Maritime Expansion: Portugal, Castilla, and the Division of the World

Global Discoveries and Early Modern Journeys

The Portuguese Explorations

The Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, encouraged the development of navigation skills and the exploration of the African coast. There was considerable rivalry with Castilla in this region, but it was resolved with the signing of the Treaty of Alcáçovas in 1479.

The treaty granted Castilla the right to conquer the Canary Islands, while Portugal was allowed to explore the African coast south of Cape Bojador.

Key Portuguese achievements included:

• Reaching Cape Bojador in 1431.
• Reaching the Gulf of Guinea in 1460.
• In 1487, Bartolomeu Dias successfully rounded the Cape of Good Hope.
• In 1498, Vasco da Gama reached India, establishing a direct sea route.

Castilla and the Discovery of America

America was discovered by Christopher Columbus. His aim, based on his conviction that the world was round, was to sail westwards to reach the Indies (Asia). He first presented his project to King John II of Portugal in 1484. Later, the Catholic Monarchs of Castilla accepted his proposal in their Capitulations of Santa Fe (1492).

Columbus set sail with three ships from the port of Palos (Huelva). He stopped at the Canary Islands and, on 12 October 1492, he landed on the Caribbean Island of Guanahani, which he renamed San Salvador. Before returning, he reconnoitered the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola and was struck by their potential wealth.

Columbus returned to the New World several times before his death in 1506. He died believing that he had reached the Indies.

Dividing the World and Subsequent Expeditions

The discovery of new lands beyond the ocean had an immediate impact across Europe. The Catholic Monarchs were granted sovereignty over the Indies by the Pope, and subsequently agreed upon the areas of influence with Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).

This treaty established a frontier 370 leagues to the west of the Cape Verde Islands: the lands located to the west of this line would belong to Castilla, and those to the east, to Portugal. As a result, Portugal staked its claim to Brazil in 1500.

Further expeditions confirmed the global geography:

• In 1513, Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean.
• Between 1519 and 1522, Magellan and Elcano completed the first voyage around the world, thereby definitively demonstrating that the Earth was round.