Magellan's Circumnavigation

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Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, initiated in 1519, was the first to successfully circumnavigate the globe. The journey began with five ships and a crew of about 270 men, aiming to establish a western maritime route to the Spice Islands in present-day Indonesia. Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sponsored by Spain, navigated through the Atlantic, crossed South America via the strait now named after him, and entered the Pacific Ocean. This marked the first European crossing of the Pacific. The expedition faced numerous challenges, including mutinies, storms, and encounters with indigenous peoples. Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521. The remaining crew, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, continued westward, completing the circumnavigation in 1522 with only one ship, the Victoria, and about 18 men. This historic voyage significantly expanded European understanding of the world's geography and marked a major achievement in navigation history. Despite its success, the route was not commercially viable, and it took years for the full impact of Magellan's discovery to be realized.