From the Pope’s Hand to Indigenous Lands

Download or read book From the Pope’s Hand to Indigenous Lands written by Matthew Cavedon and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-10-09 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Was the Catholic Church responsible for European imperialism? Activists say yes, the Church says no. This book examines the key papal document from 1493. It finds that the Church played no role in English colonization. However, Pope Alexander VI may have intended to bless Spanish imperialism. Either way, over the next 150 years, Spain saw its empire as a gift from him. For many imperialists and many colonial subjects, Spain received its right to rule Indigenous lands straight from the Pope’s hand.