Inter caetera ('Among other [works]') was a
papal bull issued by
Pope Alexander VI on the 4 May 1493, which granted to the
Catholic Monarchs King Ferdinand II of Aragon and
Queen Isabella I of Castile all lands to the "west and south" of a pole-to-pole line 100
leagues west and south of any of the islands of the
Azores or the
Cape Verde islands.
[1]
It remains unclear whether the pope intended a "donation" of
sovereignty or an
infeudation or
investiture. Differing interpretations have been argued since the bull was issued, with some arguing that it was only meant to transform the possession and occupation of land into lawful sovereignty. Others, including the Spanish crown and the
conquistadors, interpreted it in the widest possible sense, deducing that it gave
Spain full political sovereignty.
[2]
Inter caetera and its supplement
Dudum siquidem (September 1493) are two of the
Bulls of Donation.
[3] While these bulls purported to settle disputes between Spain and
Portugal, they did not address the exploratory and colonial ambitions of other nations, which became more of an issue after the
Protestant Reformation.