Ruy López de Villalobos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruy López de Villalobos
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| Born | c. 1500 |
| Died | April 23, 1546 (aged 45–46) |
| Known for | Sometimes credited with naming the Philippines |
Ruy López de Villalobos (born around 1500 – died April 23, 1546) was a Spanish explorer. He led an expedition in 1543 to try and take control of the Philippines for Spain. This was based on agreements like the Treaty of Tordesillas and Treaty of Zaragoza, which divided the world between Spain and Portugal.
Villalobos faced many problems. He couldn't find enough food for his crew through trading, raiding, or farming. It was also very hard to get new supplies from Mexico because they didn't understand the Pacific's winds and currents well. Because of these difficulties, Villalobos had to give up his mission. He went to the Moluccas, which were controlled by Portugal, and later died in prison there.
He is mostly remembered because some people say he named the island of Leyte the "Philippine Island." He did this to honor the Spanish crown prince Philip, who later became King Philip II. This name was then used for the entire group of islands, which became known as the Philippine Archipelago and later the country of the Philippines. (However, some sources say one of his captains, Bernardo de la Torre, was the one who gave the name.)
Contents
The Philippine Expedition: A Journey of Discovery
In 1541, Ruy López de Villalobos was asked by Antonio de Mendoza, the leader of New Spain (which is now Mexico), to lead a trip to the Philippines. At that time, the Spanish called these islands the "Islands of the West." These islands were located far to the west in the part of the world that Spain and Portugal had agreed to divide. In fact, they were actually in Portugal's area.
Spain wanted to have a stronger presence there. This would help them trade with the Spice Islands and China. If possible, they also hoped to take control of the Moluccas, which were part of the Portuguese East Indies. Villalobos was chosen to lead this important journey because he was related to De Mendoza through marriage.
Setting Sail: The Fleet and Crew
Villalobos's fleet had six ships and about 370 to 400 men. They left Barra de Navidad, Jalisco, in New Spain (now Mexico) on November 1, 1542.
His main ship was the Santiago. The second ship was the San Jorge, led by Bernardo de la Torre. Other ships included the San Anton, the San Juan de Letrán, the San Cristóbal, and the San Martín.
Many people were on board, including soldiers and gentlemen. They also brought about 40 Indian men and women as servants. Important members of the crew included:
- Martín de Islares, who was a trader and interpreter.
- Guido de Lavezaris, who later became a governor in the Philippines, was the treasurer.
- Maestre Anes, an expert gunner who had been on earlier expeditions.
- Gerónimo de Santisteban, who led the group of priests and deacons on the voyage.
Islands Along the Way: New Discoveries
The fleet first saw the Revilla Gigedo Islands off the coast of Mexico. On December 26, 1542, they saw a group of islands in the Marshalls that they called the Corals. These were likely the Wotje Atoll. They anchored at one small island, naming it San Esteban.
They left on January 6, 1543, and that same day saw more islands they called the Garden Islands, now known as the Kwajalein Atoll. On January 23, 1543, the expedition found Fais in the Carolines. They called it the Sailors (Matelotes). Surprisingly, when they arrived, local people came in canoes and said "Good day, sailors!" in Spanish or Portuguese. This was probably because of missionaries who had visited before. On January 26, 1543, they found new islands they called the Reefs, which are now known as the Yaps, also in the Carolines.
One of the pilots on Villalobos's crew was Juan Gaetan. Some people believe he might have discovered Hawaii, though this is debated.
Challenges in the Philippines: Hunger and Naming
From January 6 to 23, 1543, one of the ships, the San Cristóbal, got separated from the others during a bad storm. It eventually reached the island of Mazaua, where Ferdinand Magellan had stopped in 1521. This area is now known as Limasawa in southern Leyte.
Villalobos wanted to reach Cebu, but he didn't follow his pilot's advice to go north of Mindanao. Instead, on February 2, the fleet arrived at northeastern Mindanao. This area was open to bad weather and far from any Chinese or Malay traders. They had to stay there for 32 days to repair their ships. During this time, they suffered from extreme hunger. They tried eating strange plants, land crabs that made them sick, and even a glowing gray lizard that killed most of those who ate it. Villalobos tried to grow corn, but it didn't work.
On March 31, the fleet left to find food but couldn't move because there was no wind. After several days, they reached Sarangani. There, they lost six men while trying to get supplies from a local village. During this difficult period, either Bernardo de la Torre or López de Villalobos named Leyte and Samar the Philippines (Felipinas). This was done to honor Prince Philip, the son of Emperor Charles V.
Portuguese Encounters and Failed Resupply
On August 7, a Portuguese ship arrived with a letter from Jorge de Castro, the governor of the Moluccas. He wanted to know why the Spanish were in Portuguese territory. Villalobos wrote back on August 9, explaining that Spain believed the islands were in their part of the world according to the treaties.
On August 27, the ship San Juan left for New Spain (Mexico) with De la Torre. Its mission was to explain the expedition's problems and ask for more supplies and help. However, the San Juan returned in mid-October without completing its mission. It had passed islands like the Volcano Islands but couldn't get fresh water. (It would take another twenty years for a ship to successfully cross the Pacific from west to east.)
Villalobos tried again to sail to Cebu or Abuyog on Leyte with his two remaining ships, the San Juan and San Cristóbal. But again, they couldn't move forward because of bad winds. The local people also refused to give them any supplies, fearing what the Portuguese might do.
The End of the Expedition
In April 1544, Villalobos sailed to Ambon Island and then to Samar and Leyte. Since De la Torre had died, the San Juan was prepared for another attempt to reach New Spain. This time, Yñigo Ortiz de Retez tried a southern route. The ship left on May 16, 1545, and sailed along the coast of New Guinea (which Ortiz de Retez named). But by August 12, the ship was forced to turn back again. It reached Tidore in October.
Facing hunger, unfriendly local people, and more shipwrecks, Villalobos finally gave up on the expedition's goals. He and his crew sought safety in the Moluccas. However, they argued with the Portuguese and were put in prison.
Ruy López de Villalobos died from a tropical fever on April 23, 1546, in his prison cell on Ambon Island. The Portuguese said he died "of a broken heart." A popular story says that the Jesuit missionary and later saint Francis Xavier was his nurse during his last days.
About 117 crew members survived, including De Mafra and Juan Gaetan. Juan Gaetan's story of the Villalobos journey was published between 1550 and 1559 by an Italian historian named Giovanni Battista Ramusio. De Mafra wrote a manuscript about Magellan's voyage and had a friend deliver it to Spain. The survivors who left for Malacca were put on a ship to Lisbon by the Portuguese. Thirty of them, including De Mafra, chose to stay. De Mafra's manuscript was not recognized for many centuries until it was found again in the early 1900s and published in 1920. The survivors who returned home had, individually, traveled around the world, even though the expedition itself did not complete a full circumnavigation.
The incorrect information from Villalobos and his men made Spain believe that the Pacific Ocean was much smaller than it actually was for the rest of the 1500s.
Images for kids
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The plaque in Málaga, Spain, López de Villalobos's home town, commemorating his naming of the Philippines. (Some sources credit his captain Bernardo de la Torre for the name instead.)
See also
In Spanish: Ruy López de Villalobos para niños
