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Juan Sebastian del Cano
Spanish Adventurer & Explorer
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Born: 1476, at bay of biscay
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Died: 1526 |
 Del Cano set sail with
Magellan and his fleet of ships in 1519 as a “sobrasaliente” or soldier.
The fleets mission was to locate a sea-passage through the mainland and
sail west to the Spice Islands, which, when found, would be claimed for
the Spanish crown. On the journey, several of Magellan’s captains and
officers, including del Cano, mutinied off the coast of South America.
The mutiny was put down, and del Cano was punished along with the other
mutineers. The ships continued on to the Philippine Islands, where
Ferdinand Magellan was killed by natives, along with most of his
officers, in a skirmish in April 1521.
After Magellan’s death, the two remaining ships of the fleet, the
Victoria and the Trinidad, loaded their holds with cloves and quickly
set sail back to Spain. At this point, due to a disagreement between the
survivors expedition leadership, the ships split up. The Trinidad headed
east to the Spanish colonies in America, and the Victoria, under the
control of the recently freed Del Cano’s leadership, headed west to
Spain. In 1522, del Cano sailed into Seville completing the
circumnavigation of the world.
Del Cano became a national hero for his achievement and received a
pension from King Charles of Spain. As history progressed, however,
Magellan’s role and credit began to grow, whereas del Cano and his fame
quickly diminished.
Del Cano later died during his command of another expedition while at
sea off the coast of South America. |
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