Latest / The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History / The Treaty of Tordesillas: Dividing the World by Line
Transcript
- Lucas: We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the ships and the sailors who pushed Europe’s reach outward, but today I want to talk about the piece of paper that actually made it all legal. Luna: So not the swords, but the signatures? Lucas: Exactly. In 1493, just months after Columbus’s first voyage, Pope Alexander VI issued a bull called Inter caetera. It was essentially a divine zoning permit, drawing a line down the Atlantic Ocean, thirty-seven hundred leagues west of the Azores. Lucas: Anything east of that line went to Portugal, anything west to Spain. It sounds absurd now, but at the time, it was the only way two Catholic powers could avoid going to war over newly discovered lands. Luna: But didn’t Portugal feel shortchanged by that initial line? Lucas: They were furious. King John II argued that the line gave Spain access to almost everything, while Portugal stuck with its African route and whatever tiny sliver of the Americas might fall east of it. Lucas: He threatened to send his navy to challenge Spanish claims, so Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to negotiate. The result was the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which moved the line further west, to one hundred and twenty-nine leagues. Luna: That shift accidentally gave them Brazil, didn’t it? Lucas: It did. Pedro Álvares Cabral would later land there in 1500, claiming it for Portugal precisely because it fell on the eastern side of the new line. But the real story isn’t just about geography; it’s about the theology behind it. Lucas: The bull Dudum siquidem, issued in 1501, reinforced this division by granting Portugal exclusive trading rights in Asia and Africa, effectively locking Spain out of the spice trade unless they found a southern route around Africa. Luna: So the map was drawn before anyone really knew what was there. Lucas: Precisely. They were dividing a world they hadn’t fully explored, using ancient Roman units of measurement like leagues, which varied in length depending on where you stood. It was a gamble based on hope and geometry. Lucas: What’s fascinating is how both crowns treated the native populations. The papal bulls assumed these lands were empty or available for Christian conquest, ignoring the complex societies already living there. Luna: It feels like they erased everyone who wasn't European. Lucas: They did. The legal framework was built on the idea that non-Christian peoples had no sovereignty under international law. This justification would haunt colonial relations for centuries. Lucas: If you enjoy how we dig into these overlooked historical mechanisms, consider supporting the show. A small contribution helps us keep producing ad-free episodes that respect your time and curiosity. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: It really does make a difference in keeping the research deep. Lucas: Thanks for listening. Back to the treaty—Spain tried to enforce this monopoly, but other powers soon ignored it entirely. England, France, and the Netherlands refused to recognize the Pope’s right to divide the world. Luna: They just sailed past the line? Lucas: They did. By the late sixteenth century, the Treaty of Tordesillas was becoming more of a suggestion than a rule. The Dutch East India Company, for example, carved out its own empire in Asia without asking either Spain or Portugal. Lucas: However, the agreement did hold firm in South America for a long time. The border between Portuguese Brazil and Spanish territories remained relatively stable compared to other regions. Luna: Because they stayed within their lanes? Lucas: Mostly. They focused on their respective zones until conflicts arose over resources like gold and rubber much later. But the initial peace held because both sides had more pressing enemies elsewhere. Lucas: Spain was dealing with the Reformation in Europe, while Portugal struggled to maintain control over its distant Asian holdings. Neither could afford a war over the Amazon basin. Luna: So the jungle saved them from fighting each other? Lucas: In a way, yes. The dense interior acted as a natural buffer. It wasn’t until the eighteenth century, when silver mines were discovered near the border, that tensions resurfaced. Lucas: This led to the Treaty of Madrid in 1750, which replaced the old line with the principle of uti possidetis, meaning those who possess the land keep it. It was a pragmatic shift away from papal decrees toward actual occupation. Luna: From divine lines to deeds on the ground. Lucas: Exactly. The legacy of Tordesillas is visible in the languages spoken across South America today. Brazil speaks Portuguese, while its neighbors speak Spanish, a direct result of that fifteenth-century negotiation. Lucas: It’s a rare example of a medieval diplomatic agreement shaping modern national identities. Most such treaties faded, but this one endured because it aligned with the practical realities of colonization. Luna: It’s wild how a single line created half the continent. Lucas: It is. And it raises questions about how much of our current world order was decided by a few men in a room, rather than by the people who actually lived there. Lucas: Next time, we’ll look at how other empires challenged this framework, starting with the rise of the Dutch Republic and its break from Iberian dominance. Luna: I’m ready to see who breaks the rules next. Lucas: Join us then. Until next week, keep looking closely at the maps.