Andrés de Urdaneta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrés de Urdaneta
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| Born | 1508 |
| Died | 3 June 1568 (aged 59–60) |
| Nationality | Castilian |
| Occupation | Explorer, friar |
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Andrés de Urdaneta (1508 – June 3, 1568) was an important explorer for the Spanish Empire. He was also an Augustinian friar, which means he was a type of monk. He came from the Basque region.
When he was seventeen, he joined an expedition to the Spice Islands and stayed there for over eight years. Later, around 1540, he moved to New Spain (which is now Mexico). In 1552, he became an Augustinian monk.
In 1565, Urdaneta found and mapped a new sailing route across the Pacific Ocean. This route went from the Philippines to Acapulco in New Spain. This discovery was very important. It made it possible for Spain to settle the Philippines. The route was used for more than 200 years by the Manila galleon trade ships.
Andrés de Urdaneta also helped bring the Catholic faith to the Philippines. People saw him as a "protector of the Indians" because he treated the native Philippine people well.
Contents
Early Life of Andrés de Urdaneta
Andrés de Urdaneta was born in 1508. His hometown was near Ordizia, a Basque town then called Villafranca. His family was well-known. His father, Juan Ochoa de Urdaneta, was the mayor of Villafranca. His mother, Gracia de Cerain, came from a respected family. Andrés went to school in Ordizia.
Joining the Loaísa Expedition
When Andrés was seventeen, he was asked to join the Loaísa expedition. He worked as a page for Juan Sebastián Elcano. Elcano was a famous Basque sailor who had just sailed around the world for the first time.
After Elcano's trip in 1522, Emperor Charles V wanted another expedition. Its goal was to go back to the Spice Islands. Spain wanted to control the valuable spice trade there. García Jofre de Loaísa led the expedition. Elcano was the main pilot and captain of the second-largest ship.
The fleet had seven ships. They left La Coruña on July 24, 1525. We know a lot about this trip from Urdaneta's detailed journals and maps. The journey was very hard. Two ships left the group because they feared sailing through the Strait of Magellan. Four more ships were lost in terrible storms in the Pacific.
A year into the trip, many sailors got sick with scurvy. Both Loaísa and Elcano died. Only one ship, the Santa Maria de la Victoria, made it to the Spice Islands in October 1526. Out of 450 original crewmen, only 105 were left.
Challenges in the Spice Islands
When they arrived, the Spanish found that the Portuguese were already in Ternate. For several years, the Spanish and Portuguese fought over the islands and the spice trade. Even though Urdaneta was young, he had many important jobs.
He talked to local leaders to make friends against the Portuguese. He went on many trips to learn about the area's geography, trade, and sailing routes. He also led attacks against the Portuguese. During one fight, a gunpowder barrel exploded. Urdaneta was badly burned and his face was changed forever.
Urdaneta and the remaining crew stayed in the Spice Islands for over eight years. They fought hard but were losing against the Portuguese. They did not know that in 1529, Emperor Charles V had signed a treaty. This Treaty of Zaragoza gave control of the Spice Islands to Portugal. When Urdaneta first heard about the treaty in 1530, he did not believe it.
Slowly, the Spanish realized their king had given up on their cause. After more talks, the Portuguese agreed in 1534 to send the remaining Loaísa expedition members home. On February 15, 1535, Urdaneta left the Spice Islands. He sailed on a Chinese ship to Java, then to Malacca, and finally to Cochin. From there, he took a Portuguese spice ship back to Europe.
On June 26, 1536, Urdaneta arrived in Lisbon, Portugal. The Portuguese took all his maps and journals. The Spanish ambassador told him it was dangerous to stay in Portugal. So, he quickly left for Spain.
When he arrived in Valladolid, Urdaneta met with the Council of the Indies. He wrote a long report about the expedition. It included details about the region's geography, trade, history, and people. The council liked his report, which he finished in February 1537. They were impressed by how clear and detailed it was. However, he only received 60 gold coins for his eleven years of service.
Life in New Spain
While in Valladolid, Urdaneta met Pedro de Alvarado. Alvarado was a famous conqueror and the governor of Guatemala. Alvarado was planning a trip across the Pacific to find new trade routes and lands. He was building a fleet of ships on the Pacific coast of New Spain. He asked Urdaneta to be his chief navigator. Urdaneta quickly said yes and sailed to the New World on October 16, 1538. On his way, he stopped in Hispaniola and told his story to a historian.
By June 1540, Alvarado's expedition was ready to sail to Asia. But then, news arrived that a serious native rebellion was happening in New Galicia. This rebellion threatened Spanish control of the area. Alvarado left with his soldiers to help. Urdaneta became a captain of 150 foot soldiers and horsemen. The rebellion was stopped, but Alvarado was killed.
After Alvarado's death, the viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza, split the ships into two fleets. One went to the Philippines, and the other explored the coast of North America. Urdaneta did not join either trip. He stayed in New Spain and worked for the viceroy on different tasks. In 1543, he became a commissioner in a district called Michoacán. That same year, Urdaneta was made an auditor. This was an important job where he reported directly to the viceroy. He was in charge of looking into corruption, bad treatment of natives, or other wrongdoings.
Urdaneta remained interested in sea travel in the Pacific. In 1543, when survivors from a California expedition returned, Urdaneta interviewed them. He wrote down their journey, and it became the only surviving record of that trip. In 1547, Urdaneta was chosen to lead a fleet. His mission was to stop a revolt in Peru. But just as he was ready to sail, news came that the revolt had been defeated.
Urdaneta's life changed in 1552. He decided to leave his regular life and join the Augustinians. This is a Catholic religious group that lives simply and focuses on education and missionary work. After only one year, Urdaneta took his religious vows in 1553. He became a priest in 1557. In 1558, he became the Master of Novices. This meant he was in charge of teaching new members at the Priory of San Augustin.
The Legazpi Expedition
In 1558, the viceroy, Luís de Velasco, wrote to King Philip II. He suggested sending an expedition from Mexico to the "Islands of the West" (the Philippines). Velasco believed these islands belonged to Spain and would be a great addition to the Spanish empire. Velasco also said that Urdaneta would be the perfect leader. This was because of his past experience, his knowledge of sailing, geography, and local languages.
King Philip agreed. In 1559, he ordered Velasco to get a fleet ready and to get Urdaneta to join. The King also wrote directly to Urdaneta. He praised Urdaneta's skills and ordered him to go on the ships and help the viceroy.
Urdaneta got permission from his religious leaders. He agreed to go on the expedition but did not want to lead it. Based on Urdaneta's advice, the viceroy chose Miguel López de Legazpi to command the trip. Urdaneta would be an advisor. He would also lead a small group of Augustinian missionaries. Their job was to start the Catholic Church and teach Christianity to the Pacific islanders.
After many delays, a small fleet was finally ready in 1564. It had two large ships called galleons, the San Pablo and San Pedro. There were also two smaller ships called pataches, the San Juan and San Lucas. The ships left La Navidad, Mexico, on November 21, 1564. They carried 150 sailors and 200 soldiers.
Journey to the Philippines
Like most early trips across the Pacific, this voyage was long and hard. The crew had spoiled food and not enough drinking water. Many also suffered from scurvy. Urdaneta's knowledge and experience were key to keeping them on course. The other ship pilots often thought they had traveled further than they had. They made fun of Urdaneta when he correctly said they were not as far as they thought.
On January 23, 1565, they anchored off Guam. The pilots were sure they had reached the Philippines. But Urdaneta recognized the unique sails of the native boats from his earlier visit. He knew they were in Guam. They stayed there for about a week. Urdaneta held Mass every day and explored the coast. He told Legazpi to build a permanent settlement on Guam. This could be a base for more exploration. Legazpi did not agree but officially claimed Guam for Spain. Then he ordered the expedition to go to the Philippines.
The fleet left Guam on February 3, 1565. They reached the Philippines at Samar on February 13. After claiming the land, they explored the islands. They found that the people were often unfriendly. This was because Portuguese slave traders had raided the islands before. Finally, Legazpi set up a strong settlement on Cebu. There was plenty of food there, and it was a trading hub with China. Importantly, Urdaneta said it would be a good place to start the return trip to New Spain.
Urdaneta founded the first churches in the Philippines. These were the St. Vitales Church and the Basilica del Santo Niño. He served as the first leader of the Church in Cebu.
The Return Voyage to New Spain
After the Cebu settlement was built, Legazpi decided it was time to try the return trip to New Spain. As planned, Urdaneta was the main advisor. Legazpi's seventeen-year-old grandson, Felipe de Salcedo, commanded the San Pedro. This was their largest and best ship for the difficult journey home.
Urdaneta suggested they leave Cebu on June 1, 1565. This was the perfect time to catch the southwest monsoon winds and avoid later typhoons. The ship had 200 crew members and enough food and water for up to nine months. They also loaded a small amount of spices from the Philippines.
First, they sailed carefully through the dangerous passages of the Philippine islands. Once they reached open water, the San Pedro sailed northeast to the 38th parallel. Here, the ship found good westerly winds that carried them across the Pacific. The journey was slow but calm. After much discussion about where they were along the North American coast, they finally saw Catalina Island on September 18, 1565. From there, they followed the coast and reached Acapulco on October 8, 1565. The voyage took four months and eight days. Most of the crew were sick with scurvy. Only 18 were strong enough to sail the ship.
When he arrived, Urdaneta was surprised. Another ship from their expedition, commanded by Alonso de Arellano, had already returned to New Spain. It arrived in August of the same year. However, Arellano was suspected of leaving the group without permission. His story of the return trip was unclear. Urdaneta was eventually recognized as the one who found the return route. This was because of his detailed notes and his strong reputation as a geographer and navigator.
Later Years and Legacy
Urdaneta's successful voyage from the Philippines was a huge achievement. It was celebrated widely in New Spain. He returned to his monastery in Mexico City to rest and recover. In January 1566, he sailed from Vera Cruz to Spain. Urdaneta stopped in Havana and told his story before reaching Spain in April 1566. In Seville, he gave his account to the Casa de Contratación. Then he went to Madrid and shared his experiences with King Philip II.
Urdaneta sailed back to New Spain in 1567. He wanted to return to the Philippines to continue his missionary work. But his superior said no because of his age. He died at the monastery in Mexico City on June 3, 1568.
Urdaneta wrote two accounts of his trips. One about the Loaísa expedition was published. The other, about his return voyage, is kept in the archives of the Council of the Indies.
For more than 200 years, Spanish ships used "Urdaneta's route." This was especially true for the yearly Manila-Acapulco trading Galleon.
In the Philippines, the city of Urdaneta in Pangasinan was founded in 1858. It is not certain if it was named after Andrés de Urdaneta.
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Andrés de Urdaneta
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See also
In Spanish: Andrés de Urdaneta para niños
