Rachel Evans
The Catholic Inquisition, also known as the Spanish Inquisition, was established in 1478 and lasted until 1834. Its goal was to maintain Catholic orthodoxy and replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under papal control. The Inquisition was responsible for prosecuting various crimes, including heresy, counterfeiting, rape, and pedophilia. While the exact number of deaths is unknown, it is estimated that the Inquisition resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands to possibly over a million people, including those inspired by the Inquisition and those who profited from its ideology. Some estimates of 50-68 million deaths are considered exaggerated and mathematically untenable. The Inquisition also had indirect consequences, such as the loss of sole means of support for the families of those accused, which may have led to additional deaths.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of establishment | 1229 |
| Year of abolition | early 19th century |
| Duration | Permanently established in 1229 and abolished in the early 19th century |
| Total deaths | Exact numbers are unknown, but estimates range from a few thousand to 500,000–1,000,000 or more |
| Average deaths per year | A Catholic priest claimed that around 14 people were executed per year |
| Deaths as a terror tactic | One execution per month is sufficient to terrorize the population |
| Deaths beyond executions | Families of the accused may have died due to poverty and guilt-by-association |
| Deaths beyond the Catholic Inquisition | If you include deaths caused by the broader Catholic activities against non-Catholics, the death toll increases significantly |
| Deaths in Spain | The Catholic Church claims responsibility for around 2,000 victims in Spain |
| Deaths in Spanish colonies | Including Spanish colonies and other countries influenced by the Inquisition, the death toll is estimated to be 500,000–1,000,000, mostly Indians and Blacks in Spanish America |
| Deaths as a percentage of the population | Claims of tens of millions of deaths are mathematically untenable given the population of Europe during the Middle Ages |
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What You'll Learn
- The Spanish Inquisition: targeting Jews and Muslims
- The Roman Inquisition: one of the three manifestations of the Catholic Inquisition
- The Portuguese Inquisition: another manifestation of the Catholic Inquisition
- The Medieval Inquisition: under papal control
- Critics' exaggerated death tolls: estimates of 50-68 million are unsubstantiated
The Spanish Inquisition: targeting Jews and Muslims
The Spanish Inquisition, which lasted from 1478 to 1834, was a judicial institution ostensibly established to combat heresy in Spain. In practice, it targeted Jews and Muslims, as well as those who had converted to Christianity, and served to consolidate power in the monarchy of the newly unified Spanish kingdom. The Inquisition was marked by brutal methods, including torture and executions, and left a long-lasting memory of persecution and exile in the Jewish and Muslim communities.
The roots of the Spanish Inquisition can be traced back to the 13th century, when Pope Gregory IX expanded the Papal Inquisition to Aragon in 1231. This initial inquisition targeted Cathars, Jewish converts, and others deemed heretics, with trials, imprisonments, and executions. Over the centuries, the Jewish community in Spain flourished and grew in numbers and influence, but they also faced periodic waves of increased persecution and anti-Semitism. During the reign of Henry III of Castile and Leon (1390-1406), Jews were pressured to convert to Christianity, and in 1492, an edict was issued giving them the choice of exile or baptism. As a result, more than 160,000 Jews were expelled from Spain, with many fleeing to Portugal, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire.
The Muslims of Spain also faced persecution during the Spanish Inquisition, particularly as the Reconquista brought Moorish territories under the control of Christian kings. In 1502, Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros ordered the proscription of Islam in Granada, the last Muslim kingdom in Spain, and the persecution of Muslims accelerated when he became grand inquisitor in 1507. Muslims in Valencia and Aragon were subjected to forced conversion in 1526, and Islam was subsequently banned in Spain.
The Inquisition targeted not only Jews and Muslims but also those who had converted to Christianity, known as conversos or Moriscos. These converts were suspected of secretly observing their original beliefs and practices, and they faced persecution, torture, and execution. The Spanish Inquisition remained active for centuries, continuing into the 18th century, and left a lasting impact on the Jewish and Muslim communities in Spain and beyond.
It is difficult to determine the exact number of deaths caused by the Spanish Inquisition, as records are scarce and often unreliable. However, it is clear that the Inquisition resulted in significant loss of life, with hundreds of thousands of people facing persecution, torture, and execution. The impact of the Inquisition extended beyond those who were killed, as entire communities were uprooted and exiled, fleeing to new lands and struggling to preserve their faith and cultural identity.
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The Roman Inquisition: one of the three manifestations of the Catholic Inquisition
The exact number of people who died during the Catholic Inquisition is unknown. Some sources claim that the number is between 45,000 and 60,000, while others claim that the number is much higher, with estimates ranging from 50 to 68 million. However, these higher estimates have been criticized as being exaggerated and ridiculous, as the total population of Europe during the Middle Ages is estimated to have been between 100 and 120 million.
The Catholic Inquisition, also known as the Inquisition, was a series of regional tribunals or national institutions that worked against heretics and other offenders against the canon law of the Catholic Church. It was a judicial procedure where ecclesiastical judges could initiate, investigate, and try cases in their jurisdiction. The term "Inquisition" comes from the Medieval Latin word "inquisitio," which described a court process based on Roman law.
The Roman Inquisition, formally known as the Suprema Congregatio Sanctae Romanae et Universalis Inquisitionis, was one of the three manifestations of the Catholic Inquisition, along with the Spanish Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition. It was established in 1542 by Pope Paul III as part of the Catholic Church's Counter-Reformation against the spread of Protestantism. The Roman Inquisition was the least active and most benign of the three variations. Its main function was to maintain and implement papal bulls and other church rulings, as well as administer legalistic ramifications upon deviants of Catholic orthodoxy.
The Roman Inquisition was originally designed to combat the spread of Protestantism in Italy, but it outlived this original purpose and lasted until the mid-18th century. During this time, it went through several name changes, including the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The Roman Inquisition consulted specialists in mathematics, philosophy, and Catholic theology in response to complaints made against Galileo in 1616. They judged the proposition that the sun is at the center of the universe and that the Earth moves around it to be "foolish and absurd in philosophy" and "formally heretical." While the Inquisition did not condemn Galileo, they did order several theological claims in his book to be excised in future publications.
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The Portuguese Inquisition: another manifestation of the Catholic Inquisition
The exact death toll of the Catholic Inquisition is unknown. Critics of the Catholic Church have claimed that the Inquisition killed between 50 and 68 million people, but these estimates are considered exaggerated and unfounded. A more realistic estimate suggests that around 14 people were executed per year by the Inquisition.
The Portuguese Inquisition was one of the three main manifestations of the Catholic Inquisition, along with the Spanish Inquisition and the Roman Inquisition. It began in 1540 and lasted until 1821, extending to Portugal's colonial possessions, including Brazil, Cape Verde, and Goa in India. The Portuguese Inquisition primarily targeted those who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism, known as Conversos or New Christians, who were suspected of secretly practising Judaism. Many of these individuals were originally Spanish Jews who had fled to Portugal to escape religious persecution in Spain. The Portuguese Inquisition also targeted people of other faiths, such as practitioners of African diasporic religions and Vodun, as well as the Romani community in Brazil, who were deported from the Portuguese Empire.
The Goa Inquisition, which began in 1560, was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India. It focused on enforcing Catholic orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of the Pontifex. The Goa Inquisition targeted New Christians accused of secretly practising their former religions, as well as Old Christians involved in the Protestant Revolution. It also targeted those suspected of sodomy and prosecuted non-convert Hindus who broke prohibitions against the public observance of Hindu rites. The methods used by the Inquisition included imprisonment, torture, death penalties, and intimidation into exile. The Inquisitors also seized and burned books written in various languages that were suspected of containing teachings contrary to Catholic doctrine.
The Portuguese Inquisition had a significant impact on Portuguese society, influencing political, cultural, and social aspects of life. It led to the migration of many New Christians from Portugal to Goa and other places in the 1500s. The persecution of Jews and their eventual mass emigration from Portugal had adverse effects on the country's economy. The Portuguese Inquisition, along with the Spanish Inquisition, contributed to the spread of anti-Jewish sentiments and the development of racist antisemitic arguments.
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The Medieval Inquisition: under papal control
The exact number of deaths during the Catholic Inquisition is unclear, with some sources claiming that the numbers have been exaggerated by critics of the Catholic Church. While some estimates place the death toll at 50 to 68 million, this seems unlikely considering that the population of Europe during the Middle Ages is estimated to have been around 100 to 120 million.
The Medieval Inquisition, which began around 1184, was a series of inquisitions carried out by the Catholic Church to suppress heresy and respond to movements considered apostate or heretical to Christianity, particularly the Cathars in southern France and the Waldensians in northern Italy. The Episcopal Inquisition took place from 1184 to the 1230s, followed by the Papal Inquisition in the 1230s.
The Medieval Inquisition was under papal control, with Pope Gregory IX assigning the duty of carrying out inquisitions to the Dominican and Franciscan Orders in the 13th century. The inquisitors, or judges, were recruited from these orders and rode circuits in search of heretics before acquiring the right to summon suspects to the Inquisition centre. The Inquisition functioned mainly in southern France and northern Italy, with a tribunal or court in France, Italy, and parts of Germany.
The papal inquisition was known for its thoroughness and record-keeping, with detailed records providing insight into the speech and beliefs of medieval peasants. Pope Gregory's original intent was to inquire into the beliefs of those differing from Catholic teaching and instruct them in orthodox doctrine, returning them to the Catholic Church. If they persisted in their heresy, they would be handed over to civil authorities, as public heresy was a crime under both civil and Church law.
The scope of the inquisitions grew in response to the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation, and in 1542, the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition was established as a governing institution. The papal institution survived as part of the Roman Curia, undergoing name and focus changes over time.
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Critics' exaggerated death tolls: estimates of 50-68 million are unsubstantiated
Critics of the Catholic Church have often exaggerated the death tolls of the Catholic Inquisition, with some estimates placing the figure at 50-68 million. However, these numbers are not supported by historical evidence and are considered gross exaggerations by experts.
The Catholic Inquisition, also known as the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, was established in 1478 by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. It lasted until 1834, overlapping with the Medieval Inquisition, which was under papal control. The Inquisition was responsible for prosecuting heresy, ensuring Catholic orthodoxy, and regulating the faith of newly converted Catholics. While it did result in torture and executions, the idea that it caused the deaths of tens of millions is mathematically untenable.
For context, the population of Europe at its height in the Middle Ages is estimated to have been between 100 and 120 million people. Spain, at the height of the Inquisition in the 16th century, had a population of about 7.5 million. Thus, the alleged figure of 50-68 million deaths would mean that the Church killed a third to half of the European population—a number comparable to the death toll of the Black Death (Bubonic Plague).
The actual number of deaths caused by the Inquisition is difficult to ascertain due to incomplete records and unrecorded casualties. However, it is important to note that the Inquisition's primary goal was to terrorize the population, and this could be achieved through a small number of executions. The Catholic Church has insisted that the documented executions carried out by its judges in Spain amount to around 2,000 victims. If we include victims in the Spanish colonial empire and those inspired by the Inquisition, the number rises to between 500,000 and 1,000,000, mostly Indians and Blacks in Spanish America.
Critics of the Catholic Church, including some Protestants, have been accused of exploiting myths and exaggerating the death toll of the Inquisition to bash the Church. It is important to approach the issue with historical context and nuance, recognizing that the Inquisition was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a single narrative.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to arrive at an exact figure as not all the records have survived and many of those killed were not recorded in the official records. The Catholic Church insists that it is responsible only for the cases that its judges documented in Spain, which is around 2000 victims. However, if you include the victims of the Spanish colonial empire and other countries, the number of victims is estimated to be between 500,000 to 1,000,000, mostly Indians and Blacks in Spanish America.
The Inquisition was established to maintain Catholic orthodoxy and replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under papal control. It was intended to identify heretics among those who converted from Judaism and Islam to Catholicism and regulate the faith of newly converted Catholics. The Inquisition also had jurisdiction over other crimes such as bigamy, prostitution, perjury, rape, pedophilia, and counterfeiting.
The Catholic Inquisition was established by the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile in 1478 and lasted until 1834. It was largely run by the Dominican order.
