Fernão de Magalhães (Ferdinand Magellan)

Fernão de Magalhães, known as Ferdinand Magellan in English, was a Portuguese explorer who is best known for leading the first expedition to circumnavigate the Earth. Born in 1480, he sailed under the Spanish flag in search of a westward route to the Spice Islands. In 1519, he set out with five ships, but faced numerous challenges, including harsh weather and conflicts with indigenous peoples. Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines in 1521, but his expedition continued and ultimately returned to Spain in 1522, completing the first journey around the world and proving that the Earth is round.