by Bananaking, Historian of Bananas & Mild Time-Travel Enthusiast 🍌

In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville with five ships and about 270 crew members. His mission? Achieve the first voyage around the world and show Europe that Earth was not only round (sorry, flat-earthers) but navigable.

But here’s the twist: although the expedition became the first circumnavigation of the globe, Magellan himself didn’t live to see the finish line. He met an unfortunate end in the Philippines, proving that “picking fights with thousands of locals” is not an ideal travel strategy. As always, let’s hear from today’s sponsor:

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With Magellan gone, Juan Sebastián Elcano took over command and steered the mission toward glory. On September 6, 1522, after three grueling years, the weather-beaten ship Victoria limped back into Seville.

Let’s do the math:

The people of Seville must have cheered and pinched their noses at the same time—those men smelled like three straight years of salt and despair.

The Magellan expedition reshaped cartography and global trade routes. It demonstrated the true scale of the Earth and even hinted at the coming dominance of European powers fueled by maritime exploration.

Think of this as the Age of Exploration’s messy reality show. There were mutinies, starvation, scurvy, and some very questionable dinner menus (yes, they ate rats). It’s proof that great discoveries don’t come from smooth sailing—they come from chaos, persistence, and stubborn sailors.

The main lesson? You don’t always need to be the “visionary.” Sometimes victory goes to the person who simply outlives the visionary and brings the project home. Magellan got the headlines, but Elcano delivered the goods.

Picture this: in 1522, ordinary Spaniards rush to the docks as the Victoria ship barely drifts into Seville. The crew—skinny, broken, and weary—had literally circled the Earth for the first time in history.

This moment cemented Spain’s reputation in the Age of Exploration and gave humanity one of its most important milestones: proof that our planet could be circled. No flat edges, no falling off, just endless water and salty despair.

The first circumnavigation of the globe wasn’t just a geographical achievement. It was a flex. Only 18 men returned, but they carried something greater than gold: ultimate bragging rights.

Not bad for the 16th century’s equivalent of a three-year road trip with no GPS.

If Magellan’s plans and Elcano’s beard entertained you today, then welcome aboard! At HistoryGoneBananas, we believe history isn’t boring—it just needs more storytelling, more silliness, and more snacks.

Because bland history is so 1521.

On this day in 1522, the first circumnavigation of the globe was completed: Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition began the dream, but Juan Sebastián Elcano and the Victoria ship carried it across the finish line. The voyage changed maps, inspired empires, and, most importantly, gave us 18 survivors who could say, “Been there, circled that.”