Pope praises Queen Isabella’s early fight against slavery

In a letter published on September 19, 2024, Pope Francis praised Queen Isabella I of Castile, also known as Isabella the Catholic, for her early defense of indigenous peoples in AmericaThe Pope's message, delivered as part of a presentation on transitional justice, underlines the Queen's fundamental role in laying the foundations for modern human rights.

While to condemn the atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus – who practiced slavery and grossly violated human rights – the Pope stressed the importance of Learn from history without romanticizing the past.

“You cannot turn history backwards,” he said, stressing that today’s quest for justice must “build on these situations.”

Pope Francis highlighted the Queen's efforts to protect indigenous peoples. In 1493, Isabella and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon founded instructed Columbus not to enslave indigenous peoples. They not only demanded conversion to Christianity, but also fair treatment, as they were considered subjects of the crown and had the same rights as other Spaniards. These instructions were further solidified by the so-called “Indian Laws” of 1500, which established early guidelines for the rights of the indigenous peoples – although These instructions were often ignored by the conquistadors.

The Pope's address took place at an important event in Tenerife, Spain, attended by Ibero-American and Lusophone Ministers of Justice. The conference was opened by King Felipe VI of Spain and Focus on transitional justicewhich aims to address historical injustices, especially in the Latin American context.

While we acknowledge the failure of the Spanish crown to consistently enforce these early lawsPope Francis noted that Queen Isabella's religiously motivated sense of justice set her apart, using the “force of the law” to end violence by working for the emancipation of enslaved people and seeking institutional reforms to ban slavery.

The Pope pointed out that Isabella’s intentions were often frustrated by their contemporariesHer vision laid the foundation for our modern human rights declarations. Her noble spirit, guided by her faith, made her a pioneer in promoting human dignity long before human rights were enshrined in international law.

Pope Francis also indicated a possible future recognition of Isabella as a saintbuilding on earlier statements made by Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares in 2020, affirming that the Queen's actions were guided by her deep sense of responsibility to God and presenting her legacy as a beacon of justice amid the moral complexities of her time.