The Victoria Comes Home

After Magellan's death, the crew limped onward under Elcano. Of the original five ships, only the Victoria reached Spain, on September 6, 1522. The handful of survivors had done something no one had ever done before: they had sailed all the way around the world, showing that the oceans connect into one continuous, navigable sphere.

The spices in the Victoria's hold actually turned a profit, covering the entire expedition's enormous cost. Elcano received a coat of arms from the Spanish crown with a globe inscribed: "You first circumnavigated me."