Two vessels of similar construction were used in the expedition to prevent one ship of having to wait for the other when sailing, a common hinderance in others expeditions of the time. The expedition was led by the brothers Bartolomé and Gonzalo García del Nodal (both born in Pontevedra c.1570, and died in 1622), with the cosmographer Diego Ramírez de Arellano serving as pilot (chief navigator). The discovery of a route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, an alternative to the Strait of Magellan, dramatically changed the Spanish approach to the management of the southernmost regions of America, which were already disturbed by Drake’s unexpected emergence in the Pacific through the Strait in 1578. The García de Nodal expedition was crucial to the Spanish Empire. In addition, neither lives nor ships were lost and the whole was done in a small amount of time. It was a successful expedition, as all goals were reached. The García de Nodal expedition was chartered in 1619 by King Philip II of Spain to reconnoitre the passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, south of Tierra del Fuego, just discovered by the Dutch merchants Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |