The first man to officially circumnavigate the Earth was Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer. Though he did not survive the entire journey, as he was killed in the Philippines in 1521, his expedition, which began in 1519, ultimately achieved the first complete circumnavigation. Magellan's fleet successfully navigated the globe, returning to Spain in 1522 under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano. This journey paved the way for future exploration and provided critical insights into the geography and cultures of the world, demonstrating the vastness of the Earth and proving that it could be navigated by sea, thus changing global trade and exploration forever.