Marine History: Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)
Sea Dogs of Yore
An explorer whose name may be familiar, even if you’ve never studied history or geography, Ferdinand Magellan was the first to navigate the southern strait in South America that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (now known as the Strait of Magellan). He was also captain of the first expedition to ever circumnavigate the globe.
Though born in Portugal, he became a naturalised Spaniard in 1517 and, with his knowledge of cartography and geography, gained the respect of Spain's King Charles I. Wishing to find a route eastward to the Spice Islands and gain a foothold in the lucrative spice trade, Magellan told his new king of his belief that there lay a passage in South America that would lead to Asia.
With a large crew and five ships, Magellan left Seville, Spain on August 10, 1519, and headed south-east, curling around the southern tip of South America. Magellan found the waters to be calm and named the ocean ‘Pacific’ as a result. The journey then continued north-west but, during a stop in the Philippines, Magellan was killed in a battle later named the Battle of Mactan. His crew took over and returned to Spain on September 6, 1522, having spent three years at sea.