Jan Warren D. Varquez Fr.

Amado Tumbali, SJ
STB – II Philippine Church History

THE POPE DIVIDES THE WORLD

One of the most interesting topics of Papal influence is how the Pope during the pre-
colonization period divides the world among two of the influential kingdoms, Spain and
Portugal. H. Vander Linden said, “Perhaps, there are, in the whole history of diplomacy, no
documents which have aroused more passionate discussions and given occasion to more
divergent commentaries, than the bulls of Alexander VI. relating to the colonial expansion of
Spain.”1 Questions are raised by scholars, historians, and political analysts on how Pope
Alexander VI was able to have the power to divide the world to Spain and Portugal.
The whole story began with Christopher Columbus asking support from the Portugal
King John II to navigate the Atlantic in 1484. Denied by the King, Columbus then transferred to
Spain and sought support from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. After being denied twice,
Columbus finally obtained the patronage of the King and Queen of Spain. After many
expeditions, news came to the King of Portugal regarding the successful voyages of Columbus
under the Kingdom of Spain. Passing by Portugal to repair damages of his ship, Columbus
conversed with the King of Portugal and shared the successes of his voyages. King John II
demanded that the rightful authority of the successes of Columbus’ voyages is Portugal since
Columbus asked patronage from it first. After returning to Spain, Columbus reported to the King
and Queen of Spain the news of his success. But with news already in the mind of King John II,
a fire of insecurity and desire for power was already beginning to spread between the two
kingdoms, Spain and Portugal.2
In order to prevent war between the two kingdoms, the King of Spain sought the decision
of Pope Alexander VI to “adjudicate Spain the lands newly discovered by Columbus”. 3 The
result of this is the proclamation of the Papal Bull Inter Caetera in 1943 which divides the world,
both discovered and to-be-discovered, between Spain and Portugal. 4 Pope Alexander said in the
Papal Bull to the King and Queen of Spain, “…by the authority of Almighty God conferred upon
us in blessed Peter and of the vicarship of Jesus Christ, which we hold on earth, do by tenor of
these presents, should any of said islands have been found by your envoys and captains, give,
grant, and assign to you and your heirs and successors, kings of Castile and Leon, …”5
What Pope Alexander VI did make me think of how influential the Church is, not just to
politics, but to the world. Even if it is not that evident today compared to the time of Pope
Alexander VI, the Church’s influence is still manifested by how the government seek advice
from the clergy on matters of how to run the state. In the Philippines, people seek help from the
Church when there is division, the same as what happened between Spain and Portugal. As
future pastor, I see this as a challenge of Christ to become a ‘prophet’ for the people. Although
what Pope Alexander VI did was more of politics than pastoral, I see this as an opportunity to
1
H. Vander Linden, “Alexander VI. and the Demarcation of the Maritime and Colonial Domains of Spain and Portugal, 1493-1494,”
The American Historical Review , Oct., 1916, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Oct., 1916): p.1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1836192 (accessed April 29, 2021).
2
Valerie I.J. Flint, “Christopher Columbus: Italian explorer” in Encyclopædia Britannica,
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus (accessed April 29, 2021).
3
John N. Schumacher, SJ, Readings in Philippine Church History, 2nd ed. (Quezon City: Loyola School of Theology, 1987), 2.
4
Ibid. Although what Schumacher wrote is that the Papal Bull was written in 1943, there was a first version of the Papal Bull which
was described by the Spanish King and Queen as insufficient and full of things to be clarified. (See H. Vander Linden, “Alexander VI. and the
Demarcation of the Maritime and Colonial Domains of Spain and Portugal, 1493-1494,”, p. 8).
5
Pope Alexander VI, Inter Caetera (1943), https://www.papalencyclicals.net/alex06/alex06inter.htm (accessed April 29, 2021).
preach the word of God to the people by being a good influence to them, bearing in me the face
of Christ.