KING JOÃO AND THE GREAT ADVENTURE

King João II founded the Council of Scholars .

King João reign lasted 8 years .

More than two years after Columbo set sail, Bartolomeu Dias had found the route to the Orient around the Cape of Good Hope.

The discoveries had the financial support from other countries outsider the country.

After some threats between Spain and Portugal, the kings decided to negotiate and created the Treaty of Tordesilhas ( which the lands to the east would belong to Portugal and the lands to the west to Spain) . Once the treaty had been signed , the west coast of South America was officially " discovered" by Vasco Da Gama.

By the time of the treaty, King João II already had a major, achievement to his credit. Portugal´s currency, worthless when he had come to the throne, was now the soundest in Europe.