As one of the original crew members of Magellan's famous journey circumnavigating the globe, Pigafetta (ca. 1491-ca. 1534) took detailed notes on the geography, climate, flora, fauna, people, and places he visited between 1519 and 1522. The book, thought to have been written in Italian around 1524-25, contains some of the early European descriptions of the Philippines, Mariana Islands, Brazil, Patagonia, and other locations in the Americas and Pacific. The work is noted for its records of indigenous languages including Arawak, Tzoneca, and Cebuano. While the text includes significant information about Magellan, it never mentions Juan Sebastián Elcano, who commanded expedition after Magellan’s death in the Philippines. This is likely because Elcano participated in a mutiny early in the journey while Pigafetta remained loyal to Magellan.
Though injured in the 1521 battle that killed Magellan, Pigafetta was one of around 18 survivors out of excess of 250 that started the journey. He distributed copies of his account to various European royals throughout the 1520s, but the text was only published years after his death. | Originally part of the Genaro García Collection.
Creator/Contributor:
Pigafetta, Antonio, approximately 1480-approximately 1534 (author), Amoretti, Carlo, 1741-1816 (translator), and Walls y Merino, Manuel (editor)
Date Created/Date Issued:
1899
Owning Repository:
Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin
Voyages around the world, Magalhães, Fernão de, -1521, and America
Time Period Covered:
16th century
Place Name:
Philippines and Oceania
UTL DAMS PID:
utblac:f2fb5909-0aba-4296-8a7d-6c850e7f33f3
Related Resource - Other:
Primer viaje alrededor del mundo (title), https://search.lib.utexas.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991046441339706011&context=U&vid=01UTAU_INST:SEARCH&lang=en (uri), 910 P622 (local), and 24117558 (oclcSource)