What was the line of demarcation between Spain and Portugal?

Treaty of Tordesillas
Lines of Demarcation The result was the Treaty of Tordesillas. Signed in Tordesillas, Spain, on June 7, 1494, the treaty established a line of demarcation that was 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands (already Portuguese).

Why did Spain and Portugal need the line of demarcation?

Initially, the line of demarcation did not encircle the earth. Instead, Spain and Portugal could conquer any new lands they were the first to discover, Spain to the west and Portugal to the east, even if they passed each other on the other side of the globe.

What happened between Spain and Portugal in 1494?

On June 7, 1494, the governments of Spain and Portugal agreed to the Treaty of Tordesillas, named for the city in Spain in which it was created. All lands east of that line (about 46 degrees, 37 minutes west) were claimed by Portugal. All lands west of that line were claimed by Spain.

How did Spain and Portugal resolve the Moluccas Sovereignty?

The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) had only yielded a temporary agreement. The treaty granted sovereignty over the Moluccas to Portugal, including rights of navigation and trade. Portugal agreed to pay 350,000 ducats as purchase for the Spanish rights.

What was the line of demarcation between Portugal and Spain?

The Line of Demarcation Created By the Treaty of Tordesillas. With the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal and Spain agreed on a line of demarcation which allotted all land to the left of the line to Spain and those to the east under the sovereignty of Portugal.

What was the purpose of the line of demarcation?

As per common parlance, definition of line of demarcation refers to any line that divides a piece of land between two parties. Such lines have been established throughout history to set geopolitical borders. By the 15th century, Spain and Portugal had emerged as two strong seafaring countries of Europe.

Why was the line of demarcation created at Tordesillas?

The Line of Demarcation Created By the Treaty of Tordesillas. Hence the representatives of both the countries met at the Spanish town of Tordesillas in the spring of 1494 to sort out their differences. The two sides mutually agreed to shift the line set by Pope Alexander VI a little further to the west of the existing line.

Where is the demarcation line in Cape Verde?

He stated that the demarcation line was 18° west of the most central island of the Cape Verde Islands, which is Fogo according to Harrisse, having a longitude of 24°25′ west of Greenwich, hence Ferrer placed the line at 42°25′W on his sphere, which was 21.1% larger than our sphere.