1519day.year
Ferdinand Magellan sets sail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda with about 270 men on his expedition which ultimately culminates in the first circumnavigation of the globe.
In 1519, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan departed Spain with five ships and 270 men, embarking on the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.
On September 20th, 1519, Ferdinand Magellan led a fleet from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, sponsored by the Spanish crown, to find a western route to the Spice Islands. The expedition faced extreme hardships, including storms, mutinies, and scurvy, as they sailed into unknown oceans. Magellan navigated the strait at South America’s southern tip—later named the Strait of Magellan—entering the vast Pacific Ocean. His voyage proved the Earth’s circumference and revolutionized European geographic knowledge. Although Magellan himself perished in the Philippines, one ship returned to Spain in 1522, completing the first circumnavigation. The journey had profound effects on global trade, navigation, and cultural exchange, marking a new era in world history.
1519
Ferdinand Magellan