What did the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) establish?

The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, established a division of the New World between Spain and Portugal. This agreement was brokered under the auspices of Pope Alexander VI, who sought to resolve the competing claims of these two maritime powers as they expanded their territories in the newly discovered lands of the Americas. The treaty drew an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean; territories to the west of this line were allocated to Spain, while those to the east were designated for Portugal. This division significantly impacted the patterns of colonization and the development of both empires throughout the New World.

Other options do not relate directly to the workings of the Treaty of Tordesillas. For instance, the end of the Spanish Inquisition pertains to internal Spanish religious and political issues rather than the distribution of overseas territories. Similarly, alliances against French expansion and settlement of land claims in Asia are unrelated to the specific agreements made between Spain and Portugal regarding the New World distribution. The Treaty primarily focused on the geographic boundaries of colonial claims between these two countries, influencing their exploration and exploitation of the Americas.