January 2022 archive

Magellan in Seville, Spain

Magellan had proposed to King Manuel of Portugal to sponsor an expedition to the fabled Spice Islands. The idea was rejected and ridiculed by the king and court advisors. Undaunted, Magellan asked permission from Manuel to take his leave and seek out another sovereign more amiable to his cause. The king waved his hand in …

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Magellan in Lisbon, Portugal

Fernando Magellan (Fernão Magalhães – Portuguese) and his brother Diogo were the sons of Rodrigo de Magalhães who had been appointed sheriff to the Port of Aveiro in the northwest coast of Portugal. Due to Rodrigo’s loyal service to King João II, the two young boys were allowed to study as pages at the royal …

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Ferdinand Magellan: A Military Veteran of the Portuguese Navy

Ferdinand Magellan (Magellan Magalhães – Portuguese or Fernando Magallanes – Spanish) is well known for his role as captain-general of the exploration fleet to the Spice Islands of the east. By discovering a strait near the tip of South America, the epic voyage had navigated a new passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific …

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