Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Portugal around 1480. He led the first voyage to sail around the entire world. This trip proved that the Earth is round and that all the oceans are connected.

Early Life

Magellan grew up in Portugal and became a sailor at a young age. He served in the Portuguese navy and traveled to Africa and India. When the King of Portugal refused to fund his expedition, Magellan asked the King of Spain instead.

The house in Portugal where Ferdinand Magellan was born.
The house in Portugal where Ferdinand Magellan was born. (Zeferros / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

In 1519, Magellan set sail with five ships and about 270 men. He found a passage around the tip of South America now called the Strait of Magellan. He crossed the Pacific Ocean, which he named. He was killed in the Philippines, but one of his ships completed the trip around the world.

Fun Facts

  • Magellan named the Pacific Ocean, which means peaceful ocean.
  • Only 18 of the original 270 crew members made it back to Spain.
  • The voyage took about three years to complete.

Did You Know?

Magellan did not actually make it all the way around the world himself. He was killed in a battle in the Philippines in 1521. His crew member Juan Sebastian Elcano finished the voyage.