Olá! In Today’s Dica we’ll dive into a fascinating part of history: the Tordesillas Treaty, the captaincies of Brazil, and the concept of the New World in 1494. Let’s get started!
What Was the Tordesillas Treaty?
The Tordesillas Treaty (Tratado de Tordesilhas) was an agreement signed in 1494 between Portugal and Spain. This treaty divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between these two countries. The division line was set 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.
The Exploration Race
By the late 15th century, European nations were racing to explore and claim new territories. When Christopher Columbus, sailing under the Spanish flag, reached the Americas in 1492, it sparked significant interest and competition between Spain and Portugal. Our Brazil was discovered a few years after the Treaty in 1498.
What Was the New World?
The New World (Novo Mundo) was a term used by Europeans to describe the Americas after Christopher Columbus’s voyage in 1492.
For Europeans in 1494, the New World represented:
Opportunity for Wealth: There were vast resources like gold, silver, and fertile land.
Territorial Expansion: Nations saw it as a chance to expand their empires.
New Trade Routes: It opened new paths for trading goods.
Spread of Christianity: Missionaries aimed to convert indigenous populations to Christianity.
Spain x Portugal Conflict
Both Spain and Portugal were eager to expand their empires and claim the New World. The conflict arose because both nations wanted to avoid overlapping claims and potential conflicts over these new territories.
The Role of Pope Alexander VI
To mediate the conflict, Pope Alexander VI issued a papal bull in 1493, known as Inter caetera. This bull drew an imaginary line 100 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, granting Spain rights to lands west of the line and Portugal rights to lands east of it. However, Portugal was not satisfied with this division because it limited their access to new lands, particularly in Asia.
Negotiations Begin
Negotiations between Spain and Portugal began to move the line further west, giving Portugal more room for exploration and claims in the New World. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, along with King John II of Portugal, were the main figures in these negotiations.
The Treaty
On June 7, 1494, the Tordesillas Treaty was signed. The main points of the treaty were:

Division Line: The treaty moved the line to 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, giving Portugal more territory to the east, which would include parts of modern-day Brazil.
Implementation: Both countries agreed to respect this new line and avoid encroaching on each other’s newly claimed territories.
Ratification: The treaty was ratified by Spain on July 2, 1494, and by Portugal on September 5, 1494.
Impact and Enforcement
The Tordesillas Treaty had several significant impacts:
Colonial Expansion: It allowed Portugal to claim Brazil and continue its explorations along the African coast and into Asia.
Spanish Empire: Spain focused on the western hemisphere, leading to the extensive Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Future Treaties: The treaty set a precedent for future agreements between European powers regarding colonial claims.
Captaincies of Brazil
The Captaincies of Brazil were a system of territorial administration created in 1534 by the king of Portugal, D. João III. They were originally called Capitanias Hereditárias (Hereditary Captaincies). This is because they used to be passed from father to son.
The system involved dividing the territory and giving them to specific people to administrate. These administrators were noble people who were well-connected to the Portuguese Crown.
After some unsuccessful divisions, the final map consisted of thirteen captaincies. It’s important to say that Rio de Janeiro is located in what used to be the Captaincy of São Vicente.

| Captaincy of Maranhão | Captaincy of Porto Seguro |
| Captaincy of Ceará | Captaincy of Espírito Santo |
| Captaincy of Rio Grande | Captaincy of São Tomé |
| Captaincy of Itamaracá | Captaincy of São Vicente |
| Captaincy of Pernambuco | Captaincy of Santo Amaro |
| Captaincy of Baía de Todos os Santos | Captaincy of Santana |
| Captaincy of Ilhéus |
The most important captaincies of Brazil were:
- Capitania de Pernambuco: Known for its sugar cane plantations.
- Capitania de São Vicente: One of the most successful captaincies, which later developed into São Paulo.
- Capitania da Bahia: The first capital of Brazil, Salvador, was located here.
Although the Portuguese had organized this system to improve the governing, it wasn’t very effective. Only the Captaincy of Pernambuco and the Captaincy of São Vicente were successful. Most of them didn’t work out well for four main reasons. First, the massive size of each territory. Second, the difficulties of administration. Third, a lack of economic resources. And, finally, the constant attacks by indigenous people. Because of these problems, the captaincies and this system were abolished in 1759 by the Marquis of Pombal.
Vocabulary of the Tordesillas Treaty
| Tratado | Treaty |
| Capitanias do Brasil | Captaincies of Brazil |
| Novo Mundo | New World |
| Século XV | 15th century |
| Descobrimentos | Discoveries |
| Colonização | Colonization |
| Rei | King |
| Exploração | Exploration |
| Marítimo | Maritime |
| Acordo | Agreement |
| Linhas de divisão | Division lines |
| Expansão territorial | Territorial expansion |
| Riqueza | Wealth |
| Convertido | Converted |
| Nobres | Nobles |
Time to practice
Fill the blanks with the word that is missing:
- O _________ foi assinado em 1494 entre Portugal e Espanha.
- O _________ era um termo usado pelos europeus para descrever as Américas.
- As _________ do Brasil eram regiões administrativas criadas por Portugal.
- A linha de divisão estabelecida pelo _________ estava a 370 léguas a oeste das ilhas de Cabo Verde.
- _________ era o rei de Portugal em 1494.
- O _________ representava novas oportunidades de _________ e _________ .
- Portugal dividiu o Brasil em capitanias para gerenciar e desenvolver a terra, concedendo-as a _________ portugueses.
- A _________ permitiu que os países europeus expandissem seus impérios.
- _________ foi a chave para descobrir novas terras e recursos.
- O tratado visava evitar conflitos estabelecendo claras _________ .
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Bye, bye!
Hugs from Rio & Learn!
Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
History of Tiradentes
The History of São Paulo
The History of Salvador
Answers
- Tratado
- Novo Mundo
- Capitanias
- Tratado de Tordesilhas
- Dom João II
- Novo Mundo, riqueza, expansão territorial
- Nobres
- Expansão territorial
- Exploração
- Linhas de divisão
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