The Treaty of Tordesillas

The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to settle disputes over newly discovered lands outside Europe. It divided the world’s non-European territories along a line of longitude, granting Spain rights to the west and Portugal to the east. This division aimed to avoid conflict as both powers explored and claimed territories during the Age of Exploration. The treaty influenced global history by shaping colonial boundaries and world influence, particularly around Africa, Asia, and South America, with Portugal gaining control over Brazil and parts of Africa, and Spain acquiring much of Central and South America.