Did Ferdinand Magellan visit the Moluccas before leading his expedition for Spain?

Whether Ferdinand Magellan visited the Moluccas before his 1519 expedition for Spain remains a subject of historical debate rather than established fact.

While some historical accounts, such as those by the Italian geographer Giovanni Battista Ramusio and the Spanish historian Leonardo de Argensola, have claimed that Magellan participated in a 1511–1512 voyage to the Spice Islands, there is a lack of concrete evidence to support this, and most historians do not accept it as fact.1

It is well-documented, however, that Magellan served in the Indian Ocean under the Portuguese, including participating in the 1511 capture of Malacca. During this time, his close friend and fellow explorer Francisco Serrão did travel to the Moluccas and later sent Magellan information regarding the islands' location. This intelligence, combined with his own potential (though unproven) experience, likely informed the proposal Magellan later presented to King Charles I regarding the location of the Spice Islands.12