Fernando de magallanes biography of rory

(1480-1521)

Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?

As a boy, Ferdinand Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. By his mid-20s, he was sailing in large fleets and was engaged in combat.

In 1519, with the support of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Magellan set out to find a better route to the Spice Islands.

Fernando de magallanes biography of rory anderson

He assembled a fleet of ships which, despite huge setbacks and Magellan’s death, circumnavigated the world in a single voyage.

Early Life

Magellan was born in Portugal, either in the city of Porto or in Sabrosa, circa 1480.

His parents were members of the Portuguese nobility and after their deaths, Magellan became a page for the queen, at age 10. He studied at Queen Leonora's School of Pages in Lisbon and spent his days poring over texts on cartography, astronomy, and celestial navigation — subjects that would serve him well in his later pursuits.

Navigator and Explorer

In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to