Pope Paul III issues the papal bull "Sublimis Deus", on June 2, 1537, against slavery, condemning the enslavement of indigenous peoples in the Americas. It declared them "true men" with rights to liberty and property, prohibiting their enslavement or deprivation of property. It deemed such actions "a lie perpetuated by Satan".
The decree was influenced by advocates like Bartolomé de Las Casas and aimed to curb the abuses of Spanish conquistadors. Enforcement was challenging with many colonists ignoring it.
