Royal Orders Regarding the Discovery, Settlement and Pacification of the Indies

Levesque, Rodrigue (1992). "Royal Orders Regarding the Discovery, Settlement and Pacification of the Indies". History of Micronesia: A Collection of Source Documents. Volume 2, Prelude to Conquest, 1561-1595. Gatineau, Quebec: Éditions Lévesque. pp. 451–458. ISBN 0-920201-02-4.

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Abstract: Royal orders issued in 1573 setting forth detailed instructions for the discovery, settlement, and pacification of new lands in the Indies. The document emphasizes peaceful methods of persuasion and conversion rather than violence, requiring that native peoples be informed of Spanish sovereignty and Christian doctrine before any military action. It prohibits unauthorized wars, enslavement, and the taking of land without just cause, while directing that settlements be established with respect for native communities. The orders also lay out provisions for the role of missionaries, the building of churches, and the governance of colonists, underscoring the Crown’s intent to regulate expansion in a way that balanced royal authority, religious duty, and humane treatment of indigenous peoples.