Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Inquisition, also known as the Medieval Inquisition, was a series of inquisitions or Catholic Church bodies charged with suppressing heresy. It was established in 1184 by Pope Lucius III to track down heretics called Catharists and continued into the 14th century. The Inquisition expanded over time, investigating and stamping out various forms of heresy, including witchcraft. It was officially ended in 1834, after Napoleon's conquest of Spain in 1808, marking a period of over 600 years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start of the Medieval Inquisition | 1184 |
| Start of the Episcopal Inquisition | 1184 |
| End of the Episcopal Inquisition | 1230s |
| Start of the Papal Inquisition | 1230s |
| Start of the Medieval Inquisition (according to some sources) | 1231 |
| Start of the Spanish Inquisition | 1478 |
| First Spanish Inquisition tribunal | 1480 |
| First auto-da-fé of the Portuguese Inquisition | 1540 |
| End of the Spanish Inquisition | 1834 |
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What You'll Learn
The Inquisition's origins
The Inquisition has its origins in the early organised persecution of non-Catholic Christian religions in Europe. The Medieval Inquisition, established in 1184, was a series of Catholic Church bodies charged with suppressing heresy. Pope Lucius III sent bishops to southern France to track down heretics called Catharists, and the Church also pursued the Waldensians in Germany and Northern Italy. The Cathars were the first mass organisation in the second millennium that posed a serious threat to the authority of the Church.
Pope Gregory IX created the Inquisition to bring order and legality to the process of dealing with heresy. Mobs of townspeople had been burning alleged heretics without much of a trial. Pope Gregory's original intent for the Inquisition was to inquire into and educate those with beliefs differing from Catholic teaching, and to instruct them in the orthodox doctrine. If they persisted in their heresy, they would be handed over to civil authorities, as public heresy was a crime under civil law and Church law.
The Episcopal Inquisition (1184-1230s) was followed by the Papal Inquisition in the 1230s. In 1231, Pope Gregory charged the Dominican and Franciscan Orders with tracking down heretics. Inquisitors would arrive in a town, announce their presence, and give citizens a chance to admit to heresy. Those who confessed received a punishment ranging from a pilgrimage to a whipping. Those accused of heresy were forced to testify.
In 1307, Inquisitors were involved in the mass arrest and torture of 15,000 Knights Templar in France, resulting in dozens of executions. In 1478, under the influence of clergyman Tomas de Torquemada, the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella created the Tribunal of Castile to investigate heresy among Conversos (Jews who had converted to Christianity). The Spanish Inquisition was authorised by Pope Sixtus IV in 1478, and its first tribunal became active in 1480. In 1481, 20,000 Conversos confessed to heresy, hoping to avoid execution, and were forced to name other heretics. By the year's end, hundreds of Conversos were burned at the stake.
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The Medieval Inquisition
In 1184, Pope Lucius III sent bishops to southern France to track down heretics called Catharists or Cathars, and these efforts continued into the 14th century. The Waldensians, meanwhile, were a group of orthodox laymen concerned about the increasing wealth of the Church. They rejected the sacramental authority of the Church, encouraged apostolic poverty, and objected to the veneration of saints and martyrs.
Over time, the Inquisition expanded its reach and methods. In 1252, the bull Ad extirpanda allowed for the use of torture during Inquisition trials, including methods such as strappado, rack, and waterboarding. The Inquisition also targeted other groups, such as Jews and Muslims, particularly in the 14th century. In 1307, Inquisitors were involved in the mass arrest and torture of 15,000 Knights Templar in France, resulting in dozens of executions.
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The Spanish Inquisition
A key feature of the Spanish Inquisition was the auto-da-fe, a public ceremony where the accused were paraded, sentences were read, and confessions were made. After this, the guilty were turned over to civil authorities for execution. The inquisitors believed that the usual rules for heresy trials did not apply to witchcraft, which resulted in the execution of many alleged witches. Torture was also used during the Spanish Inquisition, with methods including the strappado, the rack, waterboarding, and others.
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The Inquisition in Portugal
The origins of the Inquisition lie in the early organised persecution of non-Catholic Christian religions in Europe. In 1184, Pope Lucius III sent bishops to southern France to track down heretics called Catharists, and these efforts continued into the 14th century. The Church also pursued the Waldensians in Germany and Northern Italy during this period. In 1231, Pope Gregory charged the Dominican and Franciscan Orders with the task of hunting down heretics. Inquisitors would arrive in a town and announce their presence, allowing citizens to confess to heresy and receive punishments such as pilgrimage or whipping. Those accused of heresy were forced to testify, and if found guilty, they were handed over to civil authorities for punishment, which often included burning at the stake.
The Portuguese Inquisition was established following a request from King Manuel I in 1515, who sought a Castilian-model inquisition decree from Pope Leo X. However, it was only after Manuel I's death in 1521 that Pope Paul III granted permission for the Inquisition in 1536. The Portuguese Inquisition held its first auto-da-fé in 1540, and it continued to function for centuries, with the last "Regimentos" for the use of inquisitors written in 1774. Over time, the Inquisition in Portugal faced resistance from figures such as Sebastião de Carvalho, the Marquis of Pombal, who sought to rein in its power and gradually transform it into a tool against those suspected of treason against the state rather than religious thought control.
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The end of the Inquisition
The Catholic Inquisition, also known as the Medieval Inquisition, began in 1184 with the Episcopal Inquisition, which lasted until the 1230s when the Papal Inquisition began. The Inquisition was established to suppress heresy and targeted various groups, including the Cathars, Waldensians, and Jews. Over time, the Inquisition evolved and took different forms, but its primary purpose remained the same.
The 16th Century and the Protestant Reformation: The Protestant Reformation marked a significant shift in the religious landscape of Europe. As Protestantism gained traction, the Catholic Church became increasingly suspicious of any new ideas, including those of Renaissance humanism, which had previously been embraced by some within the Church hierarchy. The Inquisition now had to contend with the spread of Protestant ideas, which complicated its efforts to root out heresy.
The Spanish Inquisition: The Spanish Inquisition, which began in 1478, continued into the 16th century and became a source of oppression for Protestants in Spanish territories. By the mid-1600s, the Inquisition and Catholic dominance had become so oppressive that Protestants avoided these areas altogether. This period also saw an increase in anti-Semitic and anti-converso persecutions, further exacerbating tensions.
Napoleon's Conquest of Spain: In 1808, Napoleon conquered Spain and ordered the abolition of the Inquisition. This marked a significant blow to the Inquisition's power and influence. After Napoleon's defeat in 1814, there were attempts to reinstate the Inquisition, but these efforts were ultimately thwarted by the French government.
The End of the Spanish Inquisition: The Spanish Inquisition officially came to an end in 1834. The last person executed by the Inquisition was Cayetano Ripoll, a Spanish schoolmaster hanged for heresy in 1826.
The Roman Inquisition: The Roman Inquisition, also known as the Holy Office, continued even after the end of the Spanish Inquisition. It underwent several name changes over the years, and it is currently called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. However, its focus and practices have evolved significantly from the Inquisition of the Medieval and early modern periods.
In conclusion, the end of the Inquisition was a gradual process that spanned centuries. While the Medieval Inquisition ended with the onset of the Protestant Reformation, various iterations of the Inquisition persisted in different regions, notably in Spain and Portugal, until the 19th century. The decline of the Inquisition was influenced by shifting political and religious landscapes, external interventions, and a growing rejection of its oppressive practices.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Inquisition lasted from the 12th century to the 19th century. It began in 1184 with the Episcopal Inquisition, which lasted until the 1230s. This was followed by the Papal Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition, which began in 1480, was officially ended in 1834.
The Catholic Inquisition was a series of inquisitions or Catholic Church bodies charged with suppressing heresy. It was established in response to movements considered apostate or heretical to Roman Catholicism.
The Inquisition targeted people who were considered heretics, which included Jews, Muslims, and those who practiced witchcraft.
The methods used by the Inquisition included torture and execution. Torture methods included the use of the rack and waterboarding. Those who were found guilty of heresy were often burned at the stake.
