In a letter published on September 19, 2024, Pope Francis praised Queen Isabella I of Castile, also known as Isabelle the Catholic, for her early defense of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. The Pope’s message, delivered as part of a presentation on transitional justice, underscores the queen’s foundational role in laying the groundwork for modern human rights.
While condemning the atrocities committed by the men of Christopher Columbus – who practiced slavery and grossly violated human rights – the Pope stressed the importance of learning from history without romanticizing the past.
“History does not go backwards,” he said, emphasizing the need to “build on these situations” in the pursuit of justice today.
The Queen’s efforts
Pope Francis highlighted the queen’s efforts to protect Indigenous peoples. In 1493, Isabella and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, instructed Columbus not to enslave any Indigenous peoples. They sought not only their conversion to Christianity, but also their fair treatment, as they were deemed subjects of the crown, with the same rights of any other Spaniard. These instructions were further solidified by the so-called “Indian Laws” of 1500, which established early guidelines for Indigenous rights – though these directives were often ignored by the conquistadors.
The Pope’s remarks were shared during 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 focused on transitional justice, which seeks to address historical injustices, particularly in the Latin American context.
While acknowledging the failure of the Spanish crown to consistently enforce these early laws, Pope Francis noted that Queen Isabella’s faith-driven sense of justice set her apart. She worked to correct the violence with the “force of law,” advocating for the emancipation of enslaved people, and seeking institutional reforms to prohibit slavery.
The Pope pointed out that while Isabella’s intentions were often frustrated by her contemporaries, her vision planted the seeds of our modern declarations of human rights. Her noble spirit, guided by her faith, made her a pioneer in promoting the dignity of the human person long before human rights were enshrined in international law.
Pope Francis also hinted at a possible future recognition of Isabella as a saint, building on earlier claims by Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares in 2020. He affirmed that the queen’s actions were guided by her deep sense of responsibility to God and presented her legacy as a beacon of justice amid the moral complexities of her time.
