Replica of the Victoria, built in 1992, visiting Nagoya, Japan, for Expo 2005.

Victoria (or Nao Victoria, as well as Vittoria) was a Spanish carrack and the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world. The Victoria was part of a Spanish expedition under the Portuguese commander, Ferdinand Magellan, and was accompanied by four other ships. Of this fleet of five, Victoria was the only ship to complete the voyage. Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines. This ship, along with the four others, was given to Magellan by King Charles I of Spain. Victoria was named after the church of Santa Maria de la Victoria de Triana, where Magellan took an oath of allegiance to Charles V in order to be granted full access to the Spice Islands.^{[citation needed]}

The four other ships were Trinidad (110 tons, crew 55), San Antonio (120 tons, crew 60), Concepción (90 tons, crew 45), and Santiago (75 tons, crew 32). Trinidad, Magellan's flagship, Concepcion, and Santiago were wrecked or scuttled; San Antonio deserted the expedition before the Straits of Magellan and returned to Europe on her own.

Victoria was rated a carrack or nao (ship), as were all the others except Trinidad, which was a caravel.

[edit] Crew

The voyage started with a crew of about 265 men. Of all these men, only eighteen returned alive on the Victoria. Many of the men died of malnutrition. Beginning the voyage, Luis De Mendoza was the captain of the ship, but after Magellan was killed, Juan Sebastian Del Cano (or Elcano) became captain for the remainder of the expedition. Seventeen other members of the expedition returned later.

[edit] Returning Crew

a detail from a map of 1590 showing the Victoria

The eighteen who returned to Seville in Victoria.

• Juan Sebastián Elcano, captain-general.
• Miguel de Rodas, boatswain (contramaestre) of Victoria.
• Francisco Albo, of Axio, boatswain of Trinidad.
• Juan de Acurio, of Bermeo, boatswain of the Concepcion.
• Martino de Judicibus, of Genoa, superintendent of Concepcion.
• Hernando de Bustamante, of Alcantara, barber of Concepcion.
• Juan de Zuvileta, of Baracaldo, page of Victoria.
• Miguel Sanchez, of Rodas, skilled seaman (marinero) of Victoria.
• Nicholas the Greek, of Nafplion, marinero of Victoria.
• Diego Gallego, of Bayonne, marinero of the Victoria.
• Juan Rodriguez, of Seville, marinero of the Trinidad.
• Antonio Rodriguez, of Huelva, marinero of Trinidad.
• Francisco Rodriguez, of Seville (a Portuguese), marinero of Concepcion.
• Juan de Arratia, of Bilbao, common sailor (grumete) of Victoria.
• Vasco Gomez Gallego (a Portuguese), grumete of Trinidad.
• Juan de Santandres, of Cueto, grumete of Trinidad.
• Martin de Isaurraga, of Bermeo, grumete of Concepcion.
• The Chevalier Antonio Pigafetta, of Vicenza, passenger.

Out of all these survivors, Antonio Pigafetta was the most significant because his journals supply most of the information known about the first expedition around the world.

[edit] Voyage

The long circumnavigation began in Spain in 1519 and returned early September of 1522 after traveling 42,000 miles, 22,000 miles of which were unknown to the crew. On December 21, 1521, Victoria sailed on alone because the other ships were either seized or were not able to make it because of the terrible conditions. During the course of the expedition, the fleet faced several harsh storms. This was evident because upon returning this ship was in terrible shape, with her sails torn and only kept afloat by continuous pumping out of water. Victoria managed to pull through and return to Spain with a shipload of spices.

[edit] References

• "Ferdinand Magellan and the First Circumnavigation of the World". Age of Exploration. The Mariners' Museum. http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/ageofex/magellan.php. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
• "Basil Smith: Magellan Ship Victoria". ArtworkOriginals.com. April 25, 2008. http://www.artworkoriginals.com/EB5SCQIW.HTM. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
• http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com/library/searches/searchdisplay.aspx?entryid=304851&fulltext=Magellan+victoria&nav=non&specialtopicid=-1
• http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar337920&st=victoria+magellan
• http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?vid=4&hid=17&sid=46fa51de-a37b-4852-b6b9-4dd6095f1f83%40sessionmgr9