The explorer credited with circumnavigating the globe for the first time is Ferdinand Magellan. Although he did not complete the journey himself—he was killed in the Philippines in 1521—his fleet continued on under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano. The expedition began in 1519 and successfully demonstrated that the Earth could be circumnavigated by sea, providing critical evidence of the planet's vastness and shaping European perspectives on global geography. The journey faced numerous challenges, including treacherous waters, limited supplies, and conflicts with indigenous populations, but ultimately, it completed the first known trip around the world in 1522.