Ferdinand Magellan was born in a noble family in Operto, Portugal in 1480, which was twelve years before Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas. He attended school where he studied mapmaking and how to use the stars as a guide when sailing. In 1492, when Magellan was twelve years old, he went to court as page to the queen of Portugal, Queen Leonora. Even though he lost both his parents in his young age, he refused to become discouraged. In 1505, Magellan went on the first of several voyages to India. He helped the Portuguese viceroy of India, Francisco de Almeida to gain control of the key Indian trading ports from the Arabs. In 1509, Magellan was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Malayan port of Malacca. He went on to the Spice Islands in 1511-1512, which marked the beginnings of a profitable trade in cinnamon and nutmeg. …
