Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães), in the service of the King of Spain, embarks on the first circumnavigation of the globe, but is killed in the Philippines. Of the five ships that set out, only one returns—with only 18 of the 270 men who had set sail! Nonetheless, the 26 tons of cloves, caught in the Moluccas, cover all the expenses and costs of the lost ships, and also generate a decent profit for the investors. This speaks volumes about the incredible profit margins of the spice trade, which constituted the true driving force behind the exploration and colonization of Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
