Discovery of the Philippines in 1521

Abstract

   The Philippines has a long history, having witnessed human presence on its land for thousands of years, and early societies emerged that formed the features of its ancient civilization. Although there was no unity among the Philippine islands in ancient times, the Philippines was not isolated, as it was linked to the surrounding countries through diplomatic and commercial relations before it was discovered by European missions. The discovery of the Philippines was the result of the Portuguese-Spanish competition to control and monopolize international trade routes. Based on that, the Portuguese and Spanish were at the forefront of the European countries that developed modern means of maritime navigation, supported by their kings who took the initiative to support adventurous sailors, and achieved progress in the field of geographical discoveries through which the Philippine Islands were discovered. This was achieved through the Spanish expedition led by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, which took about two years before reaching the Philippines. Its arrival was the first contact of the Philippine Islands with European countries, and Europeans had never dealt with the Filipinos before this expedition. Despite the short period that Magellan’s expedition spent in the Philippines, the moment  Its landing marked a new turning point in Philippine history, as it opened the door for European influence and control over the Philippine islands. Furthermore, Magellan's expedition represented the beginning of European religious influence on the Philippine islands, as this expedition brought Christianity for the first time to Philippine society. Before this expedition, Christianity had never existed among the inhabitants of the Philippine islands.