What religious reason did Spain have for conquering new lands?

Spain had several religious reasons for conquering new lands during the Age of Exploration:

1. Spreading Catholicism: One of the primary motivations for Spain's conquests was to spread Catholicism to the indigenous peoples of the newly discovered lands. Spain viewed its conquests as a sacred duty to bring the "true faith" to the native populations and convert them to Christianity.

2. Papal Bulls: The Spanish monarchy received support and authorization from the Pope through a series of papal bulls, such as the famous "Inter Caetera" issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493. These papal bulls granted Spain exclusive rights to explore and acquire territories in the newly discovered lands and obligated the Spanish to spread Catholicism.

3. Justification for Conquest: The belief in spreading Catholicism provided moral and religious justification for conquering non-Christian lands. The Spanish conquistadors saw themselves as instruments of God's will, spreading their faith and combating paganism and idolatry.

4. Conversion of Indigenous Peoples: The Spanish conquerors saw the native peoples as their religious duty to convert and educate them in Catholic theology and rituals. Missions and religious orders played a prominent role in the colonization efforts, as missionaries and friars accompanied explorers and settlers to facilitate religious instruction and proselytization.

5. Inquisition and Religious Unity: Spain was deeply devoted to Catholic orthodoxy and had a history of religious persecution during the Inquisition. Conquering new lands provided an opportunity to enforce religious unity and establish Catholic dominance, free from the religious diversity and conflict present in Europe.

These religious motives were closely intertwined with political and economic motivations for conquest, as expanding Spain's territorial control and gaining access to resources often went hand in hand with spreading Catholicism.