Ferdinand Magellan
Also called: Magellan-Elcano voyage · Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese navigator, or ship's captain, who sailed for Spain. His expedition of 1519–1522 made the first voyage around the whole world. Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521, so he did not finish the journey. Juan Sebastián Elcano led the last ship home. The voyage proved that the earth could be sailed around and showed how huge the Pacific Ocean is.
Example
Magellan left Spain in 1519 with five ships. He passed through the sea passage at the tip of South America that is now called the Strait of Magellan. He was killed at Mactan in the Philippines in 1521. In 1522 only one ship, the Victoria, reached Spain under Elcano.
Don't confuse with
- Christopher Columbus: in 1492 Columbus sailed west and reached the "West Indies" in the Americas. He did not sail around the world.