Sharing of Discovered Lands - Demarcation of the Tordesillas Meridian

Attempts to define the meridian of the Treaty of Tordesillas.

Partilha das Terras Descobertas - Demarcação do Meridiano de Tordesilhas

1. The context and structure of the Treaty.

The Treaty of Tordesillas stipulated that the demarcation of the 370 leagues west of Cape Verde would be carried out by pilots, astrologers and sailors from both parties. Within ten months of the treaty’s signing, they would travel to the islands and set sail in two or four caravels to the desired point, which would be marked using the sun or north as a reference point, or by sailing leagues.

Map of Africa, 1554 - Sebastian Munster (1489 - 1552) was one of the three most renowned cartographers of the sixteenth century, along with Mercator and Ortelius. Munster's Geographia and Cosmographia Universalis were two of the most widely read and influential books of the period. His editions of Ptolemy's Geographia, published between 1540 and 1552, were illustrated with 48 woodcut maps, the standard 27 Ptolemaic maps supplemented by 21 new maps. These new maps included a separate map of each of the known continents and marked the development of regional cartography in Central Europe. The antique geography was a prelude to Munster's major work, the Cosmographia, which was published in nearly 30 editions in six languages between 1544 and 1578 and then was revised and reissued by Sebastian Petri from 1588 to 1628. The Cosmographia was a geographical as well as historical and ethnographic description of the world. It contained the maps from the Geographia plus additional regional maps and city views with nearly 500 illustrations which made it one of the most popular pictorial encyclopedias of the sixteen century. This woodcut map is one of the earliest maps of the African continent that is obtainable by the collector today. It was issued in an early German edition of Cosmographia that also appears in the 1540 Ptolemy edition with Latin text. The Ptolemaic geography, with large rivers and convoluted mountains, is augmented from Portuguese and Arabic sources. From the Portuguese comes Caput Bonespei (Cape of Good Hope) and a small group of islands off the eastern coast named Zaphala Aurifodina that were supposedly the region from which King Solomon imported gold and silver. The Arab kingdoms of Quiola and Melinde appear in eastern Africa and Hamarich, the capital of the mythical Christian king Pester John, is shown at the confluence of the twin sources of the Nile. Crowns and scepters identify the locations of African kingdoms throughout the continent. Noticeably lacking is the island of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa. Forests, parrots, an elephant, a Cyclops (Monoculi) and a large galleon under full sail embellish the map. The strapwork cartouche contains a Latin description of the European discovery of the continent, while the Latin title is located above the map. "Totius Africae Tabula, & Descriptio Universalis, Etiam Ultra Ptolemaei Limites Extensa", Munster, Sebastian Publication: Cosmographiae Universalis — This woodcut map of Africa from 1554 is one of the earliest maps of the continent.

2. The interests and delays of monarchies

Although representatives from Portugal and Spain had been appointed for the mission, its departure was postponed, its deadline was changed and extended, and the obligation was eventually forgotten, to the benefit of both crowns.

First, it was Spain that was interested in the Moluccas and the Philippines.
Then it was Portugal’s turn, as they were concerned about losing Brazilian territories beyond the proposed line.

The sixty-year union of the Iberian Crowns also prevented direct conflicts over borders.

Map of the Moluccas, Indonesia, 1675 (circa) - The famous Spice Islands, the cornerstone of the Dutch trading empire in the East Indies throughout the 17th Century, is the focus of this exquisite map. Similar to Blaeu's map, except that it extends further south to include the island of Bachian. The very decorative title cartouche is supported by two sea monsters, and another cartouche contains the scale of miles. It is further embellished with various sailing vessels, sea monsters, two elaborate compass roses with north oriented to the right, and a native couple displaying the costumes and weapons of the region. "Insularum Moluccarum Nova Descriptio", Jansson, Jan — This is a map of the Moluccas in Indonesia from around 1675. The Moluccas were the famous Spice Islands and were the cornerstone of the Dutch trading empire in the East Indies throughout the 17th century.

3. Disagreement over where to start in Cape Verde.

The first discussion concerned which of the islands of Cape Verde would be used as the starting point for counting leagues. The archipelago comprises fourteen main islands, which are distributed between the Barlavento and Sotavento groups.

In 1495, Jaime Ferrer proposed leaving Ilha do Fogo, the most central island, while other cosmographers advocated Ilha de Santo Antão, the westernmost island of Barlavento.

The 1502 Cantino map adopted a more easterly line, favouring Portugal over Brazil in the Spice Islands, and projected the line slightly beyond the Parnaíba River delta in Maranhão.

The term ‘Spice Islands’ refers to the Moluccas (also known as the Maluku Islands), an archipelago located in eastern Indonesia.

This guideline was also reproduced by other Portuguese letters.

Map of Western Africa and Cape Verde Islands, 1699 - This is an attractive map of the important Cape Verde Islands and the opposite African coast from Cap Blanc to Sierra Leone. There is a lot of detail along the African coastline, with numerous cities, capes, rivers, and more identified. A fancy decorative title cartouche adorns the bottom of the map. Sanson's small maps from his L'Afrique en Plusieurs Cartes..., first published in 1656 and engraved by A. Peyrounin, were copied several times by various map publishers. Johann David Zunners made copies of Sanson's maps for his German translation of Die Gantze Erd-Kugel in 1679. Johannes Ribbius and Simon de Vries published copies in 1682 and 1683, with new maps engraved by Antoine d'Winter. The plates were later sold to Francois Halma, who used them in 1699 and then again in 1705 with the titles re-engraved in Dutch. The titles on the d'Winter plates were re-engraved back into French, and then used by Nicholas Chemereau in 1715 and by Henri du Sauzet in 1738. "Isles du Cap Verd Coste, et Pays des Negres aux Environs du Cap Verd...", Sanson, Nicolas — Map of West Africa and the Cape Verde Islands (1699) – This attractive map shows the important Cape Verde Islands and the African coast opposite them, from Cap Blanc to Sierra Leone.

4. Correction efforts and subsequent positioning.

In Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis (commenced in 1505), Duarte Pacheco Pereira presented a position that more accurately reflected reality by situating Portuguese territory from Marajó to the island of Santa Catarina.

Nevertheless, during the second decade of the sixteenth century, it was argued that the Moluccas belonged to Spain. Navigators such as João Dias de Solís and Fernão de Magalhães supported this idea, but both died before they could complete their missions.

5. Maps and claims relating to the Brazilian coast.

Much of the Brazilian coast was already well-known. Lopo Homem’s 1519 map marks many geographical features from the mouth of the Amazon to the River Plate, with Portuguese flags indicating territorial claims.

In turn, the geographer Enciso drew the Tordesillas line further west, between the Turi-Açu and Gurupi rivers in the state of Maranhão.

6. Negotiations and capitulations concerning the Moluccas.

Magellan’s voyage reignited doubts over who owned the Moluccas.

In 1524, representatives from Portugal and Spain met at the border between Évora and Badajoz, but failed to reach a definitive solution regarding the starting point for the measurement in Cape Verde.

Subsequently, due to Spain’s financial difficulties, Charles V negotiated the Capitulation of Zaragoza (1529) with King John III, ceding any rights to the Moluccas to Spain in exchange for 350,000 gold ducats.

7. New cartographic proposals

In 1529, Diogo Ribeiro moved the demarcation line slightly further east to Marajó Island.

In 1531, Pêro Lopes de Sousa erected a Lusitanian landmark at Esteiro dos Carandins (Lower Paraná), beyond the River Plate. This prompted the Spanish to reinforce their presence in the region, ultimately leading to the establishment of Buenos Aires in 1536.

Map of South America & Caribbean,1596 - This is one of the most striking and decorative maps of South America and is an important early record of the continent. The map is oriented with north to the right and includes Florida and the West Indies. The Straits of Magellan are depicted with Terra del Fuego shown as a part of the great southern landmass. The coastlines are well defined and densely engraved with place names. The interior is filled with fictional mountains, rivers and vignettes of Patagonian giants, Brazilian cannibals and numerous strange animals, including a lion-like creature with a striped tail and human face. Other embellishments include large elaborate cartouches with descriptions of the region in both Latin and Dutch, sea monsters, galleons and a beautiful compass rose. Engraved by Arnold van Langren from Portuguese and Spanish sources that Linschoten gathered while living for six years under the patronage of the Catholic archbishop in Goa. "Delineatio Omnium Orarum Totius Australis Partis Americae, Dictae Peruvianae, a R. de la Plata, Brasiliam, Pariam, & Castellam Auream...", Linschoten/Langren. Publication: Itinerario… — This map of South America and the Caribbean from 1596 is one of the most impressive and decorative maps of the continent, and an important early record.

8. Limits proposed by Pedro Nunes.

In 1537, Pedro Nunes, Portugal’s Chief Cosmographer, drew a 370-league-long boundary line that cut across Brazil near the mouth of the Oiapoque River, continuing through the hinterland beyond São Matias Bay and extending Portuguese claims on the continent to their maximum extent.

Pontos da costa norte do Brasil por onde deveria passar a linha de demarcação previamente fixada no Tratado de Tordesilhas, de acordo com as interpretações de Ferrer (1495), Cantino (1502), Enciso (1518), dos peritos de Badajoz (1524), Diogo Ribeiro (1529) e Oviedo (1545). (Apud H. Harrisse — The Diplomatic History of America, Londres, 1897). — These are the points on the northern coast of Brazil where the demarcation line established in the Treaty of Tordesillas should pass, according to the interpretations of Ferrer (1495), Cantino (1502), Enciso (1518), the Badajoz experts (1524), Diogo Ribeiro (1529), and Oviedo (1545). (Apud H. Harrisse, The Diplomatic History of America, London, 1897).

9. Stagnation and resurgence of the issue

Following these attempts, no new precise demarcations of the meridian were recorded. It was only known that the measurement fell somewhere between Belém do Pará in the north and Laguna in the south.

The Union of the Crowns postponed the issue for sixty years. Although Spain and Portugal did not define their overseas boundaries when peace was established in 1668, the establishment of the Colony of Sacramento in 1680 reignited the dispute.

The Treaty of Madrid in 1750 annulled the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Agreement of El Pardo in 1761 temporarily reinstated it, but it was only the Treaty of Santo Ildefonso in 1777 that definitively ended the Capitulation of the Partition of the Ocean Sea of 1494.