State, Diplomacy and Cosmography in the Renaissance. The Treaty of Tordesillas and the problem of of geographical longitudes

Abstract

The conflict oven the dominante of the Atlantic Otean between the Portuguesa and Castilian crowns, was intentad to be resolved by the Tordesillas Treaty of 1494, which proponed the layout of an astronomic ftontier or meridian passing 370 leagues from Cabo Verde islands, dividing the domains of Castile and Portugal. The exact line could not be designad because of technical difficulties, but the arguments from both parties made olear the state of European science and technology to the end of the fifteenth centuy and the important role played by the State in the promotion of innovation.