ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LORDS THE CATHOLIC SOVEREIGNS AND
CRISTOBAL COLON[77-1]
The things prayed for, and which Your Highnesses give and grant to Don
Cristobal Colon[77-2] as some recompense for what he is to discover in
the Oceans, and for the voyage which now, with the help of God, he has
engaged to make therein in the service of Your Highnesses, are the
following:
Firstly, that Your Highnesses, as actual Lords of the said Oceans,
appoint from this date the said Don Cristobal Colon to be your Admiral in
all those islands and mainlands which by his activity and industry shall
be discovered or acquired in the said oceans, during his lifetime, and
likewise, after his death, his heirs and successors one after another in
perpetuity, with all the pre-eminences and prerogatives appertaining to
the said office, and in the same manner as Don Alfonso Enriques, your
High Admiral of Castile,[78-1] and his predecessors in the said office
held it in their districts.--It so pleases their Highnesses. Juan de
Coloma.
Likewise, that Your Highnesses appoint the said Don Cristobal Colon to be
your Viceroy and Governor General in all the said islands and mainlands
and in the islands which, as aforesaid, he may discover and acquire[78-2]
in the said seas; and that for the government of each and any of them he
may make choice of three persons for each office, and that Your
Highnesses may select and choose the one who shall be most serviceable to
you; and thus the lands which our Lord shall permit him to discover and
acquire for the service of Your Highnesses, will be the better
governed.--It so pleases their Highnesses. Juan de Coloma.
Item, that of all and every kind of merchandise, whether pearls, precious
stones, gold, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise
whatsoever, of whatever kind, name and sort, which may be bought,
bartered, discovered, acquired and obtained within the limits of the said
Admiralty, Your Highnesses grant from now henceforth to the said Don
Cristobal, and will that he may have and take for himself, the tenth part
of the whole, after deducting all the expenses which may be incurred
therein, so that of what shall remain clear and free he may have and take
the tenth part for himself, and may do therewith as he pleases, the other
nine parts being reserved for Your Highnesses.--It so pleases their
Highnesses. Juan de Coloma.
Likewise, that if on account of the merchandise which he might bring from
the said islands and lands which thus, as aforesaid, may be acquired or
discovered, or of that which may be taken in exchange for the same from
other merchants here, any suit should arise in the place where the said
commerce and traffic shall be held and conducted; and if by the
pre-eminence of his office of Admiral it appertains to him to take
cognizance of such suit; it may please Your Highnesses that he or his
deputy, and not another judge, shall take cognizance thereof and give
judgment in the same from henceforth.--It so pleases their Highnesses, if
it appertains to the said office of Admiral, according as it was held by
Admiral Don Alfonso Enriques, and others his successors in their
districts, and if it be just. Juan de Coloma.
Item, that in all the vessels which may be equipped for the said traffic
and business, each time and whenever and as often as they may be
equipped, the said Don Cristobal Colon may, if he chooses, contribute and
pay the eighth part of all that may be spent in the equipment, and that
likewise he may have and take the eighth part of the profits that may
result from such equipment.--It so pleases their Highnesses. Juan de
Coloma.
These are granted and despatched, with the replies of Your Highnesses at
the end of each article, in the town of Santa Fe de la Vega of Granada,
on the seventeenth day of April in the year of the nativity of our
Saviour Jesus Christ, one thousand four hundred and ninety-two. I the
King. I the Queen. By command of the King and of the Queen. Juan de
Coloma. Registered, Calcena.