Just interested in learning about some of the lesser discussed misconceptions about historical figures. Everyone knows about Thomas Edison, but I'm more interested in hearing about people who were equally as famous but those whose "fame-stealing" isn't' as widely known.
Magellan was not the first man to circumnavigate the globe, yet is often credited with it. He died before the expedition made it back to Portugal. Interestingly though, it was not another member of the crew that was the first either. Magellan had a Malaysian slave on his ship, who had been brought along because of his usefulness in speaking languages they would eventually encounter on their travels. When the expedition arrived at Malaysia, he became the first man to circumnavigate the globe, albeit not in one trip.