Treaty of Tordesillas: How a 1494 Line Shaped Global Languages and Cultures

In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas, mediated by Pope Alexander VI, divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. The agreement, signed on June 7 in Tordesillas, Spain, established a line 345 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, granting Portugal lands to the east and Spain to the west. This division was prompted by Portugal's King John II asserting older treaties after Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage, and Spain, wary of Portugal's stronger navy, sought papal arbitration. The treaty allowed both nations to claim territories not ruled by Christians, leading to widespread colonization. In 1506, the line was moved 932 miles further west, giving Portugal the eastern part of Brazil. The treaty's legacy is visible today: most Latin American nations speak Spanish, while Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau speak Portuguese. It also legitimized colonialism, ignoring indigenous populations and leading to immense suffering, including the Transatlantic slave trade. By the 17th century, other powers like Britain challenged the monopoly, and the treaty's terms weakened as Spain and Portugal's resources dwindled.