The famous explorer known for circumnavigating the globe is Ferdinand Magellan. Commissioned by Spain, Magellan set sail in 1519 with a fleet intended to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. His expedition successfully navigated a treacherous path around the southern tip of South America, through what is now known as the Strait of Magellan, and across the Pacific Ocean. Although Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521, his expedition continued under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, ultimately returning to Spain in 1522, completing the first circumnavigation of the Earth and expanding European understanding of global geography.