Sharing of the Discovered Lands - The bulls of Alexander VI

The bulls of Alexander VI and the dispute between Spain and Portugal over the new lands (1493).

This text explains the papal bulls issued by Alexander VI in 1493, particularly Inter caetera, Eximie devotionis and Dudum siquidem, and their influence on the dispute between Spain and Portugal over the newly discovered lands in the Atlantic and the Americas.

While the official purpose of the Bulls was to promote the expansion of Christianity, in practice they granted the Catholic Monarchs territorial and commercial rights, which led to conflicts with Portugal, issues over the demarcation of territories, and legal debates over papal authority.

1. Political context

Popes Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII maintained tense relations with King Ferdinand of Aragon, who was married to Queen Isabella. As was common among popes, they took an interest in Italian politics. Ferdinand worked to elect a favourable pope, which was confirmed when the Aragonese cardinal Rodrigo Borgia — Alexander VI — was elected in 1492.

Esta pintura do século 15 ilustra como o Tratado de Tordesilhas foi assinado — This 15^(th)-century painting depicts the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas.

2. Columbus’s voyage and the Portuguese response

Meanwhile, Christopher Columbus, serving the kings of Castile and León, set out on a voyage that he believed would open up a new route to the Indies.

When he returned to Lisbon in March 1493, he was received by King John II. The king claimed that the newly discovered islands belonged to the Portuguese Crown based on previous papal concessions.

Columbus claimed that he had obeyed the instructions he had received prior to his departure, and that he had not sailed in waters under Portuguese jurisdiction.

3. Papal Bulls: ‘Inter Caetera’ and the ‘Bull of Partition’.

The Catholic Monarchs appealed to the prestige of the Roman Curia. On 3 May 1493, Alexander VI issued the bull Inter caetera through Cardinal Carvajal, granting Ferdinand and Isabella — and their successors — “each and every” unknown land or island that might be found, provided it was not under the temporal rule of Christian princes. This was justified by the mission to spread Christianity.

Another Inter caetera (dated 4 May and issued on 28 June) drew a meridian line one hundred leagues west and south of any of the Azores or Cape Verde islands. All lands west of this line were assigned to the kings of Castile, León, and Aragon — the so-called ‘bull of partition’.

Map of the New World from 1554 "Mundo Novo", De Medina, Pedro Period: 1554 (circa) Publication: L'Arte del Navegar This extremely rare map was issued in the Italian edition of Medina’s "Art of Navigation," which is considered to be the first practical book on the science of navigation. Medina traveled to the New World with Cortes, so the map is based in part upon his own knowledge and observation. First published in 1545 in a slightly larger version, Medina's map was the first to depict the Papal Line of Demarcation, which runs prominently down the middle of the map. The Line was a result of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 by which all lands to the west of the line belonged to Spain (including most of the Americas) and all lands to its east to Portugal (including a portion of eastern Brazil). Medina's map was also the first to depict the Rio Spiritu Santo (R. Spi. San.) in Texas. Geographically, the region around Central America is reasonably well depicted including the Isthmus of Panama, although the Yucatan peninsula has reverted to an insular form. In South America, a prominent Amazon River flows northwest nearly reaching Panama. Most of the details along the eastern shore of North America are not easily distinguishable, although a distinct Gulf of St. Lawrence appears based on the explorations of Jacques Cartier. The land to the west of Mexico stretches in a southwesterly direction and is labeled Nova Spagna. Surrounding a large compass rose is a series of sailing ships indicating the navigational routes to and from Spain to the New World. — Map of the New World from 1554

4. Exemption from Devotion and equalisation of privileges.

Through the bull Eximius Devotionis (issued in July, dated 3 May), Alexander VI extended the same privileges already granted to the Portuguese monarchs to the Spanish monarchs — freedoms, immunities, pardons and other apostolic favours — allowing them to enjoy these prerogatives in the newly discovered or yet-to-be-discovered islands.

5. Dudum siquidem and partial revocation.

Portugal contested the bulls.

As the Eximi Devotionis omitted concessions made to the Order of Christ, the Pope (or his advisers) implicitly revoked these references in the bull Dudum Siquidem (25 September 1493).

The bull described the lands as ‘uncertain’ and stated that they were not then owned by the ‘Infantes and Militias’ — an allusion to Dom Henrique and the Order of Christ. It also stated that any lands discovered by Spanish captains sailing west and south would belong to the kings of Castile, León and Aragon. Capistrano de Abreu believed that this bull revoked guarantees that had previously been given to Portugal by Alexander VI.

6. Bias and interpretation issues

The four bulls displayed bias: instead of rewarding Spain for its discovery, they transferred concessions intended for Portugal to Spain.

There were practical problems. For example, the second Inter Caetera established a meridian ‘one hundred leagues west of any of the Azores or Cape Verde islands’, but these archipelagos are at different longitudes, which makes the demarcation inconsistent.

The expression ‘towards the west and south’ was vague, and drawing the line from any of the islands made it even more difficult to define precisely.

7. Legal Reactions and Debates

Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen drew attention to the lack of clarity in the bulls and the disregard for Portuguese concessions.

Although there were advocates of sharing, influential critics also spoke out. For example, Francisco de Vitoria argued that the Pope did not have temporal dominion over the entire world, as his authority was spiritual and did not extend to Indians and infidels. Therefore, the bulls defined areas of missionary activity rather than absolute territorial sharing.

A century later, Hugo Grotius linked the issue to freedom of the seas and trade, challenging papal monopolies. In response, Frei Serafim de Freitas defended the value of discoveries and papal concessions in De Justo Imperio Lusitanorum Asiatico (1625).