Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian explorer and navigator who is best known for his role as the chronicler of the first circumnavigation of the world. He was born in 1491 in Vicenza, Italy, and was the son of a wealthy merchant. He was educated in the humanities and was fluent in several languages, including Latin, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Pigafetta first became involved in exploration when he joined the expedition of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1519. Magellan had been commissioned by the Spanish crown to find a western route to the Spice Islands. Pigafetta was chosen to accompany the expedition as a translator and chronicler. He was the only member of the expedition to keep a detailed journal of the voyage, which would later become an invaluable source of information about the journey.
The expedition set sail from Spain in September 1519 and sailed south along the coast of South America. They eventually reached the strait that would later be named after Magellan and crossed into the Pacific Ocean. After months of sailing, they eventually reached the Philippines in March 1521. Pigafetta was the first European to set foot on the islands.
The expedition then continued on to the Spice Islands, where they were able to acquire a cargo of spices. They then set sail for Spain, but Magellan was killed in a battle with natives in the Philippines. Pigafetta took command of the expedition and led it back to Spain, arriving in September 1522.
Pigafetta's journal of the voyage was published in 1524 and was an immediate success. It was translated into several languages and was widely read throughout Europe. It provided a detailed account of the voyage and was an invaluable source of information about the lands they had visited.
Pigafetta returned to Italy in 1524 and was appointed to the court of the Duke of Urbino. He remained there until his death in 1534. He is remembered today as one of the most important chroniclers of the Age of Exploration. His journal of the voyage of Magellan is still considered one of the most important sources of information about the first circumnavigation of the world.