Ginés de Mafra facts for kids

Ginés de Mafra (born 1493, died 1546) was an explorer from either Portugal or Spain. He sailed to the Philippines in the 1500s. Mafra was part of two big trips: one led by Fernão de Magalhães (Magellan) from 1519 to 1521, and another by Ruy López de Villalobos from 1542 to 1545.

Early Life and First Voyage

Joining the Magellan Expedition

Ginés de Mafra was born in 1493. Some say he was from Mafra, a town north of Lisbon, Portugal. Others believe he was from Jerez de la Frontera in Cadiz, Spain.

In 1519, Mafra joined the famous expedition led by Fernão de Magalhães (Magellan). This trip aimed to find a western route to the Spice Islands. Mafra started as a sailor on the Trinidad, which was the main ship of the fleet.

Captured and Imprisoned

During the voyage, the Portuguese captured the Trinidad in a place called Benaconora (now Jailolo in the Moluccas). Mafra was taken prisoner.

He was held in different jails for a long time. First, he spent 5 months in Ternate, then 4 months in the Banda Islands. After that, he was moved to Malacca for 5 months. Finally, he was sent to Cochin, India, where he stayed for two years.

In 1526, the Portuguese took Mafra and other crew members, like Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa, back to Lisbon, Portugal.

Release and Lost Papers

When they arrived in Portugal, Mafra and his companions were put in prison again. Mafra was kept because he had important documents. These included books and papers from the Trinidad, with notes from Andrés de San Martín, the fleet's main pilot and astrologer.

Portuguese historians later used these writings. During the time when Spain and Portugal were united (1580-1640), these papers were moved to Spain. Spanish writers, like Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, used them. Sadly, the original papers are now lost. We only know about them from quotes and mentions by these historians.

Mafra asked the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V of Spain, many times to be released. In early 1527, he was finally freed and went to Spain. He met the emperor and then traveled to Palos.

Family Troubles

When Mafra reached Palos, he found out his wife, Catalina Martínez del Mercado, had remarried. She thought he had died during his long voyage. She had also sold their personal belongings and land.

Mafra wrote to the emperor, explaining his problem and asking for help to get his possessions back. The emperor agreed and ordered an investigation to solve the matter.

Later Expeditions

Voyage to the Americas

In 1531, Mafra went back to sea. He sailed to Central America and South America. In 1536, the governor of Guatemala, Pedro de Alvarado, wrote to the emperor. He said he had hired Mafra as a pilot, calling him one of the best sailors because of his experience with Magellan. It's not clear exactly where this trip went, but many experts think the fleet sailed to Peru.

Villalobos Expedition (1542–1546)

Mafra joined the Villalobos Expedition led by Ruy López de Villalobos. He was a pilot on one of the six ships, the San Juan de Letrán.

During this trip, Mafra ended up on the galley San Cristóbal. This ship got separated from the main fleet during a bad storm. While stuck on one of the islands, Mafra wrote about Magellan's voyage. He also wrote about meeting Rajah Siaiu, the chief of Mazaua, in 1543.

Mafra wrote that Chief Siaiu still remembered Magellan. The chief even showed them some gifts Magellan had given him. According to historian Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's gifts included a red and yellow cloth garment, a red cap, knives, and mirrors.

Mafra and his crew stayed on the island for about 5 to 6 months. This long stay suggests they had to fix the San Cristóbal, which was likely damaged by the storm.

Mafra was one of 117 people who survived this difficult expedition. He made it to Portuguese Malacca. At age 53, Mafra decided to stay there with 29 other crew members. The rest of the survivors sailed back to Lisbon on a Portuguese ship.

Mafra gave his writings to a sailor who was not named. These papers eventually reached Spain after being copied by someone unknown. They were hidden for centuries in Madrid's Archive of the Indies. Finally, they were found and published in 1920.

Solving Geographical Puzzles

Mafra's Important Writings

Mafra's document has been studied by experts, including American geographer Donald D. Brand. Some scholars, like Brand, thought Mafra's writings were just memories of Andrés de San Martín's notes, which Mafra had until they were taken from him. This idea influenced many other scholars.

However, Laurence Bergreen recognized the importance of Mafra's document in his 2003 book, Over the Edge of the World, Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. This document is a very important piece of information that helps solve the mystery of the island of Mazaua.

Description of Mazaua

Mafra wrote that Magellan's port was an island about 3 to 4 leagues (about 9 to 12 nautical miles) around. He wrote, "And after another day he [Magellan] left this island [Homonhon], and sailing on his way arrived at another [Mazaua] three or four leagues in circumference."

Because the island was almost round, 3-4 leagues means it was about 2,214 to 3,930 hectares in size. In comparison, Limasawa, which is officially called Mazaua by Philippine law, is only 698 hectares.

Mafra also said they anchored west of the island. He wrote, "This island called Mazaua has a good harbor on its western side, and is inhabited." Limasawa, however, does not have a good anchorage, and its port is on the east side.

Mafra's clearest statement is that Mazaua was 15 leagues (about 45 nautical miles) south of Butuan in 1521. In Pigafetta's map and writings, Butuan was a much larger area than it is today. It stretched from modern-day Surigao City all the way to Zamboanga del Norte.

Mafra wrote in Spanish: "From the chief of Mazaua [Rajah Siaiu] Magellan learned that a province called Butuan, on the island of Mindanao, which is somewhere fifteen leagues to the north of Mazaua, possessed a large quantity of gold." This places Mazaua at 9° North latitude. This matches what the Genoese Pilot, another eyewitness, wrote. All this information changes how we understand the location of Mazaua.

Limasawa, which has been confirmed three times by the Philippines' National Historical Institute as Mazaua, is rectangular and 698 hectares. It also does not have a good anchorage for large ships.

Searching for the Mysterious Island

With Mafra's information, a team of archaeologists and a geomorphologist (someone who studies how the Earth's surface changes) began to test the idea that Mazaua was at 9° North.

In January 2001, they made an amazing discovery. They found that the areas of Pinamanculan and Bancasi inside Butuan in northern Mindanao were actually an island long ago.

From then on, archaeologists worked to find artifacts that would show this island was Magellan's port. They found old pottery and human bones, which prove the island was lived on before the Spanish arrived. They also dug up rusted iron, metal bracelets, and a brass pestle. These items have not yet been dated. The digging was done in areas outside where the native tribes of Mazaua were thought to have lived.

Scientists have not yet explored the entire island, including its coastal areas. So far, no confirmed physical evidence directly linked to Magellan, Mafra, or other early European visitors has been found. Geologists and archaeologists are still digging and studying the site today.

See also

In Spanish: Ginés de Mafra para niños