The Bull Romanus Pontificus
Nicholas V, born 15 November 1397 at Sarzana Italy, had been Pope 8 years when he died in 1455, the year he issued the Bull Romanus Pontificus. By this Bull, Nicholas gave legal sanction to colonialism in the name of the church, and further gave sanction to the dispossession of all "pagans whatsoever" of all movable and immovable goods and perpetual slavery of them. This particular Bull favored the Portugese over the Castillians, whereas the Bull of 1493, in regard to the "discovery" of the lands beyond the Western sea would favor the Spanish. During Nicholas' Papacy, the schism which had threatened the authority of the Pope had been subdued, Rome had been refurbished (that costs money), pilgrims had been called to come to Rome for a Jubilee which meant alms for the church and tourist money, and the hefty fruits of colonialsm would have been pretty enticing. Issued after the fall of Constantinople, the Bull gave the Papacy claim to spiritual Lordship over the World.
English Translation of the Bull Romanus Pontificus of January 8, 1455
Nicholas, bishop, servant of the servants of God. for a perpetual
remembrance.
The Roman pontiff, successor of the key-bearer of the heavenly kingdom and
vicar of Jesus Christ, contemplating with a father's mind all the several climes
of the world and the characteristics of all the nations dwelling in them and
seeking and desiring the salvation of all, wholesomely ordains and disposes upon
careful deliberation those things which he sees will be agreeable to the Divine
Majesty and by which he may bring the sheep entrusted to him by God into the
single divine fold, and may acquire for them the reward of eternal felicity, and
obtain pardon for their souls. This we believe will more certainly come to pass,
through the aid of the Lord, if we bestow suitable favors and special graces on
those Catholic kings and princes, who, like athletes and intrepid champions of
the Christian faith, as we know by the evidence of facts, not only restrain the
savage excesses of the Saracens and of other infidels, enemies of the Christian
name, but also for the defense and increase of the faith vanquish them and their
kingdoms and habitations, though situated in the remotest parts unknown to us,
and subject them to their own temporal dominion, sparing no labor and expense,
in order that those kings and princes, relieved of all obstacles, may be the
more animated to the prosecution of so salutary and laudable a work.
We have lately heard, not without great joy and gratification, how our
beloved son, the noble personage Henry, infante of Portugal, uncle of our most
dear son in Christ, the illustrious Alfonso, king of the kingdoms of Portugal
and Algarve, treading in the footsteps of John, of famous memory, king of the
said kingdoms, his father, and greatly inflamed with zeal for the salvation of
souls and with fervor of faith, as a Catholic and true soldier of Christ, the
Creator of all things, and a most active and courageous defender and intrepid
champion of the faith in Him, has aspired from his early youth with his utmost
might to cause the most glorious name of the said Creator to be published,
extolled, and revered throughout the whole world, even in the most remote and
undiscovered places, and also to bring into the bosom of his faith the
perfidious enemies of him and of the life-giving Cross by which we have been
redeemed, namely the Saracens and all other infidels whatsoever, [and how] after
the city of Ceuta, situated in Africa, had been subdued by the said King John to
his dominion, and after many wars had been waged, sometimes in person, by the
said infante, although in the name of the said King John, against the enemies
and infidels aforesaid, not without the greatest labors and expense, and with
dangers and loss of life and property, and the slaughter of very many of their
natural subjects, the said infante being neither enfeebled nor terrified by so
many and great labors, dangers, and losses, but growing daily more and more
zealous in prosecuting this his so laudable and pious purpose, has peopled with
orthodox Christians certain solitary islands in the ocean sea, and has caused
churches and other pious places to be there founded and built, in which divine
service is celebrated. Also by the laudable endeavor and industry of the said
infante, very many inhabitants or dwellers in divers islands situated in the
said sea, coming to the knowledge of the true God, have received holy baptism,
to the praise and glory of God, the salvation of the souls of many, the
propagation also of the orthodox faith, and the increase of divine worship.
Moreover, since, some time ago, it had come to the knowledge of the said
infante that never, or at least not within the memory of men, had it been
customary to sail on this ocean sea toward the southern and eastern shores, and
that it was so unknown to us westerners that we had no certain knowledge of the
peoples of those parts, believing that he would best perform his duty to God in
this matter, if by his effort and industry that sea might become navigable as
far as to the Indians who are said to worship the name of Christ, and that thus
he might be able to enter into relation with them, and to incite them to aid the
Christians against the Saracens and other such enemies of the faith, and might
also be able forthwith to subdue certain gentile or pagan peoples, living
between, who are entirely free from infection by the sect of the most impious
Mahomet, and to preach and cause to be preached to them the unknown but most
sacred name of Christ, strengthened, however, always by the royal authority, he
has not ceased for twenty-five years past to send almost yearly an army of the
peoples of the said kingdoms with the greatest labor, danger, and expense, in
very swift ships called caravels, to explore the sea and coast lands toward the
south and the Antarctic pole. And so it came to pass that when a number of ships
of this kind had explored and taken possession of very many harbors, islands,
and seas, they at length came to the province of Guinea, and having taken
possession of some islands and harbors and the sea adjacent to that province,
sailing farther they came to the mouth of a certain great river commonly
supposed to be the Nile, and war was waged for some years against the peoples of
those parts in the name of the said King Alfonso and of the infante, and in it
very many islands in that neighborhood were subdued and peacefully possessed, as
they are still possessed together with the adjacent sea. Thence also many
Guineamen and other negroes, taken by force, and some by barter of unprohibited
articles, or by other lawful contract of purchase, have been sent to the said
kingdoms. A large number of these have been converted to the Catholic faith, and
it is hoped, by the help of divine mercy, that if such progress be continued
with them, either those peoples will be converted to the faith or at least the
souls of many of them will be gained for Christ.
But since, as we are informed, although the king and infante aforesaid (who
with so many and so great dangers, labors, and expenses, and also with loss of
so many natives of their said kingdoms, very many of whom have perished in those
expeditions, depending only upon the aid of those natives, have caused those
provinces to be explored and have acquired and possessed such harbors, islands,
and seas, as aforesaid, as the true lords of them), fearing lest strangers
induced by covetousness should sail to those parts, and desiring to usurp to
themselves the perfection, fruit, and praise of this work, or at least to hinder
it, should therefore, either for the sake of gain or through malice, carry or
transmit iron, arms, wood used for construction, and other things and goods
prohibited to be carried to infidels or should teach those infidels the art of
navigation, whereby they would become more powerful and obstinate enemies to the
king and infante, and the prosecution of this enterprise would either be
hindered, or would perhaps entirely fail, not without great offense to God and
great reproach to all Christianity, to prevent this and to conserve their right
and possession, [the said king and infante] under certain most severe penalties
then expressed, have prohibited and in general have ordained that none, unless
with their sailors and ships and on payment of a certain tribute and
with an express license previously obtained from the said king or infante,
should presume to sail to the said provinces or to trade in their ports or to
fish in the sea, [although the king and infante have taken this action, yet in
time it might happen that persons of other kingdoms or nations, led by envy,
malice, or covetousness, might presume, contrary to the prohibition aforesaid,
without license and payment of such tribute, to go to the said provinces, and in
the provinces, harbors, islands, and sea, so acquired, to sail, trade, and fish;
and thereupon between King Alfonso and the infante, who would by no means suffer
themselves to be so trifled with in these things, and the presumptuous persons
aforesaid, very many hatreds, rancors, dissensions, wars, and scandals, to the
highest offense of God and danger of souls, probably might and would ensue -- We
[therefore] weighing all and singular the premises with due meditation, and
noting that since we had formerly by other letters of ours granted among other
things free and ample faculty to the aforesaid King Alfonso -- to invade, search
out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens and , and other
enemies of Christ wheresoever placed, and the kingdoms, dukedoms,
principalities, dominions, possessions, and all movable and immovable goods
whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce their persons to perpetual
slavery, and to apply and appropriate to himself and his successors the
kingdoms, dukedoms, counties, principalities, dominions, possessions, and goods,
and to convert them to his and their use and profit -- by having secured the
said faculty, the said King Alfonso, or, by his authority, the aforesaid
infante, justly and lawfully has acquired and possessed, and doth possess, these
islands, lands, harbors, and seas, and they do of right belong and pertain to
the said King Alfonso and his successors, nor without special license from King
Alfonso and his successors themselves has any other even of the faithful of
Christ been entitled hitherto, nor is he by any means now entitled lawfully to
meddle therewith -- in order that King Alfonso himself and his successors and
the infante may be able the more zealously to pursue and may pursue this most
pious and noble work, and most worthy of perpetual remembrance (which, since the
salvation of souls, increase of the faith, and overthrow of its enemies may be
procured thereby, we regard as a work wherein the glory of God, and faith in
Him, and His commonwealth, the Universal Church, are concerned) in proportion as
they, having been relieved of all the greater obstacles, shall find themselves
supported by us and by the Apostolic See with favors and graces -- we, being
very fully informed of all and singular the premises, do, motu proprio,
not at the instance of King Alfonso or the infante, or on the petition of any
other offered to us on their behalf in respect to this matter, and after mature
deliberation, by apostolic authority, and from certain knowledge, in the
fullness of apostolic power, by the tenor of these presents decree and declare
that the aforesaid letters of faculty (the tenor whereof we wish to be
considered as inserted word for word in these presents, with all and singular
the clauses therein contained) are extended to Ceuta and to the aforesaid and
all other acquisitions whatsoever, even those acquired before the date of the
said letters of faculty, and to all those provinces, islands, harbors, and seas
whatsoever, which hereafter, in the name of the said King Alfonso and of his
successors and of the infante, in those parts and the adjoining, and in the more
distant and remote parts, can be acquired from the hands of infidels or pagans,
and that they are comprehended under the said letters of faculty. And by force
of those and of the present letters of faculty the acquisitions already made,
and what hereafter shall happen to be acquired, after they shall have been
acquired, we do by the tenor of these presents decree and declare have
pertained, and forever of right do belong and pertain, to the aforesaid king and
to his successors and to the infante, and that the right of conquest which in
the course of these letters we declare to be extended from the capes of Bojador
and of Não, as far as through all Guinea, and beyond toward that southern shore,
has belonged and pertained, and forever of right belongs and pertains, to the
said King Alfonso, his successors, and the infante, and not to any others. We
also by the tenor of these presents decree and declare that King Alfonso and his
successors and the infante aforesaid might and may, now and henceforth, freely
and lawfully, in these [acquisitions] and concerning them make any prohibitions,
statutes, and decrees whatsoever, even penal ones, and with imposition of any
tribute, and dispose and ordain concerning them as concerning their own property
and their other dominions. And in order to confer a more effectual right and
assurance we do by these presents forever give, grant, and appropriate to the
aforesaid King Alfonso and his successors, kings of the said kingdoms, and to
the infante, the provinces, islands, harbors, places, and seas whatsoever, how
many soever, and of what sort soever they shall be, that have already been
acquired and that shall hereafter come to be acquired, and the right of conquest
also from the capes of Bojador and of Não aforesaid.
Moreover, since this is fitting in many ways for the perfecting of a work of
this kind, we allow that the aforesaid King Alfonso and [his] successors and the
infante, as also the persons to whom they, or any one of them, shall think that
this work ought to be committed, may (according to the grant made to the said
King John by Martin V., of happy memory, and another grant made also to King
Edward of illustrious memory, king of the same kingdoms, father of the said King
Alfonso, by Eugenius IV., of pious memory, Roman pontiffs, our predecessors)
make purchases and sales of any things and goods and victuals whatsoever, as it
shall seem fit, with any Saracens and infidels, in the said regions; and also
may enter into any contracts, transact business, bargain, buy and negotiate, and
carry any commodities whatsoever to the places of those Saracens and infidels,
provided they be not iron instruments, wood to be used for construction,
cordage, ships, or any kinds of armor, and may sell them to the said Saracens
and infidels; and also may do, perform, or prosecute all other and singular
things [mentioned] in the premises, and things suitable or necessary in relation
to these; and that the same King Alfonso, his successors, and the infante, in
the provinces, islands, and places already acquired, and to be acquired by him,
may found and [cause to be] founded and built any churches, monasteries, or
other pious places whatsoever; and also may send over to them any ecclesiastical
persons whatsoever, as volunteers, both seculars, and regulars of any of the
mendicant orders (with license, however, from their superiors), and that those
persons may abide there as long as they shall live, and hear confessions of all
who live in the said parts or who come thither, and after the confessions have
been heard they may give due absolution in all cases, except those reserved to
the aforesaid see, and enjoin salutary penance, and also administer the
ecclesiastical sacraments freely and lawfully, and this we allow and grant to
Alfonso himself, and his successors, the kings of Portugal, who shall come
afterwards, and to the aforesaid infante. Moreover, we entreat in the Lord, and
by the sprinkling of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom, as has been said,
it concerneth, we exhort, and as they hope for the remission of their sins
enjoin, and also by this perpetual edict of prohibition we more strictly
inhibit, all and singular the faithful of Christ, ecclesiastics, seculars, and
regulars of whatsoever orders, in whatsoever part of the world they live, and of
whatsoever state, degree, order, condition, or pre-eminence they shall be,
although endued with archiepiscopal, episcopal, imperial, royal, queenly, ducal,
or any other greater ecclesiastical or worldly dignity, that they do not by any
means presume to carry arms, iron, wood for construction, and other things
prohibited by law from being in any way carried to the Saracens, to any of the
provinces, islands, harbors, seas, and places whatsoever, acquired or possessed
in the name of King Alfonso, or situated in this conquest or elsewhere, to the
Saracens, infidels, or pagans; or even without special license from the said
King Alfonso and his successors and the infante, to carry or cause to be carried
merchandise and other things permitted by law, or to navigate or cause to be
navigated those seas, or to fish in them, or to meddle with the provinces,
islands, harbors, seas, and places, or any of them, or with this conquest, or to
do anything by themselves or another or others, directly or indirectly, by deed
or counsel, or to offer any obstruction whereby the aforesaid King Alfonso and
his successors and the infante may be hindered from quietly enjoying their
acquisitions and possessions, and prosecuting and carrying out this
conquest.
And we decree that whosoever shall infringe these orders [shall incur the
following penalties], besides the punishments pronounced by law against those
who carry arms and other prohibited things to any of the Saracens, which we wish
them to incur by so doing; if they be single persons, they shall incur the
sentence of excommunication; if a community or corporation of a city, castle,
village, or place, that city, castle, village, or place shall be thereby subject
to the interdict; and we decree further that transgressors, collectively or
individually, shall not be absolved from the sentence of excommunication, nor be
able to obtain the relaxation of this interdict, by apostolic or any other
authority, unless they shall first have made due satisfaction for their
transgressions to Alfonso himself and his successors and to the infante, or
shall have amicably agreed with them thereupon. By [these] apostolic writings we
enjoin our venerable brothers, the archbishop of Lisbon, and the bishops of
Silves and Ceuta, that they, or two or one of them, by himself, or another or
others, as often as they or any of them shall be required on the part of the
aforesaid King Alfonso and his successors and the infante or any one of them, on
Sundays, and other festival days, in the churches, while a large multitude of
people shall assemble there for divine worship, do declare and denounce by
apostolic authority that those persons who have been proved to have incurred
such sentences of excommunication and interdict, are excommunicated and
interdicted, and have been and are involved in the other punishments aforesaid.
And we decree that they shall also cause them to be denounced by others, and to
be strictly avoided by all, till they shall have made satisfaction for or
compromised their transgressions as aforesaid. Offenders are to be held in check
by ecclesiastical censure, without regard to appeal, the apostolic constitutions
and ordinances and all other things whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.
But in order that the present letters, which have been issued by us of our
certain knowledge and after mature deliberation thereupon, as is aforesaid, may
not hereafter be impugned by anyone as fraudulent, secret, or void, we will, and
by the authority, knowledge, and power aforementioned, we do likewise by these
letters, decree and declare that the said letters and what is contained therein
cannot in any wise be impugned, or the effect thereof hindered or obstructed, on
account of any defect of fraudulency, secrecy, or nullity, not even from a
defect of the ordinary or of any other authority, or from any other defect, but
that they shall be valid forever and shall obtain full authority. And if anyone,
by whatever authority, shall, wittingly or unwittingly, attempt anything
inconsistent with these orders we decree that his act shall be null and void.
Moreover, because it would be difficult to carry our present letters to all
places whatsoever, we will, and by the said authority we decree by these
letters, that faith shall be given as fully and permanently to copies of them,
certified under the hand of a notary public and the seal of the episcopal or any
superior ecclesiastical court, as if the said original letters were exhibited or
shown; and we decree that within two months from the day when these present
letters, or the paper or parchment containing the tenor of the same, shall be
affixed to the doors of the church at Lisbon, the sentences of excommunication
and the other sentences contained therein shall bind all and singular offenders
as fully as if these present letters had been made known and presented to them
in person and lawfully. Therefore let no one infringe or with rash boldness
contravene this our declaration, constitution, gift, grant, appropriation,
decree, supplication, exhortation, injunction, inhibition, mandate, and will.
But if anyone should presume to do so, 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 Saint Peter's, on the eighth day of January, in the year of the incarnation
of our Lord one thousand four hundred and fifty-four, and in the eighth year of
our pontificate. P. de Noxeto.
From European Treaties bearing on the History of the United States and its Dependencies to 1648, Frances Gardiner Davenport, editor, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1917, Washington, D.C.
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