
A Portuguese explorer who organized the Spanish expedition that resulted in the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
Born in 1480 in Portugal, Ferdinand Magellan was an experienced sailor and navigator. Like Columbus, he believed he could reach the Spice Islands by sailing west. When the Portuguese king refused to fund his risky voyage, Magellan moved to Spain and convinced King Charles I to support his ambitious plan to find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia.
In 1519, Magellan set sail with a fleet of five ships and about 270 men. The journey was incredibly difficult, plagued by terrifying storms, mutinies, and starvation. In 1520, he successfully navigated a dangerous passage at the southern tip of South America, which is now known as the Strait of Magellan. They then entered a vast, calm ocean that Magellan named the "Pacific" (meaning peaceful).
Tragically, Magellan did not survive the entire journey. In 1521, he was killed in a battle with indigenous people in the Philippines. However, one of his ships, the Victoria, commanded by Juan Sebastián Elcano, continued the voyage and returned to Spain in 1522. Out of the original crew, only 18 men survived to complete the first circumnavigation of the globe, forever changing humanity's understanding of the world's geography.