The Spanish and Portuguese were both maritime superpowers that marked history between the 14th and 16th centuries. Spain and Portugal shared a common location on the Iberian Peninsula and both had free access to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. This gave them an advantage in expanding maritime interests and establishing new trade routes. Many geographical discoveries and conquests as well as much bloodshed can be traced back to these two formerly colonial empires. Although the Spanish and Portuguese both intended to conquer the sea, they focused on different areas, but they had common reasons for developing and used similar methods to achieve their goals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayOne of the differences between the Spanish and the Portuguese was where they conquered. The Spanish moved west and, aside from their colonies in the Philippines, primarily focused on expanding into the Americas. For example, in 1521, Spain officially took control of the Aztec Empire, and in 1533, it conquered the Incas. Both empires were located in South America. On the other hand, Portugal moved eastward and mainly confined itself to the Indian Ocean basin. Portugal captured Ceuta on the Moroccan coast of North Africa in 1415. Additionally, in 1484, Portugal captured the region of Angola as a colony and claimed Brazil in the 1500s. As Spain and Portugal wanted to expand their lands, they focused on conquering different areas, which was beneficial to both nations because it helped them avoid conflict. Spain and Portugal, although they conquered different parts of the world, had similar reasons for conquest. . They each wanted fame, wealth and proselytism. Both nations were initially motivated by a desire to find an alternative route to India and gain control from the Muslims in order to expand their influence. They both developed their navy and sponsored several voyages that led to the discovery of the New World. This brought national glory to countries as well as personal fame to individual explorers. Between 1450 and 1500, Portuguese expeditions led by Dias, then by Da Gama, circumnavigated the African coasts to India. The Spanish sponsored Christopher Columbus' four voyages from 1492 to 1504. This opened the door to the colonization and conquest of the Caribbean islands and territories in South America. As a result of these voyages, they not only discovered but also conquered new territories and established colonies. These new territories and colonies were exploited to generate wealth. Examples of wealth generated by conquest for the Portuguese include the slave trade from Africa and the plantations and mines found in Brazil. Spanish wealth came from the mine of Potosi, in upper Peru, and from plantations in the Caribbean. In their colonies, Spain and Portugal imposed their culture and religion on the natives. This influence has persisted to this day in many parts of the world. Another important similarity that Spain and Portugal share is their methods of conquest. They both managed to conquer new territories using violent methods, more advanced technologies, and bringing diseases that killed the natives due to their lack of immunity. An example of how,.