NICOLAS V: The Bull ROMANUS PONTIFEX, January 8, 1455Background: The kingdoms of Portugal and Castile had been jockeying for position and possession ofcolonial territories along the African coast for more than a century prior to Columbus' "discovery" of lands inthe western seas. On the theory that the Pope was an arbitrator between nations, each kingdom had soughtand obtained Papal bulls at various times to bolster its claims, on the grounds that its activities served tospread Christianity.The bull Romanus Pontifex is an important example of the Papacy's claim to spiritual lordship of the wholeworld and of its role in regulating relations among Christian princes and between Christians and"unbelievers" ("heathens" and "infidels"). This bull became the basis for Portugal's later claim to lands in the"new world," a claim which was countered by Castile and the bull Inter caetera in 1493.An English translation of Romanus Pontifex is reproduced below, as published in European Treaties bearingon the History of the United States and its Dependencies to 1648, Frances Gardiner Davenport, editor,Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1917, Washington, D.C., at pp. 20-26. The original text in Latin is in thesame volume, at pp. 13-20.Nicholas, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for a perpetual remembrance.The Roman pontiff, successor of the key-bearer of the heavenly kingdom and vicar of Jesus Christ,contemplating with a father's mind all the several climes of the world and the characteristics of all the nationsdwelling in them and seeking and desiring the salvation of all, wholesomely ordains and disposes uponcareful deliberation those things which he sees will be agreeable to the Divine Majesty and by which he maybring the sheep entrusted to him by God into the single divine fold, and may acquire for them the reward ofeternal felicity, and obtain pardon for their souls. This we believe will more certainly come to pass, throughthe aid of the Lord, if we bestow suitable favors...