THE RECORD
What changed
About five ships and 270 men departed; one ship and 18 returned. Magellan died at Mactan in the Philippines.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Pigafetta's account, logs, maps and royal records document the journey and encounters.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The voyage demonstrated a connected global ocean and exposed problems of date, distance and supply.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
Calling it Magellan's circumnavigation can obscure Elcano, crews, local guides and colonial violence.