Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480 – April 27, 1521) was a Portuguese explorer and navigator best known for leading the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe. Born into minor Portuguese nobility, he initially served the Portuguese Crown in Asia, participating in expeditions and the conquest of Malacca, gaining valuable knowledge of the East Indies and spice trade routes
. After being denied support by the Portuguese king for his plan to reach the Spice Islands by sailing westward, Magellan offered his services to Spain. In 1519, under the Spanish flag, he led a fleet of five ships on a voyage to find a westward route to the Spice Islands (Moluccas). During this expedition, he discovered and navigated the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America, which allowed passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
. Magellan's fleet then crossed the vast Pacific Ocean, becoming the first Europeans to do so. He reached the Philippines in 1521, where he was killed in the Battle of Mactan fighting local warriors. Despite his death, his expedition continued under Juan Sebastián Elcano, and one ship, the Victoria, completed the journey back to Spain in 1522, achieving the first circumnavigation of the Earth in history
. Magellan's voyage provided practical proof of the Earth's roundness and expanded European knowledge of global geography, marking a milestone in the Age of Discovery
