The famous explorer who completed the first circumnavigation of the globe was Ferdinand Magellan. His expedition, which began in 1519 and concluded in 1522, was primarily undertaken to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. Although Magellan himself did not complete the voyage, as he was killed in the Philippines in 1521, his fleet, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, successfully returned to Spain. This remarkable journey proved that the Earth could be circumnavigated by sea, expanded European knowledge of world geography, and demonstrated the vast potential for maritime exploration and trade.