A woodcut of three large ships off the coast of a mountainous land

240 men started Magellan's voyage around the world. Only 18 finished it.

The explorer died on a Philippines beach in April 1521, joining the scores who perished in Spain's quest to circumnavigate the globe.

At the southernmost tip of South America lies a perilous strait linking the Atlantic with the Pacific that bears Magellan’s name. When the expedition spent a month cautiously navigating these waters in November 1520, the fleet had been reduced from five to three ships. Colored woodcut, 1880.
AKG/ALBUM
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