Biography : Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan commandeered the first expedition around the world . His Voyage provided the first proof that the earth was round . Magellan did not live to complete the journey but his planning , motivation and skills at sea are the reason that his voyage is considered to be one of the worlds greatest navigational feats. Magellan was born in 1480 . His name in Portuguese was Fernao de Magalhaes. His parents, who were members of the nobility, died when he was about 10 years old. At the age of 12, Magellan became a page to Queen Leonor at the royal court. Such a position commonly served as a means of education for sons of the Portuguese nobility. He sailed under the flags of both Portugal (1505-12) and Spain (1519-21). From Spain he sailed around South America, discovering the Strait of Magellan, and across the Pacific. Though he was killed in the Philippines, his ships continued westward to Spain, accomplishing the first circumnavigation of the world. The voyage was successfully terminated by the Basque navigator Juan Sebastián de Elcano (del Cano).
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 03:27:46 +0000