Were the Spanish Conquistadors Catholic?

Question

I would like some more information on this if anyone could help doin some reaseach coming up dry. Thanks

Answer 1

Pastor Billy says: it is easy for us so far removed to sow such accusations of wrong-doing by the Conquistadors as seen in the previous answers. What we had with the conquest of the Americas was a conflict between Spanish political and religious forces not necessarily a collaboration as what has already been implied. Many Christian European nations Catholic and non-catholic had leaders who had become nominal believers of their faith and or became Deists.

I suggest you goto http://www.ewtn.com and use the audio library tab. Do a search for a program called "Catholicism the Heart of History" (type in the word Bogle which is the host's name) and download the audio file #5 on Spain, England & America: The Black Legend, True or False?

-The Tears of the Indians, a book published in England, claimed that the Spanish explorers and settlers of the New World were exploiting and forcing the American natives to convert to Catholicism. This was propaganda aimed at denouncing the Catholic Church and the Spanish Monarchy as well.

Answer 2

I am anti-catholic on theological grounds and can point to a lot of wrongs which they have committed over the course of their history. The Conquistadors (conquers) were Catholic in the sense that Spaniards were a Catholic nation. And many of them may have been devote catholics. In reference to the atrocity's that they committed indigenous people of the Americas it was not in line with catholic teachings as far as I know and many of the natives found were given asylum by catholic clergy which wanted their souls, the Conquistadors on the other hand had a more worldly design on them which was the acquisition of their gold (weather they had gold or not). The British Empire was also notorious for creating problems for Protestant Missionary throughout the age of their empire at least when the interests of their mercantile class came into conflict with the states money interest. Although it is true that the Spanish conquest was done under the Papal banner (all European empire had a church banner over them because many of their citizens were Christians or were under the culture of Christendom. Nevertheless, as we look to the past we should keep in mind that human nature doesn't change and that under every good banner (as with today) people with less than pure motive seek a cloak for their self interests.
Hay Persuse, do you have a source for that I don't know all that much about the subject but I have never heard of that.

Answer 3

Yeah. Spain was Catholic at the time Conquistadors came about, and the kings that decided to organize these expeditions were Catholic as well. One of the reasons Spaniards decided to go out conquering in the first place was to spread the faith, and all of the things they did were supposedly done in the name of God.

Answer 4

When Columbus discovered America.He was acting on behalf of Spain.Thier royal majesties Isobella and Ferdinand,set up the Spanish Inquisition.From then on,every ship carried the "true faith"to the new world.Yes the conquistadors were catholic.They helped the priests,inquisitors and nobles set up vile traps for the native population.These poor unfortunate people were burned alive.To cleanse thier souls of demons.Some priests or bishops were later canonised for the conversion of 100000s of souls.What they omitted to say was all these souls were dead.
What they did say was that they(slain indians)were with our father in heaven.For this they were canonised

Answer 5

yes they were catholic but they sure didnt seem to be christians all the time
they mudered innocent people
but i guess no ones perfect

Answer 6

Yes, they were Catholic.