On September 20, 1519, Magellan began his circumnavigation of the globe from this point, with five ships under his command – Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepción, Victoria and Santiago.
Magellan stumbled upon Río de la Plata on January 10, 1520, while searching for the strait that he believed would take them to the Spice Islands.
For the winter portion of his circumnavigation, Magellan established a temporary base here on March 30, 1520, even surviving an Easter mutiny from three of his captains.
On October 21, 1520, Magellan's fleet reached Cabo Virgenes and concluded there was a path through to the Pacific. The strait they followed is now named the Strait of Magellan.
In 1520, Magellan and his crew were the first Europeans to reach Tierra del Fuego.
When Magellan emerged from the strait (with only three boats) on November 28, 1520, he named the ocean the Mar Pacifico (Pacific Ocean) because of its apparent stillness.
On March 6, 1521, Magellan arrived here. He first called Guam the "Island of Sails" (because of all the sailboats), but later renamed it "Ladrones Island" (Island of Thieves) because he was robbed.
On March 17, 1521, Magellan reached the island of Homonhon in the Philippines, with 150 crew left, becoming the first Spaniards to reach the Philippines (though not the first Europeans).
On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan sailed here with a small attack force. During the resulting battle, Magellan was hit by a bamboo spear and was later killed by Lapu-Lapu's troops.
