Magellan's Fleet Departs to Find a Western Route to the Spice Islands
A Portuguese captain sailing for Spain sets out to reach Asia by going the opposite direction from every other European voyage so far
Quick facts
- Commander
- Ferdinand Magellan
- Sponsor
- Crown of Castile (Spain)
- Fleet
- 5 ships
- Chronicler
- Antonio Pigafetta
What happened
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator sailing under the Spanish crown, set out with five ships to find a westward sea route to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas) that would avoid Portuguese-controlled waters around Africa and India. His fleet worked down the coast of South America, discovering the strait that now bears his name at the continent's southern tip, and became the first European expedition to cross the Pacific Ocean. Much of what is known about the voyage comes from Antonio Pigafetta, a crew member who kept a firsthand written account of the journey's hardships, including storms, scurvy, and a near-mutiny.
Why it matters
Magellan's route around South America and across the Pacific proved a westward passage to Asia existed, even though it turned out to be far longer and more dangerous than the eastern route around Africa. The voyage also gave Europeans their first direct measurement of just how vast the Pacific Ocean actually is.
How we know
The Mariners' Museum's Ages of Exploration entry on Magellan names Pigafetta's firsthand account as the primary source for the voyage's events, including the strait's discovery and the crossing of the Pacific.
Sources
- The Mariners' Museum, Ages of Exploration. Ferdinand Magellan · Primary source (author-declared)exploration.marinersmuseum.org · Cited as a "primary" source (no stronger domain match). · Link is live and its text matches the event's key terms (Jul 2026)
- EBSCO Research Starters. Ferdinand Magellan Expedition · General sourceebsco.com · Cited as a "reference" source (no stronger domain match). · Link is live and its text matches the event's key terms (Jul 2026)
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