Ferdinand Magellan Timeline of Events

Home / Timelines / Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....

Timeline of Events

1519

8.10.1519

Ferdinand Magellan's five ships set sail from Seville to circumnavigate the globe. The Basque second in command Sebastian Elcano will complete the expedition after Magellan's death in the Philippines.

9.20.1519

Ferdinand Magellan sets sail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda with about 270 men on his expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

1520

10.21.1520

Ferdinand Magellan discovers a strait now known as Strait of Magellan.

11.1.1520

The Strait of Magellan, the passage immediately south of mainland South America, connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, is first navigated by Ferdinand Magellan during his global circumnavigation voyage.

11.28.1520

After navigating through the South American strait, three ships under the command of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reach the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first Europeans to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

1521

3.6.1521

Ferdinand Magellan arrives at Guam.

3.16.1521

Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines.

4.7.1521

Ferdinand Magellan arrives at Cebu.

4.27.1521

Battle of Mactan: Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines led by chief Lapu-Lapu.

1522

9.6.1522

The ''Victoria'', the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world.