Catholics and protestants were waging religious battles against each other in sixteenth century europe. Simultaneously in the early part of that century spanish conquistadors were destroying and pillaging the strongest and wealthiest civilizations in the americas francisco de vitoria who was among the most influential political theorists and theologians in sixteenth-century catholic europe thought deeply about these two vital issues of the day on one of these issues his position is clear-cut.he opposed protestantism. His allegiance was to catholicism,the emperor, and the pope. On the subject of spanish treatment of indians he was shocked and embarrassed by the massacre and