The first printed map of Southeast Asia to explicitly delineate the Line of Demarcation defined in the Treaty of Zaragoza (1529).
Fine example of this rare map of China, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, etc., which first appeared in Herrera's Descripcion de las Indias Ocidentales, first published in Madrid in 1601.
Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas’ rare Descripcion de las Indias del Poniente (1601) is the first printed Spanish map of Southeast Asia and a consequential political document of the early 17th century. As the royal historian to Philip III of Spain, Herrera produced the map as part of a larger historical work documenting Spanish colonial ventures in the Americas and East Asia. The map’s scope encompasses China, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, the Spice Islands, and parts of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, illustrating the Spanish Empire's global reach at a critical juncture in its imperial expansion.
Herrera's map is a notable example of persuasive cartography, used as a tool of political propaganda. Although it drew on earlier maps and navigational records, it was heavily influenced by the manuscript charts of fellow Spaniard Juan López de Velasco, compiled circa 1575-1580. One of the map's most significant contributions is the explicit delineation of the 1529 Treaty of Zaragoza, marking the first time this treaty was referenced on a printed map. The Treaty of Zaragoza renegotiated the Line of Demarcation established by the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, a necessity brought about by Ferdinand Magellan's discoveries in the Pacific in the early 1520s. Both treaties defined territorial claims between Spain and Portugal, dividing the non-European world between the two empires.
On Herrera’s map, the demarcation line slices through Southeast Asia, dividing the Malay Peninsula and extending through Central Asia. This depiction notably overstates Spain's territorial claims, implying Spanish sovereignty over much of Southeast Asia, including the Cathay (China) coast, the Philippines, and the Spice Islands. Herrera’s portrayal was clearly skewed in Spain's favor, ignoring the actual agreement reached in the Treaty of Zaragoza, which favored Portuguese control in the region. However, Herrera’s map also reflects the secrecy that governed the Spanish and Portuguese colonial enterprises. Key details of Spanish exploration and control are omitted or obscured, reflecting both empires' desire to protect their navigational knowledge and colonial interests.
The map also employs a style intended to differentiate known coastal regions with those that are not well explored. The more heavily hatched coastlines indicate the better explored and more certain regions, whereas the single thin line coastal regions reflect less well known (i.e. speculative) islands and coastlines. Notably, the treatment of the Philippines at the center of the map provides a perfect example of both an example of limited cartographic information and likely an intent to obscure the known details, which were at the time central to Spain's control of the islands.
Despite the map's cautious treatment of sensitive information, it remains an invaluable document in understanding Spain’s ambitions in Southeast Asia. Of particular importance is Herrera’s depiction of the Philippines and the Ladrones (Mariana Islands), which Magellan had claimed for Spain in 1521. The islands are meticulously drawn and numbered, with a key in the upper right corner listing their names. This organization served to underscore Spain’s claim that its fleets had visited—and thus claimed—each of these islands. By portraying the Philippines as an integral part of Spain's empire, Herrera was reinforcing Spain’s right to the region, a claim that would be instrumental in the empire’s efforts to expand further into Asia.
The map’s significance is inseparable from the historical context of the Treaties of Tordesillas (1494) and Zaragoza (1529), which sought to regulate Spanish and Portuguese colonial ambitions. The Treaty of Tordesillas was a landmark agreement that divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe along a Line of Demarcation, approximately 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. This gave Spain control over much of the Americas, while Portugal was granted dominion over Africa, India, and Brazil. However, as exploration expanded and new lands were discovered, including the lucrative Spice Islands, tensions between the two empires escalated.
The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippines in 1521 exacerbated these tensions, as Spain sought to claim these territories, which fell within the Portuguese sphere under the terms of Tordesillas. The ensuing dispute over control of the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, prompted the Treaty of Zaragoza in 1529. The new treaty redrew the Line of Demarcation in the Eastern Hemisphere, 297.5 leagues east of the Moluccas, securing Portuguese control of the Spice Islands. In exchange, Spain retained control of the Philippines and was compensated with 350,000 ducats. The Treaty of Zaragoza allowed Portugal to dominate the East Indies for much of the 16th century, while Spain shifted its focus to the Pacific and the Americas.
Herrera’s map is a reflection of these broader geopolitical and economic struggles, visually encapsulating the contest for dominance in Southeast Asia. It not only illustrates Spanish territorial ambitions but also stands as a testament to the complex negotiations between Spain and Portugal during this period. The map’s detailed depiction of Southeast Asia, despite its omissions and exaggerations, highlights Spain’s continued interest in the region, even after the Treaty of Zaragoza relegated much of it to Portuguese control. As such, it serves as an important cartographic document of the early modern period, offering insight into the imperial contest for global power between Europe’s two greatest maritime empires.