John II (of Portugal)

John II (of Portugal), in Portuguese, João II, called The Perfect (1455-1495), the son of King Alfonso V, born in Lisbon. He acted as regent from 1475 to 1477 during his father's absences from the kingdom. As king, John limited the power of the aristocracy and dealt severely with the nobles who opposed him, condemning one to death and killing another by his own hand. During his reign, the western coast of Africa was explored by Portuguese navigators: Diogo Cam discovered the mouth of the Congo River and Bartolomeu Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope. By the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), Portugal and Spain settled rival colonial claims by dividing the non-Christian world between themselves (see Demarcation, Line of). John was succeeded by his cousin and brother-in-law, Emanuel.