The primary purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was to divide the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. The treaty was negotiated by Pope Alexander VI to resolve disputes between the two countries over the newly discovered territories in the Americas after Christopher Columbus' voyages. The treaty established a demarcation line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands, dividing the territories into two parts: everything to the west of the line would belong to Spain, and everything to the east would belong to Portugal. It aimed to prevent conflicts between the two powerful European nations and establish clear land rights in the New World.
