Quotes from Laurence Bergreen

It was not that he lacked discipline, or the support of the men; the problem was that Espinosa, a soldier, was simply not qualified to command a ship.

was to keep a record of the voyage, not the dry, factual pilot's log, but a more personal, anecdotal

Medical chests of the era contained a brass mortar and pestle to grind compounds, and a selection of surgical

By way of contrast, English warships, or galleons, were "race built

Despite his subsequent elevation to the papacy as Adrian VI, this cardinal seems to have earned no one's admiration.

and free-flowing account in the tradition of other popular travel works of the day;

Dee warned "neither France, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, nor any other country can have such liberty for invasion

It was astonishing that Magellan's nemesis would risk his life again, after all the carnage

Two of the most consequential figures of this era, Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth, knew the expedition's true purpose:

That sense of security derived largely from the English Channel.

but "of all the dangers that in our whole voyage we met with

Of low extraction, and a person of weak character, his advancement must always be regarded with wonder.

Three hundred and

Fletcher recalled, "this was the greatest." They were grateful to have overcome it, "but it was not the last.

Such were the men on whom an immature king from a foreign culture, speaking a foreign tongue

declare and ordain as free and quit of every obligation of captivity, subjection, and slavery, my captured

This slender store of medical supplies and equipment would have to serve the needs of 260 men of the fleet in all climates and conditions for several years.

crucial evolution of Magellan's style of leadership, and perhaps his character, occurred over a period of nine trying months

The Captain General subjected the two conspirators to a fresh court-martial.

fifty miles long, it is among the most heavily trafficked shipping channels in the world.

depended to make decisions concerning affairs of state.

No one answered to the description of cook aboard these ships because the job was considered too demeaning.

The Magellan of February teetered on the brink of being murdered by the men he commanded.

His first instinct was to have both men executed; this was, after all, Cartagena's third attempt at mutiny