The treaty originated in 1493, when [[Pope]] ([[Alexander VI]]) attempted to settle a dispute between Spain and Portugal by giving the [[New World]] to Spain and [[India]] and [[Africa]] to Portugal. The Treaty of Tordesillas formalized this agreement with a key change that shifted the demarcation line to a circle, which enabled Portugal to claim [[Brazil]] also. | The treaty originated in 1493, when [[Pope]] ([[Alexander VI]]) attempted to settle a dispute between Spain and Portugal by giving the [[New World]] to Spain and [[India]] and [[Africa]] to Portugal. The Treaty of Tordesillas formalized this agreement with a key change that shifted the demarcation line to a circle, which enabled Portugal to claim [[Brazil]] also. |