 Comparing the situation to Spain's wars against the Moors, the clerics claimed that Muslims had knowledge of Christ and rejected him, so that waging a crusade against them was legitimate.In contrast, wars against the Native Americans, who had never come into contact with Christianity were unacceptable.As a response to this position, the "Requerimiento" provided a religious justification for the conquest of the local populations, on the pretext of their refusing the "legitimate" authority of the Kings of Spain and Portugal, as granted by the Pope.