In the early 1500's, almost four and a half centuries before men first orbited the earth; an expedition completed and led by Ferdinand Magellan performed a task of comparable significance for that time period. Magellan, a Portuguese navigator for Spain, sailed westward with a fleet of five ships from the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda in September, 1519. Nearly three years later one ship returned, having circumnavigated the globe and crossed its largest ocean.
A Philippine battle is where Magellan died and only left his crew to tell about the voyage. Maximilian of Transylvania, a native of Brussels, was present when the only one of Magellan's ships reached Sanlucar
}. Maximilian assisted with the interrogations of the expedition survivors. Besides taking part in the official interviews, he questioned the returned mariners, quickly digested their accounts, and then rushed to get his letter off to Cardinal-Archbishop Lang of Salzburg who was als
Maximilian was the secretary to Charles V and made a lifelong study of overseas affairs. He is credited with having made a terrestrial globe, surpassing all others of the time, and which the precision of the map was proved by Magellan. His letter is undeniably one of the most valuable sources of information about the Magellan voyage. In fact, it was the only printed account of the expedition for some time.
Magellan's voyage would have never received the recognition that it deserved if citizens such as Maximilian didn't properly document it. Magellan's accomplishments in his three-year voyage were countless and forever will be remembered. It is because of explorers and historians like these, that we have the geological perfection of our globe today.
The cargo of spices carried back to Spain by the Victoria alone paid for the expenses of the expedition. The passage through the Strait of Magellan was too long and difficult to be a practical ro
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