Catholic geographer and navigator, born Saborosa, Portugal, c.1480;died Island of Mactan in the Philippines, 1521. He took part in Almeida's expedition to India, 1505, and assisted in the conquest of Malacca, 1511. Later he offered his services to Spain, and at the instance of Cardinal Rodriguez de Fonseca, Charles I of Spain enabled him to attempt the circumnavigation of the globe. He sailed westwards from San Lucar de Barameda, September 20, 1519, and discovered the strait in South America now bearing his name, the Ladrones, and the Philippines, March 16, 1521, where he was slain by natives; two of his ships continued the journey to the Moluccas, and finally Sebastian del Cano, commandIng the Victoria, reached Spain, September 8, 1522, giving the first positive proof of the earth's rotundity.