Treaty claims turned commerce into conflict

Calicut offered access to a major, relatively unfortified commercial hub, making it attractive to Portuguese expeditions. The Treaty of Tordesillas purported to divide overseas spheres between Spain and Portugal without protecting Venetian or Genoese interests. Portugal's route around Africa also kept much of its traffic farther from English and Dutch raiders than Spain's Atlantic treasure routes. Venetian finance and technology later supported the Mamluk side because the new ocean route threatened Italian profits. The coalition included Muslim and Hindu participants while Portugal had Indian allies, so control of trade explains the alignment better than a simple religious divide.