Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480–1521) was born in Portugal. In 1505, Magellan participated in several expeditions in India and Africa and was wounded in several battles which left him with a limp for the rest of his life. THE AMBITION King Charles I Magellan was exposed to stories of the great Portuguese and Spanish rivalry for sea exploration and dominance over the spice trade in the East Indies, especially the Spice Islands, in modern Indonesia. Europeans had reached the Spice Islands by sailing east, but none had yet to sail west from Europe to reach the other side of the globe. Magellan was determined to be the first to do so. He approached King Manuel of Portugal to seek his support for a westward voyage to the Spice Islands. The king refused his petition repeatedly. In 1517 a frustrated Magellan renounced his Portuguese nationality and relocated to Spain to seek royal support for his venture. The grandson of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel
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