon in 1512. The following year, he joined the army in attacking the Moroccan fortress of Azamor, where he was injured and became permanently lame. After returning to Spain in 1514, he twice petitioned the king for promotion and an increase in his pension, but both requests were refused. In 1517, Magellan traveled to Spain with the cosmographer Faleiro, renounced his Portuguese nationality, and served under King Charles I of Spain. In 1518, he was appointed commander of the expeditionary fleet and set sail to open a new route to the Spice Islands for Spain. Magellan was confident that he could discover a strait from the Atlantic to the southern sea. On September 20, 1519, the fleet set sail, with 270 sailors from nine countries. On September 26, they arrived at the Canary Islands, and on October 3, they continued their voyage to Brazil; they stopped off the coast of Guinea. On November 29, they sailed to 27 leagues southwest of Cape San Augustine (1 league is approximately 5 kilometers). After rounding Cape Verde, on December 13, the fleet reached the Bay of Rio de Janeiro. The following March, they arrived at the port of San Julian. After suppressing a rebellion led by Spanish captains, on August 24, 1520, the fleet left San Julian and continued south. On October 21, while rounding Cape Virgenes, they entered the strait they were looking for (later named the Strait of Magellan) at 52°50′S. At the western end of the strait, only three ships remained in the fleet. On October 28, they entered the "southern sea," which was calm and was called the "Pacific." The crew suffered from hunger and, under Magellan's ruthless decision, crossed the Pacific in this great voyage. On December 18, 1520, the fleet sailed northwest from the coast of Chile. They did not see land again until January 24, 1521, possibly the island of Puka Puka in the Tuamotu Islands. On February 13, they crossed the equator at 158°W, and on March 6, they landed for the first time on Guam in the Mariana Islands, obtaining fresh food after 99 days. On March 9, they set sail southwest and landed in Mazava in the present-day Philippines, finding a new ally for Spain in the Pacific. On Cebu Island, they converted the local ruler and his officials to Catholicism. Less than two months later, on April 27, 1521, Magellan was killed in battle on the island of Mactan. After Magellan's death, only two ships reached the Spice Islands, and only the "Victoria" returned to Spain in September 1522 under the command of Elcano. Among the survivors were 17 Europeans and 4 indigenous people. Elcano circumnavigated the globe by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope back to the Atlantic, proving that the Earth is round. Magellan's greatest contribution was not the circumnavigation itself but his bold belief and outstanding leadership of the expedition. He was the first person to cross the Pacific from east to west. In just over three months, he changed the prevailing: sailing west from the New World could reach the East Indies in just a few days. Magellan's circumnavigation proved, through practice, that the Earth is round. Whether sailing from west to east or east to west, it is undeniable that one can circle our planet and return to the starting point. This will always be an indelible great achievement in human history.