Treaty of Madrid
- When
- 1750
- Where
- Madrid
- Episodes
- 3
The Treaty of Madrid, concluded on 13 January 1750, aimed to end decades of conflict between Spain and Portugal. It abandoned the Treaty of Tordesillas and Zaragoza as the legal basis for colonial division, while adopting the principle of uti possidetis to define boundaries based on current possession and natural features.
Episodes
- Signing of the Treaty
Spain and Portugal concluded the Treaty of Madrid on 13 January 1750 to resolve colonial boundary disputes.
- Abrogation of Previous Treaties
The treaty expressly abandoned the Treaty of Tordesillas and Zaragoza as the legal basis for colonial division.
- Adoption of Uti Possidetis
The treaty adopted the Roman law principle of uti possidetis to legitimize current territorial holdings.
Background and detail
Background. The treaty was concluded in an effort to end decades of conflict in the region of present-day Uruguay. While the agreement sought to establish detailed territorial boundaries, frequent skirmishes in the Banda Oriental continued after the 1750 treaty was signed.
Legal Basis. Spain and Portugal expressly abandoned the papal bull Inter caetera and the treaties of Tordesillas and Zaragoza as the legal basis for colonial division. The treaty was based on the Roman law principle of uti possidetis, stating that each party must stay with what it now holds.
People involved
Sources
- Treaty of Madrid (13 January 1750) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-05
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.