The Treaty of Tordesillas is a treaty that was signed between Spain and Portugal, which divided the non-European world between the two. Spain claiming the land west of the line and Portugal claiming the land east of the line.
Correct! The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed on June 7, 1494, between the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal. It aimed to resolve conflicts over newly discovered lands, particularly in the Americas, by establishing a dividing line. This line, known as the Tordesillas Line or Meridian, was drawn 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands.
According to the treaty, Spain was granted exclusive rights to all lands west of the line, while Portugal gained control over all lands to the east. This division allowed Spain to claim most of the Americas, including the newly discovered lands of Christopher Columbus, while Portugal gained control over lands in Africa, Asia, and present-day Brazil.
The treaty was negotiated to prevent conflicts between the two powerful kingdoms and to ensure their monopoly over the newly discovered territories. However, it ignored the interests and existence of other European powers, notably England and France, who later challenged the treaty's division of the world. The treaty's limitations and lack of enforcement led to further negotiations and conflicts in the following centuries.