Loaisa Expedition to the Philippines(1525-1526)

EVERYTHING HISTORY

25 May 202103:25

Summary

TLDRThe Losa expedition, launched in 1525, aimed to rescue Magellan's lost ship, Trinidad, and colonize the Spice Islands. With seven vessels and 450 men, including tradesmen and administrators, they faced numerous challenges, including shipwrecks, desertions, and leadership losses to scurvy. The fleet, reduced to one ship, continued to the Philippines and the Molokas, with only 25 men surviving to reach the Spice Islands in 1536, completing the second circumnavigation in history under Portuguese guard.

Takeaways

🏴‍☠️ The expedition was initially a rescue mission for the Trinidad, a sister ship to the Victoria from Magellan's expedition.
🛳️ The Victoria returned to Spain in 1522, prompting the search for the missing Trinidad.
📜 The mission included a secondary goal of colonizing the Spice Islands, with seven vessels and 450 men assigned for the task.
🗺️ The expedition set sail from Coruna in 1525, with the aim of following the expected return route of the Trinidad.
👑 Losa was named captain, alongside Juan Sebastian Elcano, who had previously reached the Spice Islands in 1521.
🌊 The fleet navigated southwest to the Canary Islands, then south along the African coast, and west across the Atlantic to Brazil.
🌬️ Poor weather conditions led to the loss of two ships and the desertion of one, reducing the fleet to four vessels by May 1526.
🌧️ After passing through the Strait of Magellan, the remaining ships lost contact with each other in heavy rain.
💔 Captain Losa died of scurvy in July 1526, followed by Elcano and later Alonso de Salazar, all succumbing to the same disease.
🚣‍♂️ The expedition faced further setbacks with food poisoning and desertion, leaving only a handful of survivors.
🏝️ The survivors, under the command of Martin iniguez de Carquizano, reached the Philippines and the Molokas, but continued to suffer losses.
🔄 The final survivors returned to Spain in 1536, completing the second circumnavigation of the world under Portuguese guard.

Q & A

What was the primary purpose of the Loa expedition?
-The Loa expedition was conceived as both a rescue mission to find the fate of the Trinidad, and a voyage of discovery to locate and colonize Magellan's Spice Islands.
How many vessels and men were assigned to the expedition led by Loa?
-Loa was assigned seven vessels and a total of 450 men, including tradesmen and administrators, for the Spice Islands settlement.
On what date did the Loa expedition set sail from Coruna?
-The expedition set sail from Coruna on July 24, 1525.
Who was named as captain alongside Loa during the expedition?
-Juan Sebastian Elcano, who had reached the Spice Islands in 1521 during the Magellan expedition, was named captain alongside Loa.
What was the initial direction of the fleet's journey after setting sail?
-The fleet initially headed southwest to the Canary Islands and then south along the African coastline.
When did the fleet reach the Patagonian shore in South America?
-The fleet reached the Patagonian shore in January 1526.
Why did Loa decide to abandon the search for the Trinidad?
-Loa decided to abandon the search for the Trinidad due to poor weather conditions and no sign of the ship.
What happened to the fleet while trying to enter the Strait of Magellan?
-In high winds, two ships were wrecked, and one tacked into the Atlantic and deserted the expedition.
How many ships were left after passing through the Strait of Magellan and entering the Pacific?
-After passing through the Strait of Magellan, only four ships entered the Pacific.
What was the cause of death for Loa and Elcano during the expedition?
-Loa and Elcano both died of scurvy during the expedition.
Who completed the second world circumnavigation in history and when did they return to Spain?
-Alonso de Salazar, who took command after the deaths of Loa and Elcano, completed the second world circumnavigation in history and returned to Spain in 1536.

Outlines

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🏴‍☠️ The Search for Trinidad and Colonization of Spice Islands

The script details the expedition led by García Jofre de Loaysa, which was launched as both a rescue mission for the lost ship Trinidad and a voyage to colonize the Spice Islands, as discovered by Magellan. Loaysa was assigned seven vessels and 450 men, including various specialists, to establish a settlement on the islands. The expedition began on July 24, 1525, with a journey that initially followed the expected return route of the Trinidad. However, after reaching the Patagonian shore in January 1526 and finding no trace of the missing ship, the decision was made to proceed to the Spice Islands. The journey was fraught with difficulties, including poor weather and the loss of ships, ultimately leaving only one, the Santa Maria de la Victoria, to continue the mission.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Loaísa Expedition

The Loaísa Expedition was a Spanish voyage in the early 16th century, conceived as both a rescue mission and an attempt to colonize the Spice Islands. It was led by García Jofre de Loaísa and aimed to follow the expected return route of the ship Trinidad from Magellan's expedition. This expedition is central to the video's narrative, as it sets the stage for the challenges and tragedies that unfolded during the journey.

💡Spice Islands

The Spice Islands, also known as the Maluku Islands, were the primary destination of the Loaísa Expedition. These islands were highly valued during the Age of Exploration for their rich supply of spices, such as cloves and nutmeg, which were in great demand in Europe. The expedition aimed to locate and colonize these islands, highlighting their importance in the global trade network of the time.

💡Trinidad

Trinidad was one of the ships from Magellan's expedition that attempted to return to Spain by sailing east from the Spice Islands. The Loaísa Expedition was initially tasked with finding Trinidad or any information about its fate. However, the search was ultimately abandoned, underscoring the difficulties and dangers of navigation during this period.

💡Scurvy

Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, which was common among sailors during long sea voyages. In the video, scurvy is mentioned as the cause of death for Loaísa, Elcano, and other members of the expedition. This highlights the harsh conditions faced by the crew and the lack of medical knowledge and resources at the time.

💡Juan Sebastián Elcano

Juan Sebastián Elcano was a prominent figure in the Loaísa Expedition and a veteran of Magellan's earlier voyage. He is known for completing the first circumnavigation of the globe after Magellan's death. In this expedition, he served as co-captain with Loaísa but succumbed to scurvy, illustrating the perilous nature of these voyages.

💡Magellan's Strait

Magellan's Strait is a navigable sea route in southern Chile, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Loaísa Expedition attempted to pass through this strait to reach the Pacific, but the fleet was scattered due to poor weather conditions, leading to the loss of several ships. The strait symbolizes both the challenges of exploration and the strategic routes sought by European powers.

💡Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean played a significant role in the expedition's journey as the fleet navigated through it after passing through Magellan's Strait. The harsh weather and vastness of the Pacific led to the scattering of the remaining ships, emphasizing the treacherous conditions that explorers had to endure.

💡Circumnavigation

Circumnavigation refers to traveling around the entire globe, a significant achievement during the Age of Exploration. The Loaísa Expedition is noted for its role in completing the second circumnavigation of the world, albeit under tragic circumstances, as only a few survivors made it back to Spain after many years.

💡1525

The year 1525 marks the departure of the Loaísa Expedition from Spain. This date situates the expedition within the broader context of European exploration and colonialism in the early 16th century, a time when nations were vying for control of new territories and trade routes.

💡Portuguese India Armada

The Portuguese India Armada was the fleet that helped the survivors of the Loaísa Expedition return to Spain in 1536. The survivors, who had completed the second circumnavigation of the globe, were under Portuguese guard, illustrating the complex interactions between European powers during the period of exploration.

Highlights

The expedition was a rescue mission and a voyage of discovery, seeking the fate of the Trinidad.

The Victoria, from Magellan's expedition, returned to Spain with news of Trinidad's last sighting.

Losa was ordered to search for Trinidad and colonize the Spice Islands.

450 men, including tradesmen and administrators, were assigned for the settlement.

The expedition set sail from Corona on July 24, 1525.

Losa and Juan Sebastian Elcano were named captains.

The fleet's journey included heading to the Canary Islands and along the African coast.

Losa moved west across the Atlantic to Brazil in November 1525.

The search for Trinidad was abandoned in favor of continuing to the Spice Islands.

Poor weather conditions led to the loss of ships and scattering of the fleet.

The fleet passed through the Strait of Magellan and entered the Pacific on May 26, 1526.

Losa died of scurvy on July 30th, 1526, leaving Elcano in command.

Elcano also died, and command was taken over by Alonso de Salazar.

Salazar and later Martin Iniguez de Carquizano also died, with Deodaneta taking command.

The expedition reached the Philippines and Molokas but faced further losses.

Deodaneta and 24 men survived to land in the Spice Islands and returned to Spain in 1536.

The return to Spain was under Portuguese guard, marking the second world circumnavigation.