List of Great Explorers and their Notable Expeditions

List of great explorers and their notable expeditions, categorized by time period and region:

Ancient to Medieval Explorers

1. Pytheas (c. 4th century BCE) – Greek Explorer
   Explored northern Europe, possibly reaching Iceland and the British Isles.
   First known explorer to describe the Midnight Sun and polar ice.

2. Zhang Qian (c. 2nd century BCE) – Chinese Diplomat and Explorer
   Opened up the Silk Road under the Han Dynasty.

3. Ibn Battuta (1304–1369) – Moroccan Explorer
   Traveled over 75,000 miles across North Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and China.

4. Leif Erikson (c. 970–1020) – Norse Explorer
   Believed to be the first European to reach North America (Vinland, now Newfoundland) around 1000 CE.

Age of Exploration (15th–17th Century)

1. Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) – Italian sailing for Spain
   1492: Reached the Caribbean, initiating European exploration of the Americas.

2. Vasco da Gama (c. 1460–1524) – Portuguese Explorer
   First European to reach India by sea (1498), establishing a maritime trade route.

3. Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521) – Portuguese sailing for Spain
   Led the first circumnavigation of the globe (1519–1522), though he died en route.

4. John Cabot (c. 1450–1500) – Italian sailing for England
   Explored the North American coast (1497), possibly Newfoundland.

5. Hernán Cortés (1485–1547) – Spanish Conquistador
   Led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire (Mexico).

6. Francisco Pizarro (c. 1471–1541) – Spanish Conquistador
   Conquered the Inca Empire (Peru).

7. Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540–1596) – English Explorer
   Second circumnavigation of the world (1577–1580); raided Spanish ports in the Americas.