According to Tun Mahathir, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, the first person to have rounded the world was not Magellan, but a Malay sailor.
The story goes like this:
A Malay sailor traveled to Europe. There, he joined Magellan’s expedition. When Magellan’s ship sailed past the Straits of Malacca, he “technically” became the first person to have rounded the world. His European crewmates had to wait a few more months, i.e. when their ship returned to Europe, before they completed the feat. The poor Magellan, on the other hand, was killed in the Philippines. “Technically”, the captain of the expedition never made it at all.
Tun Mahathir’s theory sounds plausible. But who was the leader of the expedition? Who changed the cause of the history 
P/S Wikipedia describes Magellan as the "Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition around the world". I think even Tun Mahathir can't argue about it.
Magellan
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爱国 Patriotism
Ah it's just a bunch of crap to me. Does it really matter, who first rounded the world? >.<
ReplyDeleteIn fact, Magellan didn't intend to circumnavigate the world at the first place! What he had in mind was to find the spice route to the East! He might not be the 1st person to have successfully circumnavigated the Earth (the distinction is hold by Elcano) but no doubt he's the one who first initiated the exploration.
ReplyDeleteday-dreamer
ReplyDeleteIf you want people to be proud of their country, this is what you should do. Why, do you think, did government spent big money to send a Malaysian to space?
kyh
Columbus also didn't intend to discover the New World...
happysurfer
Are you referring to Tun M, the Westerners or me?
Hmmm...interesting point. If Tun Mahathir can show historical proof, that would be really a cause for much debate!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...yeah the "poor" Magellan was killed in our country by local hero Lapu-lapu.
宝茹
ReplyDeleteAh... now I know who killed Magellan. But outside the Philippines, Magellan is the hero...