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How did Ferdinand Magellan serve the Portuguese royal court as a young man?
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Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan, detail of a painting by an unknown artist; in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
As a young man, Ferdinand Magellan served the Portuguese royal court in several capacities:
- Royal Page: Early in his life, Magellan served as a page to Queen Leonor, the wife of King John II and sister of King Manuel I, in Lisbon.1
- Military Service: In 1505, he enlisted in the fleet of Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy of Portuguese India. During his service in the East, he participated in significant naval engagements, including the Battle of Diu in 1509 and the capture of Malacca in 1511.1
- Moroccan Campaign: By 1513, he joined forces sent against the Moroccan stronghold of Azamor, where he sustained a leg wound.1
Following his service, Magellan sought a reward from King Manuel I, but his request was denied due to unfounded accusations of irregular conduct regarding war spoils. When the king refused his subsequent petitions, he ultimately granted Magellan permission to offer his services elsewhere, leading to his departure for Spain.1