Treaty of Madrid (1750)
Madrid, Spain
What happened
Portuguese explorers and settlers had moved far west of the old line set by the Treaty of Tordesillas. Spain and Portugal dropped that old line and agreed that each would keep what it held. Spain got the Sacramento Colony, and Portugal got seven Jesuit missions on the upper Uruguay River.
Why it matters
It largely shaped the borders of modern Brazil. Both kingdoms dropped the old papal bull and the Treaty of Tordesillas as the basis for dividing their colonies.
What came next
The Guaraní people of the missions refused to be moved, leading to the Guaraní War in 1754–1756. Spain and Portugal cancelled the treaty in 1761, then brought most of it back in 1777.
Did you know?
Under the old Tordesillas line, Spain would have held what is now São Paulo, and Brazil would be only a fraction of its size.
Timeline
- 13 Jan 1750Treaty of Madrid signed.
- 1754–1756Guaraní War.
- 1761Treaty of El Pardo cancels the 1750 treaty.
- 1777First Treaty of San Ildefonso restores most of its terms.