Half a Ducat and the Global Gambit
from Dave Does History Hosted by Dave Bowman
Five hundred years ago, Ferdinand Magellan embarked on a historic Spanish expedition to find a western sea route to the lucrative Spice Islands. What began as a commercial venture evolved into an epic, three-year ordeal of discovery, hardship, and perseverance. Sailing from Seville in 1519, Magellan’s fleet of five ships crossed uncharted oceans, endured mutinies, starvation, and storms, and made first contact with numerous Indigenous peoples. Though Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines, his crew pressed on. Under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, the sole surviving ship, the Victoria, completed the first circumnavigation of the globe, returning to Spain in 1522. This incredible feat of seamanship not only proved the world was round but also laid the groundwork for colonization and globalization, forever changing our understanding of the planet.
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