Who was Ferdinand Magellan?

Ferdinand Magellan is best known for his successful attempt at circumnavigation, or for successfully attempting to sail all the way around the world, although he personally died before the voyage was completed.  He was among the first people to cross every meridian of the globe, and made many important discoveries during his many years at sea. 

Where was he from?

As an explorer, Spain commissioned him and Portugal birthed him.  Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese sailor under the services of Spain when he attempted to find a westward route to the Spice Islands in Indonesia. 

What did he discover?

Magellan made many important discoveries before he was killed in 1521, including the discovery of the Philippines, which were unknown to the western world before his voyage.  He was the first European explorer to cross the Pacific Ocean, and the first to enter that ocean from the Strait of Magellan, which he and his crew discovered.  Of the 270 explorers who set out from Spain, only 18 returned from the voyage led by a fellow explorer - Spain’s Juan Sebastián Elcano who took over after Magellan’s death in the Philippines. 

What else did he do?

Magellan went on his first journey to sea at the age of 25, in 1505.  He was sent to India to install the Portuguese viceroy, Francisco de Almeida, and got a taste for battle at sea when a local king refused to pay tribute to Almeida.  He eventually fell out of favor with the viceroy, however, and when accusations of trading illegally with the moors were proved true, he had a hard time finding employment for several years. 

When did his famous journey start?

In September of 1519, five ships under Magellan’s control set out with a crew of about 270 men, mostly Spanish explorers under the control of the Portuguese admiral.  King Manuel of Portugal sent a naval detachment to stop him, but Magellan and his ships evaded the Portuguese and began their historic journey.

How long did it take?

The fleet reached Brazil by December, but avoided landfall because the settlement was Portuguese.  They sailed along the coast looking for the Strait of Magellan, only imagined by the Portuguese admiral at this point, and found it on October 21st, 1520.  They lost two captains to mutiny and one ship was wrecked, but the crew of the wrecked ship survived to bring word to the rest of the fleet.  Magellan died in the Philippines on April 27th, 1521.  The remaining crewmembers of Magellan’s great voyage returned home to Spain on September 6th, 1522.