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The financing of Iberian Crowns by Catholic priests received the designation of Patronage (in spanish Patronage or Patronasgo). The patronage was, throughout the expansion process Iberian achievements inherent in an institution of Portugal and Spain. It was part of the duties of the Catholic King to ensure the presence and permanence of priests in the territories of its domain in order to ensure the new evangelization of the subjects and the process of expansion of Christianity. The funding of religious missions entailed, however, that the priests became subjects of the Portuguese king, in addition to belonging to any religious society. The aim of this paper therefore is to analyze the presence of priests' and religious brothers among the processes of Portuguese expansion in the period comprised between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Through the reading of a set of documents, especially letters, and its comparison with historiographical texts about the period we intend to demonstrate how the actions of these priests, in addition to evangelization and catechesis, contributed to the civilization of the new subjects and their consequent payment the Empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]