The old Castilian market town of Tordesillas, situated on a hill above the Río Duero, lies at an important road junction and was once a frequent residence of the kings of Spain. Here in 1494, following a decision of Pope Alexander VI, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided
the New World and other territories yet to be discovered between the two countries: all the lands to the east of a line running from pole to pole 370mi west of the Cape Verde Islands were assigned to Portugal, all the lands to the west of the line, with the exception of Brazil, to Spain.
After her husband's death Joan the Mad spent the last years of her life in the convent of Santa Clara here. During the rebellion of the Comuneros the town was the headquarters of their Junta Santa ("Sacred League").
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