Magellan’s Discovery of Philippines – 2021.
Ferdinand Magellan ( 04 Feb 1480- 27 Apr 1521) was a Portuguese explorer who led a Spanish Expedition to East Indies from 1519 to 1522. He was selected by King Charles I of Spain to lead this expedition. The expedition with five ships sailed from Spain on 20 Sep 1519 and arrived the South America route at Guam on 06 Mar 1521 and landed in Philippines on 16 Mar 2021. He was killed in Battle of Mactan on 27 Apr 1521 by Lapulapu the Mactan Chieftain.
After his death only one ship Victoria captained by Juan Sebastian Eicano was able to return to Spain with 17-18 survivors thereby for the first time completing the circumnavigation of Globe on 06 Sep 1522.
One of Magellan’s loyals Antoniao Pigafetta’s written accounts and later published works led credibility to Magellan’s heroic deeds and a great explorer.
Philippines issued a minature sheet on 16 Mar 2021 to Commemorate 500th Anniversary of Magellan’s Discovery of Philippines. It has twelve stamps of various denominations featuring Eighteenth Century views of Philippines and a 1734 edition Map by Murillo Velarde.
Stamp Digest 