Exercises on Spanish Maritime Expansion

Why did the Spaniards only undertake their maritime expansion project at the end of the 15th century?

What was the main objective of the Spanish maritime expansion project? And how does it differ from the Lusitanian project?

What is the historical importance of the expedition organized by Fernão de Magalhães, in the year 1519?

How did the discovery of the American continent lead to the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas?

Throughout the 15th century, Spain was still experiencing intense military agitation resulting from the process of unification of the Christian kingdoms that gave rise to the Spanish nation. In addition, it should also be noted that the Spaniards were involved in the process of expulsion of Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula, in the so-called War of Reconquest. After the definitive expulsion, which took place in 1492, we notice that the Spaniards began to turn their attention to the discovery of new maritime routes.

At that time, the Spaniards hoped to find a shipping route that would be able to establish direct commercial contact between Spain and India. To discover this new navigation route, the Spaniards preferred to bet on the circumnavigation project of the Italian Christopher Columbus, who believed that it was possible to reach the East by sailing towards the West.

Fernão de Magalhães' expedition was of great importance for the sphericity theory of the Earth to be finally proven. In a trip that lasted three years, this navigator's fleet ended up overturning the old medieval conception that defended the idea that the Earth was a flat.

By announcing the discovery of the American continent, the Spaniards soon placed themselves as competitors of Portugal in the conquest of new lands and maritime routes. In this way, the Portuguese had in the Treaty of Tordesilhas a way of guaranteeing the colonial space already conquered on the African coast and, later, of the lands where the colonization of Brazil was established.