Dum diversas

Dum diversas is a Papal Bull, the Pope Nicholas V on June 18, 1452 King Alfonso V of Portugal granted permission to conquer the countries of the "infidels".

Portuguese expeditions

Pope Nicholas authorized the Portuguese king to conquer countries in West Africa to subjugate the Saracens and pagans and enslave. He announced an indulgence for the participants in the expeditions against the infidels.

Beginning of the slave trade

In 1441 the Portuguese had encountered on their voyages of discovery at Cape Blanco ( West Africa) for the first time on Negroes. This bull they now received by the highest authority of the Holy See for permission to enslave these people. This practice has been common since 1441, but was now sanctioned by Pope Nicholas.

Henry the Navigator

Though not explicitly a geographical limits were established in the Bull, so was due to the personal acquaintance of the Pope with Henry the Navigator first direction to West Africa. As a secular administrator of the Order of Christ Heinrich also had good contacts with the Pope. Thus, the Christian Portuguese had a moral justification for their businesses and expeditions.

Other pontifical letter

• Pope Nicholas V grabbed his bull Romanus Pontifex with the January 8, 1455 again on the conquest and enslavement of pagan countries.
• The subsequent popes approved the expansion needs of the Portuguese and Spaniards, as the popes understood as the " ruler of the world," she approved the advances to South Africa and South America. It went so far that they divided the world between Spain and Portugal.