Before he led the first expedition to circumnavigate the earth, Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521) was a Portuguese noble who loved the sea. A skilled sailor, he led a number of voyages and is known for his incredible navigation skills. Over the course of his sailing career, he faced terrible storms and mutinies but always managed to get his crew home safely. He set off with his crew to circle the globe—a trip that no other ship had ever completed.

Though Magellan died in combat in the Philippines before he could complete the voyage, his ship went on to complete the first circumnavigation of the world, and he is still known as one of the greatest explorers. However, as historians today note, many of the places that Magellan “discovered” already had people living there, and his fame is one rooted in colonialism. Ferdinand Magellan tackles the legacy—both good and bad—of this famous explorer.

First Names is a highly illustrated nonfiction series that puts young readers on a first-name basis with some of the most incredible people in history and of today!