1521 505 years ago Historical Events April 27 4 sources

Battle of Mactan: Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines led by chief Lapulapu.

On April 27, in the year 1521, Battle of Mactan: Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines led by chief Lapulapu. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of April 27, one of 360 recorded events on this date across all of history.

The Battle of Mactan was fought on a beach in Mactan Island between Spanish forces led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan along with local allies, and Lapulapu, the chieftain of the island, on the early morning of April 27, 1521. Magellan, a Portuguese-born commander serving the Spanish Empire who led an expedition that ultimately circumnavigated the world for the first time, commanded a small Spanish contingent in an effort to subdue Mactan under the Spanish crown. The sheer number of Lapulapu's forces, compounded with issues associated with the location and the armor, ultimately resulted in a disastrous defeat for the Europeans and the death of Magellan. Surviving members of Magellan's crew continued the expedition under the command of Juan Sebastian de Elcano, who completed the journey in September 1522.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on April 27, 1521 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 4 Wikipedia articles.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 20 April 2026.

On This Date in History 360

Type Year Date Event
Notable Deaths 2025 Apr 27 Jiggly Caliente, Filipino-American drag performer, singer and actress (born 1980)
Notable Deaths 2024 Apr 27 C
Notable Deaths 2023 Apr 27 Jerry Springer, American politician and actor (born 1944)
Notable Deaths 2022 Apr 27 Liao Guoxun, Chinese politician (born 1963)
Notable Deaths 2021 Apr 27 Manoj Das, Indian writer (born 1934)
Historical Events 2018 Apr 27 The Panmunjom Declaration is signed between North and South Korea, officially declaring their intentions to end the Kore
Notable Deaths 2017 Apr 27 Vinod Khanna, Indian actor, producer and politician (born 1946)
Notable Deaths 2017 Apr 27 Sadanoyama Shinmatsu, Japanese sumo wrestler (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2015 Apr 27 Gene Fullmer, American boxer (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2015 Apr 27 Verne Gagne, American football player, wrestler, and trainer (born 1926)
Notable Deaths 2015 Apr 27 Alexander Rich, American biologist, biophysicist, and academic (born 1924)
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 27 Yigal Arnon, Israeli lawyer (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 27 Vujadin Boškov, Serbian footballer, coach, and manager (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 27 Daniel Colchico, American football player and coach (born 1935)
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 27 Harry Firth, Australian race car driver and manager (born 1918)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Aída Bortnik, Argentinian screenwriter (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Lorraine Copeland, Scottish archaeologist (born 1921)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Antonio Díaz Jurado, Spanish footballer (born 1969)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Jérôme Louis Heldring, Dutch journalist and author (born 1917)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Aloysius Jin Luxian, Chinese bishop (born 1916)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 27 Mutula Kilonzo, Kenyan lawyer and politician, Kenyan Minister of Justice (born 1948)
Historical Events 2012 Apr 27 At least four explosions hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk with at least 27 people injured
Notable Deaths 2012 Apr 27 Daniel E
Notable Deaths 2012 Apr 27 Bill Skowron, American baseball player (born 1930)
Selected Events 2012 Apr 27 Unknown perpetrators carried out a series of four bombings in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Historical Events 2011 Apr 27 The 2011 Super Outbreak devastates parts of the Southeastern United States, especially the states of Alabama, Mississipp
Notable Deaths 2011 Apr 27 Marian Mercer, American actress and singer (born 1935)
Selected Events 2011 Apr 27 During the most active day of the 2011 Super Outbreak 218 tornadoes killed 317 people across 16 U
Notable Deaths 2009 Apr 27 Frankie Manning, American dancer and choreographer (born 1914)
Notable Deaths 2009 Apr 27 Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean model and actress (born 1983)
Notable Deaths 2009 Apr 27 Feroz Khan (actor), Indian Actor, Film Director & Producer (born 1939)
Historical Events 2007 Apr 27 Estonian authorities remove the Bronze Soldier, a Soviet Red Army war memorial in Tallinn, amid political controversy wi
Historical Events 2007 Apr 27 Israeli archaeologists discover the tomb of Herod the Great south of Jerusalem
Notable Deaths 2007 Apr 27 Mstislav Rostropovich, Russian cellist and conductor (born 1927)
Historical Events 2006 Apr 27 Construction begins on the Freedom Tower (later renamed One World Trade Center) in New York City
Notable Deaths 2006 Apr 27 Julia Thorne, American author (born 1944)
Historical Events 2005 Apr 27 Airbus A380 aircraft has its maiden test flight
Notable Births 2005 Apr 27 Mathys Tel, French footballer
Notable Deaths 2005 Apr 27 Red Horner, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1909)
Selected Events 2005 Apr 27 The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, made its maiden flight from Toulouse, France
Notable Births 2004 Apr 27 Arch Manning, American football player
Notable Births 2003 Apr 27 Xavier Worthy, American football player
Notable Births 2002 Apr 27 Anthony Elanga, Swedish footballer
Notable Deaths 2002 Apr 27 George Alec Effinger, American author (born 1947)
Notable Deaths 2002 Apr 27 Ruth Handler, American inventor and businesswoman, created the Barbie doll (born 1916)
Notable Births 1999 Apr 27 Peter Hola, Australian rugby league player
Notable Deaths 1999 Apr 27 Al Hirt, American trumpet player and bandleader (born 1922)
Notable Deaths 1999 Apr 27 Dale C
Notable Deaths 1999 Apr 27 Cyril Washbrook, English cricketer (born 1914)
Notable Births 1998 Apr 27 Cristian Romero, Argentine footballer

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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