The Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition became an infamous event in history that would interest and shock people for centuries to come. King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella of Spain started the Spanish Inquisition in September of 1480; however, it was two years earlier in the November of 1478 that Pope Sixtus IV actually authorized the two monarchs to set up and start the Inquisition. (The Spanish Inquisition, n.d.)

The Inquisition mostly dealt with the conversos, or "Jews who had converted either under duress or out of social convenience, and were suspected of secretly practicing the Jewish faith." (The Spanish Inquisition, n.d.) While this is given as a definition of conversos, some people believe that the majority of conversos were excellent Catholics who took pride in their Jewish heritage. (Madden, 2003) It is important to know that the Spanish Inquisition had no power over practicing Jews and Muslims. It only could affect professed Christians who were suspected of being false and who may be a risk to the country. (The Spanish Inquisition, n.d.)

Sixtus IV set specific guidelines for the judges for the Inquisition. They had to be 40 years or older, have an impeccable reputation, be incredibly distinguished for virtue and wisdom, and be masters of theology or doctors, or licentiates of canon law. (Blotzer, 1910) On September 17, 1480 the King and Queen of Spain appointed two Dominicans to be the inquisitors, Miguel de Morillo and Juan de San Martin. However, complaints of the two's actions soon reached Rome. On January 29, 1482 in a meeting with Pope Sixtus IV they were blamed to have unjustly imprisoned people, tortured them cruelly and declared them false believers. (Blotzer, 1910)

The real organizer and head of the Inquisition was really Fray TomÐ"ÐŽs Torquemada. Sixtus IV gave him the office of grand inquisitor, or inquisitor general, of Castile, Leon, Aragon, Valencia, and other cities. Torquemada happened to be from a converso family himself. (The Spanish Inquisition, 2007) He started a propaganda campaign against Jews, and in March of 1492 he convinced the monarchs to expel all the Jews in Spain who refused to be baptized. ("The Spanish Inquisition:," n.d.) Isabella looked upon this removal of about 170,000 of her subjects as a "pious duty". (The Spanish Inquisition, 2007) Under Torquemada's reign the Inquisition spread. By about 1538 there were 19 courts in cities such as Seville, Cordova, Villareal, and Toledo.

They began in Seville and arrested conversos, where more than 700 were burned and 5,000 repented. Trials, or tribunals were held in Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia. An "Inquisition Tribunal" was set up in Toledo in 1485 and between the years 1486 and 1492, 25 auto-da-fÐ"©s were held and 467 people were burned at the stake and more were imprisoned. (The Inquisition, 2007)

When a person was accused, they had a "term of grace" for thirty to forty days where they could voluntarily confess their sin and atone for that sin. After that grace period was used up, they had a trial and if the judges found the accused guilty of the offense, the person was imprisoned. The accused's trial occurred only in the presence of two disinterested priests and the defense was in the hands of a lawyer. Witnesses were sworn in and if one lied they would be seriously punished- death being a possibility. (Blotzer, 1910) If a person was found guilty at the trial they could be burned at the stake. (Madden, 2003) These trials were called auto-da-fÐ"©, or Act of Faith, and would happen in a public place such as the main square in a town. After a mass, the verdicts were read and the guilty's punishments were announced. ("The Spanish Inquisition:," n.d.)

However, not all accusations made were true. Some people used the Inquisition to get rid of their enemies. Old Christians and Jews used these trials as a weapon against their converso enemies. They could use this opportunity against enemies, some motivators being greed, opportunism, and revenge. Since the Inquisition mainly set out for conversos, the newly converted, and not people who's families have been Christian for years and years, the Old Christians had nothing to fear and could wield it without care or worry. (Madden, 2003)

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