Ferdinand Magellan

Born into a noble Portuguese family, in the area of Porto, Figueiro, or Sabrosa, he spent his childhood in the court, educating himself on subjects such as the military, sailing, and cosmography. From 1505, he gained real experience by embarking on a voyage to India and Malacca, where he acquired firsthand knowledge of the East Indies.

He stayed a while in Morocco, but felt aggrieved by his treatment at the hands of the King of Portugal. He left for Seville in 1517 to offer his service to Castile, with the intention of opening up a new route to the Spice Islands by sailing westward. Following arduous negotiations, in 1519 he set sail from Seville and Sanlúcar at the head of the armada, which he led to the discovery of the strait that bears his name, via the immense Pacific and the Philippines. He died in 1521 on one of these islands, Mactan, in battle with the natives.