Year 1522 - First circumnavigation of the world

Foto Sebastián Elcano

Continuing his route towards the Indies, Magellan arrived at the island of Mactan (Philippines), where he died in a battle with the natives. Other ships were lost and finally only the ship "Victoria" remained, under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano , who arrived in Spain in September 1522 , with only 18 sailors.

They were the first to sail around the world.

The discovery of the Strait of Magellan, which was the first circumnavigation of the world, sparked interest in Spain in discovering a new route.

King Charles V sent a new expedition under the command of Friar García Jofré de Loaiza, with seven ships, with Juan Sebastián Elcano as chief pilot.

The fleet set sail from Spain in July 1525 , enduring severe storms and then prolonged calms on the high seas.

Two ships were lost in the ocean and the others were in bad shape. But they continued on their way to their destination.

Upon reaching Río Gallegos (Argentina), Elcano mistook it for the Strait of Magellan and entered at full sail, running aground after a few miles, with the risk of losing four ships. Upon refloating with the high tide, they again took the route to the south, finally arriving

to Cape Vírgenes. Elcano's ship ran aground again at the entrance to the Strait, losing nine men in the rescue attempt.

It was a difficult task for them to advance westwards to reach the Pacific. Finally, on 26 May, the ships managed to get out to sea, but only three caravels and a patache. The rest had been shipwrecked or lost.

On July 30, after enduring many hardships, the leader of the expedition, Fray García Jofré de Loaiza, died at sea. A few days later, Juan Sebastián Elcano died. Neither of the ships ever returned to Spain.

Only one of his men, a sailor named Urdaneta, who was saved by Hernán Cortés, returned after twelve years and was able to tell of the tragic end of the expedition.