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The Papal Bulls as Pertaining to the
Americas  
The historical introduction below is taken from Paul Gottschalk,
"The Earliest Diplomatic Documents on America: The Papal Bulls of
1493 and the Treaty of Tordesillas Reproduced and Translated,"
Berlin, 1927. The introduction and bull "Inter Caetera" of May 4,
1493 are provided by Frances Gardiner Davenport, ed., "European
Treaties bearing on the History of the United States and its
Dependencies to 1648," Washington, D.C., 1917.
- Historical Introduction
- Introduction to the Bull Inter Caetera - May 4, 1493
- The Bull Inter Caetera (Alexander VI.) May 4, 1493
Historical Introduction
Returning from his first voyage, Columbus landed on the
Portuguese coast and was at once invited to Court. He reached
Lisbon March 4, 1493, upon the invitation of the King of Portugal.
On hearing his report, King John II claimed the newly discovered
lands for Portugal by virtue of the Treaty of Alcacovas of 1479,
sanctioned by the Bulls of Pope Sixtus IV, dated June 21, 1481.
The text of the Treaty and the Bull contain some slight variations
and thereby allow of different interpretations. It is difficult
to decide, therefore, whether this claim of the Portuguese King was
justified. Contemporary as well as modern historians have always
differed widely in their opinions. It is generally believed that,
with his famous message on his discoveries, Columbus dispatched
to the Spanish Kings, who were at Barcelona, a report on the
difficulties raised by the Portuguese King, but it is questioned
whether this was sent from Lisbon by land or from Palos after
having reached the latter port, March 14, 1493.
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain reported the great
news at once to Pope Alexander VI. It is again doubtful whether this
was done by a special messenger or by a courier sent to Cardinal
Bernardin de Carvajal and to Ruiz de Medina, then Spanish ambassadors
at the Holy See, and whether this was done in consequence of the
Portuguese claims or according to a general custom of that period.
Pope Alexander VI, himself a Spaniard, granted the request to confer
the lately discovered lands on the Crown of Spain by three Bulls
issued on May 3 and May 4 1493 (all much in favor of Spain,
and depriving Portugal of nearly all privileges bestowed upon it
by the Bulls of 1452 and 1454, issued bu Nicholas V, and by that of 1481
of Sixtus IV and one of 1484 of Innocentius VIII). Some months later, on
September 26, 1493, a fourth Bull was issued granting to Spain almost
unlimited rights. But this act remained without consequence; for in the
meantime, at the suggestion of the King of Spain, it was agreed that, to
avoid complications already threatening, a conference should be held.
Portuguese ambassadors were sent to Barcelona and, after many negotiations
and some interruptions, a settlement was finally reached at the small
Spanish town of Tordesillas and a treaty was signed on June 7, 1494.
Obviously inspired by the corresponding passage in the second Bull "Inter
Caetera", but not referring to this or any other bulls or treaties, it
was provided that there should be drawn a line running from North to
South, 370 leagues west from Cape Verde Islands, and that everything west
of this line should belong to Spain, everything east of it to Portugal.
The sanction, which by the terms of the Treaty was to be asked
was nevergiven by Alexander VI and not before the 24th of January, 1506, was a
Bull to such effect issued by Pope Julius II. Although much disputed
and very differently interpreted, this Treaty remained in force until
January 13, 1750, when the Treaty of Madrid annulled the boundary line.
It would seem, however, that this boundary line, first provided for in
the second Bull "Inter caetera" and later corrected in the Treaty of
Tordesillas, decided what parts of the western hemisphere as well as
which regions of the eastern hemisphere were discovered, possessed and
civilized by Spain and by Portugal respectively, and which still speak
the language and show the influence of the culture of their first discoverers.
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Introduction to the Bull Inter Caetera - May 4, 1493
Like the bull "Eximiae devotionis" of May 3, the bull "Inter Caetera"
of May 4 is a restatement of part of the bull "Inter caetera" of May 3.
Taken together the two later bulls cover the same ground as the bull
"Inter caetera" of May 3, for which they form a substitute. The changes
introduced into the bull "Inter caetera" of May 4, are, however, of
great importance, and highly favorable to Spain. Instead of merely
granting to Castile the lands discovered by her envoys, and not under
Christian rule, the revised bull draws a line of demarcation one hundred
leagues west of any of the Azores or Cape Verde Islands, and assigns to
Castile the exclusive right to acquire territorial possessions and to
trade in all lands west of that line, which at Christmas, 1492, were
not in the possession of any Christian prince. The general safeguard
to the possible conflicting rights of Portugal is lacking. All persons
are forbidden to approach the lands west of the line without special
license from the rulers of Castile.
It is not probable that by this bull Alexander VI intended to secure to
Portugal an eastern route to the Indies, as some writers have maintained.
In the bulls of May 3, the earlier papal grants to Portugal are said to
have given her rights in the region of Guinea and the Gold Mine, but the
Indies are not mentioned. The bull of May 4 does not name Portugal and
refers to her only in the clause which excepts from the donation any
lands west of the demarcation line, which at Christmas, 1492, might be
in the possession of any Christian prince.
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The Bull Inter Caetera (Alexander VI.) May 4, 1493
Alexander, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the illustrious
sovereigns, our very dear son in Christ, Ferdinand, king, and our very
dear daughter in Christ, Isabella, queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon,
Sicily, and Granada, health and apostolic benediction. Among other works
well pleasing to the Divine Majesty and cherished of our heart, this
assuredly ranks highest, that in our times especially the Catholic
faith and the Christian religion be exalted and be everywhere increased
and spread, that the health of souls be cared for and that barbarous
nations be overthrown and brought to the faith itself. Wherefore inasmuch as by the favor of divine clemency, we, though of insufficient
merits, have been called to this Holy See of Peter, recognizing that
as true Catholic kings and princes, such as we have known you always
to be, and as your illustrious deeds already known to almost the whole
world declare, you not only eagerly desire but with every effort, zeal,
and diligence, without regard to hardships, expenses, dangers, with the
shedding even of your blood, are laboring to that end; recognizing also
that you have long since dedicated to this purpose your whole soul and
all your endeavors--as witnessed in these times with so much glory to
the Divine Name in your recovery of the kingdom of Granada from the
yoke of the Saracens--we therefore are rightly led, and hold it as our
duty, to grant you even of our own accord and in your favor those things
whereby with effort each day more hearty you may be enabled for the
honor of God himself and the spread of the Christian rule to carry
forward your holy and praiseworthy purpose so pleasing to immortal God.
We have indeed learned that you, who for a long time had intended to seek
out and discover certain islands and mainlands remote and unknown and not
hitherto discovered by others, to the end that you might bring to the
worship of our Redeemer and the profession of the Catholic faith their
residents and inhabitants, having been up to the present time greatly
engaged in the siege and recovery of the kingdom itself of Granada were
unable to accomplish this holy and praiseworthy purpose; but the said
kingdom having at length been regained, as was pleasing to the Lord, you,
with the wish to fulfill your desire, chose our beloved son, Christopher
Columbus, a man assuredly worthy and of the highest recommendations and
fitted for so great an undertaking, whom you furnished with ships and men
equipped for like designs, not without the greatest hardships, dangers,
and expenses, to make diligent quest for these remote and unknown mainlands and islands through the sea, where hitherto no one had sailed; and
they at length, with divine aid and with the utmost diligence sailing in
the ocean sea, discovered certain very remote islands and even mainlands
that hitherto had not been discovered by others; wherein dwell very many
peoples living in peace, and, as reported, going unclothed, and not eating
flesh. Moreover, as your aforesaid envoys are of opinion, these very
peoples living in the said islands and countries believe in one God, the
Creator in heaven, and seem sufficiently disposed to embrace the Catholic
faith and be trained in good morals. And it is hoped that, were they
instructed, the name of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, would easily be
introduced into the said countries and islands. Also, on one of the chief
of these aforesaid islands the said Christopher has already caused to be
put together and built a fortress fairly equipped, wherein he has stationed
as garrison certain Christians, companions of his, who are to make search
for other remote and unknown islands and mainlands. In the islands and
countries already discovered are found gold, spices, and very many other
precious things of divers kinds and qualities. Wherefore, as becomes
Catholic kings and princes, after earnest consideration of all matters,
especially of the rise and spread of the Catholic faith, as was the
fashion of your ancestors, kings of renowned memory, you have purposed
with the favor of divine clemency to bring under your sway the said
mainlands and islands with their residents and inhabitants and to bring
them
to the Catholic faith. Hence, heartily commending in the Lord this your
holy and praiseworthy purpose, and desirous that it be duly accomplished,
and that the name of our Savior be carried into those regions, we exhort
you very earnestly in the Lord and by your reception of holy baptism,
whereby you are bound to our apostolic commands, and by the bowels of
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, enjoy strictly, that inasmuch as
with eager zeal for the true faith you design to equip and despatch
this expedition, you purpose also, as is your duty, to lead the peoples
dwelling in those islands and countries to embrace the Christian
religion; nor at any time let dangers or hardships deter you there from, with
the stout hope and trust in your hearts that Almighty God will further
your undertakings. And, in order that you may enter upon so great an
undertaking with greater readiness and heartiness endowed with benefit
of our apostolic favor, we, of our own accord, not at your instance nor
the request of anyone else in your regard, but out of our own sole largess
and certain knowledge and out of the fullness of our apostolic power, by
the authority of Almighty God conferred upon us in blessed Peter and of
the vicarship of Jesus Christ, which we hold on earth, do by tenor of
these presents, should any of said islands have been found by your envoys
and captains, give, grant, and assign to you and your heirs and successors,
kings of Castile and Leon, forever, together with all their dominions,
cities, camps, places, and villages, and all rights, jurisdictions, and
appurtenances, all islands and mainlands found and to be found, discovered
and to be discovered towards the west and south, by drawing and establishing a line from the Arctic pole, namely the north, to the Antarctic pole,
namely the south, no matter whether the said mainlands and islands are
found and to be found in the direction of India or towards any other
quarter, the said line to be distant one hundred leagues towards the
west and south from any of the islands commonly known as the Azores and
Cape Verde. With this proviso however that none of the islands and mainlands, found and to be found, discovered and to be discovered, beyond
that said line towards the west and south, be in the actual possession of
any Christian king or prince up to the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ
just past from which the present year one thousand four hundred ninety-three begins. And we make, appoint, and depute you and your said heirs
and successors lords of them with full and free power, authority, and
jurisdiction of every kind; with this proviso however, that by this our
gift, grant, and assignment no right acquired by any Christian prince,
who may be in actual possesssion of said islands and mainlands prior to
the said birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, is hereby to be understood
to be withdrawn or taking away. Moreover we command you in virtue of
holy obedience that, employing all due diligence in the premises, as
you also promise--nor do we doubt your compliance therein in accordance
with your loyalty and royal greatness of spirit--you should appoint to
the aforesaid mainlands and islands worthy, God-fearing, learned,
skilled, and expeienced men, in order to instruct the aforesaid inhabitants and residents in the Catholic faith and train them in good morals.
Furthermore, under penalty of excommunication late sententie to be
incurred ipso facto, should anyone thus contravene, we strictly forbid
all persons of whatsoever rank, even imperial and royal, or of whatsoever
estate, degree, order, or condition, to dare without your special permit
or that of your aforesaid heirs and successors, to go for the purpose of
trade or any other reason to the islands or mainlands, found and to be
found, discovered and to be discovered, towards the west and south, by
drawing and establishing a line from the Arctic pole to the Antarctic
pole, no matter whether the mainlands and islands, found and to be
found, lie in the direction of India or toward any other quarter whatsoever,
the said line to be distant one hundred leagues towards the
west and south, as is aforesaid, from any of the islands commonly known
as the Azores and Cape Verde; apostolic constitutions and ordinances
and other decrees whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding. We trust
in Him from whom empires and governments and all good things proceed,
that, should you, with the Lord's guidance, pursue this holy and praiseworthy
undertaking, in a short while your hardships and endeavors will
attain the most felicitious result, to the happiness and glory of all
Christendom. But inasmuch as it would be difficult to have these present
letters sent to all places where desirable, we wish, and with similar
accord and knowledge do decree, that to? copies of them, signed by the
hand of a public notary commissioned therefor, and sealed with the seal
of any ecclesiastical officer or ecclesiastical court, the same respect
is to be shown in court and outside as well as anywhere else as would
be given to these presents should they thus be exhibited or shown. Let
no one, therefore, infringe, or with rash boldness contravene, this our
recommendation, exhortation, requisition, gift, grant, assignment,
constitution, deputation, decree, mandate, prohibition, and will. Should
anyone presume to attempt this, be it known to him that he will incur
the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of the incarnation of our
Lord one thousand four hundred and ninety-three, the fourth of May,
and the first year of our pontificate.
Gratis by order of our holy lord, the pope.
June. For the referendary,   For J. Bufolinus.
A. de Mucciarellis.   A. Santoseverino.
L. Podocatharus.
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