( commencing in Africa ). He created a ‘ lawful ’ framework for the international trade of slaves establishing a formal license-system giving authority to both territories and numbers of slaves abducted , with a schedule of fees paid to the Roman Catholic Church .
( 1442 ) Pope Felix V issued the Papal Bull Illius Qui endorsing Portugal to engage in slave trade for non-Christians in the Canary Islands , in exchange for fees paid to the Vatican ( per slave successfully delivered alive ). Slave traders did not have to pay royalty fees to the Roman Catholic Church for ‘ damaged cargo ’ when slaves died en route to their destination .
Sealing a ‘ Doctrine of Discovery ’
Pontifex ( mentioned earlier in this article ). As a follow-up to Dum Diversas , this is an example of the Papacy ’ s claim to supreme lordship of the whole world , as it declared war against all non- Christians everywhere , explicitly sanctioning and promoting the conquest , colonization , and exploitation of non-Christian nations and their territories during an Age of Discovery .
In numerous creeds articulated during and after the Crusades , non-Christians were considered enemies of the Catholic faith and therefore , less than human . Accordingly in this decree , Pope Nicholas V directed King Alfonso to “... capture , vanquish , and subdue the Saracens , pagans , and other enemies of Christ ,” to “ put them into perpetual slavery ,” and “ to take all their possessions and property .”
( 1452 CE ) Pope Nicholas V issued on 18th of June , to King Alfonso V of Portugal , the Papal Bull Dum Diversas , authorizing the King to diminish Muslims and pagans into perpetual slavery , setting into motion the Portuguese slave trade from West Africa .
( 1454 CE ) Then , Pope Nicholas V also issued to King Alfonso V , the crucial Papal Bull Romanus
This reveals the philosophical root of a ‘ Doctrine of Discovery ’ especially concerning Christopher Columbus ’ ‘ finding ’ America almost forty years later in 1492 . The explorer felt completely justified and authorized to ‘ take possession of the land ’ based on this prior , deceptive religious proclamation to conquer and ‘ own ’ what was ‘ discovered ’ in the name of Christendom .
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