Quick Facts
First around the world โ though he died halfway. Portuguese captain who proved Earth is round.
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Life Journey
Ferdinand Magellan was born to Rodrigo de Magalhรฃes and Alda de Mesquita, members of the minor Portuguese nobility, in Sabrosa, northern Portugal.
Magellan is sent to the Portuguese court in Lisbon to serve as a page to Queen Leonor, gaining exposure to the royal court and the emerging Age of Discovery.
Magellan joins the fleet of Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy of Portuguese India, as part of a large naval expedition to secure trade routes and establish colonial outposts.
Magellan participates in the Battle of Cannanore, a significant naval engagement between the Portuguese and the forces of the Zamorin of Calicut, helping to secure Portuguese dominance in the region.
After several years of service in India and Malacca, Magellan returns to Lisbon and seeks support from King Manuel I for a new expedition to find a western route to the Spice Islands.
King Manuel I of Portugal rejects Magellan's proposal for a new expedition, leading Magellan to seek support from the Spanish crown instead.
Magellan travels to Seville and meets with King Charles I of Spain (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles V), successfully securing funding and support for his proposed expedition.
Magellan sets sail from Seville with a fleet of five ships, aiming to find a western route to the Spice Islands and circumnavigate the globe.
Magellan navigates through the dangerous and narrow passage at the southern tip of South America, later named the Strait of Magellan, marking a crucial achievement in the voyage.
During a conflict with the inhabitants of Mactan Island in the Philippines, Magellan is killed in battle, ending his life and the direct leadership of the expedition.