Ferdinand magellan autobiography
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Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan (–) was a Portuguese explorer who is credited with masterminding the first expedition to circumnavigate the world.
Magellan was sponsored by Spain to travel west across the Atlantic in search of the East Indies. In doing so, his expedition became the first from Europe to cross the Pacific Ocean and circumnavigate the world.
Who was Magellan?
Magellan was born in Portugal and was a successful explorer and navigator. He wanted to reach South-East Asia, where spices grew and gems were to be found, by sailing westwards across the Atlantic Ocean. He hoped to find a passage through South America so that he could sail all the way from the Atlantic to the ocean beyond the Americas (now known as the Pacific). He left Spain in with five ships and about men.
Did he find a passage through South America?
Magellan found the strait that is now named after him, but only by chance. When two of his ships were driven towards land in a storm, the men feared they would be wrecked on the shore. Then, just in time, they spotted a small opening in the coastline. It was the passage for which they had been searching since they left home.
Where did the name ‘Pacific’ come from?
Magellan named the ocean the Pacific (meaning 'peaceful') because it was calm and
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Ferdinand Magellan ( - )
Ferdinand Magellan ©This Portuguese-born navigator was one of the great explorers of his era - the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean, he also played a crucial role in the first circumnavigation of the world.
Ferdinand Magellan was born in into a noble Portuguese family. His parents died when he was still a boy and he became a court page in Lisbon. In , he enlisted in the fleet of the Portuguese viceroy to the Indies, and spent the following years involved in a series of Portuguese expeditions in India and Africa. In , he was with the fleet that conquered Malacca (on the Malay Peninsula), thus gaining control of the most important trade routes in the region. He also explored the islands of present-day Indonesia as far east as the Moluccas (also known as the Spice Islands).
In , Magellan returned to Lisbon, and the following year, he was wounded during an expedition to Morocco, which left him with a permanent limp. After a disagreement with the Portuguese king, in Magellan went to Spain to try and enlist the Spanish king's support for an expedition to reach the Moluccas by sailing westwards. The Spanish wanted a share in the valuable spice trade from the Moluccas, but the Portuguese controlled the eastwards route round southern Africa.
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