Quotes About Authority

and exert the control over the expedition that had been denied him in the royal contract.

Cartagena was to have the final say over all commercial aspects of the expedition;

he was the chief accountant and representative of the king's treasury.

This provision made Magellan responsible to Cartagena for all commercial decisions.

enabled Cartagena to step in at any moment and prevent Magellan from enriching himself

even if he believed he was entitled to do so under his own contract with King Charles.

There was more. Cartagena was to function as the eyes and ears of the king throughout the voyage.

that he, and not they, had the final say on the conduct of the entire voyage.

crew, without anyone to give them orders and fearing for their lives, gave up their arms to the mutineers.

The mutineers in control of San Antonio swiftly converted her into a battleship.

Magellan found it impossible to enforce this directive), as were card and dice players.

Drake, intensely annoyed by this challenge to his command

Magellan served at the pleasure of his Castilian captains, rather than the other way around.

set the stage for endless challenges to Magellan's authority, in other words, for mutiny.

Wine was considered the most important; it was tax free, and an official was required to come aboard

Two years later, in 1512, Solis, deftly manipulating the levers of influence, rehabilitated himself, and King Ferdinand

Fear was his most important means of motivating his men; they became more afraid of Magellan than the hazards of the sea.

found many islands filled with people without number, and of them all have I taken possession for Their Highnesses, by proclamation and with the royal standard displayed, and nobody objected.

Mesquita functioned as Magellan's agent of agony, deciding who was guilty of treason and who would suffer the consequences. No wonder the men hated him.

and a considerable amount of his authority as Captain General

The only choice left to them was a slavish adherence to Magellan's authority, even if it led over the edge of the world. There were two important exceptions to the general clemency:

Magellan was right to insist on this point, although he was powerless to enforce it.

the first clause, King Charles appeared to accede to Magellan's insistence on a ten-year exclusive:

King Charles conferred the title of captain on both Magellan and Faleiro.