The first expedition to circumnavigate the world was the Magellan-Elcano expedition, which started in August 1519 under the command of Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan. However, Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521 and did not complete the voyage himself. The circumnavigation was completed by the Spanish Basque navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano, who took command after Magellan's death and successfully led the remaining crew back to Spain in September 1522
. Thus, while Magellan is often credited with initiating the first circumnavigation, the first person to actually complete the entire journey around the globe was Juan Sebastián Elcano
. Additional notes:
- Magellan discovered the Strait of Magellan, the passage through South America that allowed the fleet to reach the Pacific Ocean
- The expedition was the first from Europe to cross the Pacific Ocean and circumnavigate the world
- Only 18 of the original crew returned to Spain aboard the single remaining ship, the Victoria
In summary:
- First to lead the expedition: Ferdinand Magellan
- First to complete the circumnavigation: Juan Sebastián Elcano
