Background
Christianity had gained many converts in the Canary Islands by the early 1430s; however, the ownership of the lands had been the subject of dispute between Portugal and the Kingdom of Castille. The lack of effective control had resulted in periodic raids on the islands to procure slaves. Pope Eugene IV was concerned that the enslavement of newly baptized Christians would impede the spread of Christianity and therefore issued the Papal Bull, "Creator Omnium", on 17 December 1434.
Eugene excommunicated anyone who enslaved newly converted Christians, but no protection was offered to those who declined to become a Christian. Historian Richard Raiswell sees this as a significant turning point because prior to this Canon Law had only sanctioned slavery in the context of a just war and un-baptized captives, but with the issuing of this bull the only protection offered was if the person became a Christian.
Read more about this topic: Sicut Dudum
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