Alexander, etc., to the illustrious sovereigns, our very dear son
in Christ, Ferdinand, King, and our very dear daughter in Christ,
Helisabeth [Isabella], Queen of Castile and Leon, Aragon, Sicily, and
Granada, health, etc. Among other works well pleasing to his divine
Majesty and cherished of our heart, this assuredly ranks highest: that
in our times especially the Catholic faith and the Christian law be
exalted and everywhere increased and spread as well as that the health
of souls be procured, and barbarous nations overthrown and brought
to the faith itself. Wherefore inasmuch as by the favor of divine
clemency, through no fitting merits of ours, we have been raised to
so holy a see as Peter's, recognizing that as true Catholic kings and
princes such as we have always known you 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; that besides you have already long
ago 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 Moors,
we therefore not unrighteously hold it as our duty to grant you even
of our own accord and in your favor those things whereby daily and
with heartier effort you may be enabled for the honor of God himself
and the spread of the Christian rule to accomplish your saintly and
praiseworthy purpose so pleasing to immortal God. In sooth we have
learned that according to your purpose long ago you were in quest of
some far-away islands and mainlands 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 the inhabitants of them with the
dwellers therein; that hitherto having been earnestly engaged in the
siege and recovery of the kingdom itself of Granada you were unable
to accomplish this saintly and praiseworthy purpose; but at length,
as was pleasing to the Lord, the said kingdom having been regained,
not without the greatest hardships, dangers, and expenses, that with
the wish to fulfil your desire, you chose our beloved son, Christopher
Colon, a man assuredly worthy and of the highest recommendations as
well as furnished with ships and men equipped for like designs, to
make diligent quest for these far-away, unknown mainlands and islands
through the sea, where hitherto no one has sailed; who in fine, with
divine aid, nor without the utmost diligence, sailing in the Ocean
Sea discovered certain very far-away 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, nor users
of flesh meat; and, as your aforesaid envoys are of opinion, these very
peoples living in the said islands and countries believe in one God,
Creator in heaven, besides being sufficiently ready in appearance to
embrace the Catholic faith and be trained in good morals. Nor is hope
lacking that, were they instructed, the name of the Savior, our Lord
Jesus Christ, would easily be introduced into the said countries and
islands. Besides on one of these aforesaid chief islands the said
Christopher has already had put together and built a well-equipped
fortress, wherein he has stationed as garrison certain Christians,
companions of his, who are to make search for other far-away and
unknown islands and mainlands. In certain islands and countries already
discovered are found gold, spices, and very many other precious things
of divers kinds and species. Wherefore, as becoming to 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 inhabitants and the dwellers therein, and bring
them to the Catholic faith. Hence in heartiest commendation in the Lord
of this your saintly and praiseworthy purpose, desirous too that it be
duly accomplished in the carrying to those regions of the name of our
Savior, we exhort you very earnestly in the Lord and insist strictly
both through your reception of holy baptism, whereby you are bound
to our apostolic commands, and in the bowels of the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that, inasmuch as with upright spirit and through 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 nor hardships deter you therefrom, with the
stout hope and trust in your hearts that Almighty God will further
your undertakings. Moreover, moved thereunto by our own accord, not
at your instance nor the request of any one else in your regard, but
wholly of our own largess and certain knowledge as well as fulness
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, in order that with greater readiness and
heartiness you enter upon an undertaking of so lofty a character as
has been entrusted to you by the graciousness of our apostolic favor,
by tenor of these presents should any of said islands have been found
by your envoys and captains, we do 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 towns,
as well as 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 the west and south to be distant
one hundred leagues from any of the islands commonly known as the
_Azores_ and _Cabo 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 in the present year
one thousand four hundred and ninety-three. Moreover we make, appoint
and depute you and your said heirs and successors owners of them with
full and free power, authority, and jurisdiction of every kind; with
this proviso however that through this gift, grant, and assignment of
ours no right conferred on any Christian prince, who may be in actual
possession of said islands and mainlands up to the said birthday of
our Lord Jesus Christ, is hereby to be considered as withdrawn or to
be withdrawn. Moreover we command you in virtue of holy obedience
that, employing all due diligence in the premises, as you promise,
nor do we doubt your compliance therein to the best of your loyalty
and royal greatness of spirit, you send to the aforesaid main-lands
and islands worthy, God-fearing, learned, skilled, and experienced men,
in order to instruct the aforesaid inhabitants and dwellers therein in
the Catholic faith and train them in good morals. Besides under penalty
of excommunication _late sententie_ to be incurred _ipso facto_, should
any one 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, as charged, for the purpose
of trade or any other reason to the 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 to the
Antarctic pole, no matter whether the mainlands and islands found and
to be found lie in the direction of India or towards any other quarter
whatsoever, the said line to the west and south to be distant one
hundred leagues from any of the islands commonly known as the _Azores_
and _Cabo Verde_, the apostolic constitutions and ordinances and other
decrees whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding. We trust in him
from whom derive empires and governments and everything good, that
with his guidance, should you pursue this saintly and praiseworthy
undertaking, in a short while your hardships and endeavors will
result in the utmost success, 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 any 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, etc., infringe, etc., this
our recommendation, gift, grant, assignment, constitution, deputation,
decree, mandate, prohibition, and will. Should any one, etc. Given at
Rome at St. Peter's in the year, etc., one thousand four hundred and
ninety-three, the fourth of May, and the first year of our pontificate.
Gratis by order of our most holy lord the Pope.