Which ancient treaty divided newly encountered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal?
Answer
Treaty of Tordesillas
Answer
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas divided newly encountered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal.
Signed on 7 June 1494, the treaty moved an earlier papal demarcation line westward to a meridian roughly 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. Lands east of the line were assigned to Portugal, while lands west were assigned to Castile, the principal kingdom of Spain. The agreement was intended to prevent conflict after the voyages of Christopher Columbus.
The line’s exact position was difficult to calculate because longitude could not then be measured reliably at sea. Portugal’s claim to Brazil is often connected to the treaty because much of Brazil lies east of the later interpreted line. The Treaty of Zaragoza in 1529 addressed competing Spanish and Portuguese claims farther east, especially around the Moluccas. Indigenous peoples were not represented in either agreement.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026