Quotes from Laurence Bergreen

Ferdinand took advantage of the most advanced education in Portugal

And on January 20, 1518, Magellan, along with Ruy Faleiro and Ruy's brother Francisco, set out from Seville for Valladolid.

Magellan was right to insist on this point, although he was powerless to enforce it.

Among those in attendance at Santa María de la Victoria that day was a Venetian scholar named Antonio Pigafetta

Schöner, like other cartographers of his era, shrank the immense Pacific

Drake ended on a note of caution. He needed firepower as soon as possible.

varied as religion, writing, mathematics, music and dance, horsemanship, martial arts, and

By bringing in Haro, the king and his advisers would be giving up a significant amount of the profits.

After six months at sea, Magellan's ability to lead the armada was still in grave doubt.

thanks to the legacy of Prince Henry the Navigator, algebra, geometry, astronomy, and navigation.

the first clause, King Charles appeared to accede to Magellan's insistence on a ten-year exclusive:

the more pragmatic Haro estimated that Magellan's expedition could yield a profit of 250 percent.

they were ready for battle. But they were not prepared to be ignored.

Few among them had confidence that Magellan could lead them to the edge of the world and beyond

he gave Molino a brutally simple choice: He could either be executed along with his master

Through his privileged position at court, Ferdinand came of age hearing about Portuguese and Spanish discoveries

Nevertheless, he did not honor this promise. Just as Magellan feared

The official accounting of the expedition put the cost at 8,751,125 maravedís, including the five ships, provisions, salaries paid out

Less glamorous but equally necessary fields of specialization included carpenters, caulkers, and coopers.

spare his own life by beheading his master.

The date of their escape from disaster was January 10, 1580.

The farther these potential invaders were kept from vulnerable English shores, the better.

King Charles dispatched a follow-up expedition to the Spice Islands only six years after Magellan's departure from Spain.

Magellan's pay came to 50,000 maravedís, and an additional 8,000 maravedís each month.