Treaty of Tordesillas: The Papal Line That Split the World

The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · Jul 25, 2026 · 5m · transcript

Long before the British and French clashed in India, Europe's colonial powers drew a line across the map. In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal. This episode explores the political and religious maneuvering behind the treaty—how Pope Alexander VI's bulls and King John II's pressure moved the line westward, giving Portugal a foothold in Brazil and setting the stage for centuries of colonial rivalry. We also look at the Treaty of Zaragoza (1529) that later split the other side of the world over the Spice…