Treaty of Tordesillas
The agreement settling the dispute between Spain & Portugal for land in the Americas.
The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed on June 7, 1494 primarily between Spain and Portugal. The purpose of the treaty was to divide the newly discovered lands in the Americas between Spain and Portugal. The Treaty was brokered by Pope Alexander VI.
At the time of the Treaty, Spain and Portugal were the two most powerful nations in the world. They were both looking for ways to expand their empires and both were interested in exploring the New World. They both had a strong presence in the Iberian Peninsula, and both were interested in expanding their wealth and influence.
The Treaty divided the newly discovered lands in the Americas between Spain and Portugal. The treaty drew a line from the North Pole to the South Pole, 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. The lands to the east of this line would belong to Portugal and the lands to the west would belong to Spain. This allowed Portugal to claim Brazil, and it gave Spain the rest of the Americas.
The Treaty allowed Spain and Portugal to begin their colonial expansion in the Americas without fighting each other. It also helped to establish a precedent for other European nations who were interested in colonizing the New World.
The Treaty of Tordesillas had far-reaching effects on world history. It helped establish Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the Americas, and it created a sense of rivalry and competition between European powers that would last for centuries. The Treaty also helped to shape the geopolitical landscape of the world, and it was an important step towards the globalization of trade and commerce.
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