Treaty of Tordesillas
Koppchen · CC BY 3.0
It was intended to resolve disputes arising from Christopher Columbus's first voyage and modified an earlier papal bull by Pope Alexander VI.
- Location
- Tordesillas, Spain
- Parties
- Kingdom of Portugal and Crown of Castile
Lore & Background
The treaty was negotiated after Christopher Columbus's first voyage, when King John II of Portugal claimed that all lands discovered belonged to Portugal under the Treaty of Alcáçovas and the papal bull Aeterni regis. The treaty superseded the papal bulls and was later sanctioned by Pope Julius II.
Reader's Guide
The Treaty of Tordesillas established a line of demarcation that divided the Atlantic world between Portugal and Castile, though the exact meridian was never precisely fixed due to undefined league lengths and uncertainties about Earth's circumference. It shaped colonial claims for centuries, granting Portugal most of the South Atlantic and the route to India, while Castile gained most of the Americas. The treaty was largely respected by the signatories, though Indigenous peoples did not acknowledge it, and emerging Protestant powers like England and the Netherlands rejected its authority. The original treaties are kept at the General Archive of the Indies in Spain and the Torre do Tombo National Archive in Portugal.
Did You Know?
- The line was about halfway between Cape Verde and the islands visited by Columbus on his first voyage, thought then to be Cipangu and Antillia but actually Cuba and Hispaniola.
- The treaty did not specify the length of the league or which Cape Verde island was intended, leaving these matters to a joint voyage that never occurred.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who signed the Treaty of Tordesillas?
The agreement was concluded between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile, the two Iberian powers competing over newly encountered overseas territories.
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
It was a 1494 bilateral accord that drew an imaginary north-south meridian in the Atlantic to split undiscovered lands between the two signatory crowns. The line was meant to settle the territorial rivalry that erupted after Columbus's first voyage westward.
Where was the Treaty of Tordesillas signed?
The document was formalized in the town of Tordesillas, in the Kingdom of Castile (modern-day Spain), giving the treaty its name.
Why was the Treaty of Tordesillas created?
Columbus's 1492 voyage triggered a clash of claims between Portugal and Castile over which crown owned the new lands. The treaty was drafted to resolve that dispute and effectively superseded the earlier papal bull issued by Pope Alexander VI that had attempted a similar division.
What did the Treaty of Tordesillas actually do?
It established a meridian roughly 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands, granting lands east of the line to Portugal and lands west of it to Castile. In practice this gave Portugal a legal foothold on the Brazilian coast while leaving most of the rest of the Americas under Castilian claim.
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