Who was the first to sail around the world, but never made it home?
When we talk about the first circumnavigation of the world , it might be difficult to apprehend the vast picture, of all those sailings, uncharted oceans, and daring explorers chasing the horizon. So, the story of the ‘first’ is all about ambition, hardship, and inspiration. Likewise, one man set out to prove the world could be circled by sea, leading a fleet into the unknown. He would succeed in changing the course of history, but never live to see his ships return.
Magellan’s VoyageIn 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville under the Spanish crown with five ships and about 270 men. His mission was to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands, today part of Indonesia. The journey was perilous from the start, mutinies, starvation, disease, and storms tested the crew’s endurance. Magellan’s fleet passed through the strait at the southern tip of South America that now bears his name, entering the vast Pacific Ocean, which he famously called Mar Pacífico for its deceptive calm.
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The expedition was largely financed by King Charles I of Spain, who hoped it would uncover a lucrative western route to the Spice Islands, since the eastern passage was dominated by Portugal under the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas. While Magellan’s fleet did succeed in finding a route, it proved far longer and more grueling than anticipated, rendering it commercially impractical. Even so, the voyage is remembered as one of history’s greatest feats of navigation and a turning point in Europe’s understanding of the world.
After crossing the Pacific, Magellan reached the Philippines in 1521. There, he was killed in battle, never to see his homeland again. Yet his voyage continued under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano , who took the ship Victoria westward across the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and finally returned to Spain on 6 September 1522, nearly three years after departure. Of the original 270 crew, only 18 survived.
With the return of the Victoria, the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth was accomplished, marking a significant moment in human history. It demonstrated the enormity of the planet's oceans and demonstrated that the earth was round in reality, not only in theory. It's important to remember, though, that Magellan himself did not finish the voyage since he passed away in the middle of it. Therefore, Elcano and the surviving crew are officially credited with doing the " first circumnavigation ," not just Magellan.
How it all started
Following the failure of Christopher Columbus's westward expeditions (1492–1504) to reach Asia, Spain came to the conclusion that the newly found territories belonged to a whole separate continent. Vasco da Gama arrived in India by 1498, and Portugal controlled the eastern sea routes around Africa under the terms of the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas. Spain desperately needed a different path to the East because the profitable spice trade was at risk.
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Then after the Junta de Toro conference of 1505, the Crown sponsored expeditions westward. Vasco Núñez de Balboa reached the Pacific in 1513 after crossing Panama, while Juan Díaz de Solís died in 1516 exploring South America.
Among those drawn to this pursuit was Ferdinand Magellan, a seasoned Portuguese sailor who had served in India, Malacca, and Morocco. His friend and fellow explorer Francisco Serrão had reached the Moluccas in 1511 and wrote to Magellan from Ternate about the islands’ wealth in spices. Inspired, Magellan began petitioning King Manuel I of Portugal around 1514 to fund a westward voyage, requests that were repeatedly denied. Disillusioned, Magellan and the cosmographer Rui Faleiro proposed their plan instead to Spain. In 1517, Magellan relocated to Seville to prepare the expedition that would make history.
Magellan’s VoyageIn 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville under the Spanish crown with five ships and about 270 men. His mission was to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands, today part of Indonesia. The journey was perilous from the start, mutinies, starvation, disease, and storms tested the crew’s endurance. Magellan’s fleet passed through the strait at the southern tip of South America that now bears his name, entering the vast Pacific Ocean, which he famously called Mar Pacífico for its deceptive calm.
Read more:
The expedition was largely financed by King Charles I of Spain, who hoped it would uncover a lucrative western route to the Spice Islands, since the eastern passage was dominated by Portugal under the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas. While Magellan’s fleet did succeed in finding a route, it proved far longer and more grueling than anticipated, rendering it commercially impractical. Even so, the voyage is remembered as one of history’s greatest feats of navigation and a turning point in Europe’s understanding of the world.
After crossing the Pacific, Magellan reached the Philippines in 1521. There, he was killed in battle, never to see his homeland again. Yet his voyage continued under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano , who took the ship Victoria westward across the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and finally returned to Spain on 6 September 1522, nearly three years after departure. Of the original 270 crew, only 18 survived.
With the return of the Victoria, the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth was accomplished, marking a significant moment in human history. It demonstrated the enormity of the planet's oceans and demonstrated that the earth was round in reality, not only in theory. It's important to remember, though, that Magellan himself did not finish the voyage since he passed away in the middle of it. Therefore, Elcano and the surviving crew are officially credited with doing the " first circumnavigation ," not just Magellan.
How it all started
Following the failure of Christopher Columbus's westward expeditions (1492–1504) to reach Asia, Spain came to the conclusion that the newly found territories belonged to a whole separate continent. Vasco da Gama arrived in India by 1498, and Portugal controlled the eastern sea routes around Africa under the terms of the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas. Spain desperately needed a different path to the East because the profitable spice trade was at risk.
Read more:
Then after the Junta de Toro conference of 1505, the Crown sponsored expeditions westward. Vasco Núñez de Balboa reached the Pacific in 1513 after crossing Panama, while Juan Díaz de Solís died in 1516 exploring South America.
Among those drawn to this pursuit was Ferdinand Magellan, a seasoned Portuguese sailor who had served in India, Malacca, and Morocco. His friend and fellow explorer Francisco Serrão had reached the Moluccas in 1511 and wrote to Magellan from Ternate about the islands’ wealth in spices. Inspired, Magellan began petitioning King Manuel I of Portugal around 1514 to fund a westward voyage, requests that were repeatedly denied. Disillusioned, Magellan and the cosmographer Rui Faleiro proposed their plan instead to Spain. In 1517, Magellan relocated to Seville to prepare the expedition that would make history.
Read more
