 The third lecture, finally, lists eight “just titles” for the war against Amerindians, among them the violation of the right of Spaniards to travel in the Indies and to conduct missions, the protection of innocents, etc. (Vitoria 1991b: 278–291). Vitoria argued for free intercourse between all peoples: indigenous rulers could not exclude Christians from their lands, and Christian travelers attacked by the local inhabitants had the right of self-defense. Spanish children born in the New World were able to choose, under natural law and the ius gentium, to become citizens of the country where they resided. Vitoria also argued for the right to evangelize. Christians could intervene to protect converts, allies, and friends. He warned, however, that waging war on indigenous peoples might obstruct conversion. Vitoria weakened his defense of the Indians by saying that Spain might govern them for their own benefit. The indigenous peoples might even be treated “partly as slaves”. Moreover, once large-scale conversions had taken place, Spain could not abandon the New World.