Evaluate the changes in representation of the Iberian inquisition throughout history
The inquisition was a religious institution that policed the new Christians in the Iberian Peninsula. The inquisition was a by-product of hundreds of years of negative relations towards non-catholic people in Europe. It began around 1478 and in ended in 1834; during the three hundred and fifty-six years responses to the inquisition change immensely. This was partly due to many laypeople being indoctrinated by anti-Semitic and pro- Catholic propaganda. The pre-existing anti-Semitic feeling in Europe along with previous medieval inquisitions, helped to allow the Iberian inquisition to become a part of the Spanish and Portuguese way of life. This acceptance changed later in Iberian history because of the many factors lead to the abolishment of the Inquisition.
The initial response of the inquisition was predetermined by the anti-Jewish judgment increased by the black plague in Spain. The lack of scientific development meant that Jews were blamed for the plague pandemic during 1347 to 1350. At the time the Jewish community was an important part of the Spanish economy, as the only moneylenders the King and Queen attempted to protect them. However, measures to stop the plague continually failed this further fuelled hatred towards the Jewish population. By 1492 King Ferdinand and Isabella created the Alhambra Decree that expelled Jews from their territories. They went into great detail to create a subtle form of propaganda, indoctrinating the public into believing Jews were a form of ‘disease’ that would infect good Christians. The converts that were left in the Iberian Peninsula became the main target of the inquisition. These converts called conve...
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...resentation of the Iberian inquisition in a comprehensive manor it is not difficult to see that the way it’s viewed has changed exponentially. From the early stages of it being a good Catholic’s way to protect themselves from the evil of Jewish population to its oppressive status during the age of enlightenment- the Iberian inquisition changed along with its representation. In my opinion, these changes occur due to the natural progression of human knowledge, thus creating progressions in acceptance. In the late 16th century the level of religious tolerance that is expected now would have been unheard off. This make the less condemning views of modern historians hardly shocking. Inasmuch as the views of the inquisition have changed I believe that it will continue to change when we as a society continue to make the natural progression of knowledge and acceptance.
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After the Expulsion form Spain in 1492 and forced conversions in Portugal, many Jews and New Christians, sought answers for these tragic events, claiming that they were signs for the approaching messianic era. A number of other worldwide developments added fuel to the fire. The Reformation was threatening Christianity and the Ottoman Empire had expanded through Europe and North Africa. Europe during the Age of Discovery found a “New World” with new people in new territories who could be converted by the messiah. Messianic hopes and speculations spawned myths among the Jews and Christians that spread throughout the community.
The Spanish Inquisition forced Sephardic Jews of Spain and Converso Jews living in Portugal to relocate to Italy. “The Spanish Inquisition was established with papal approval in 1478 at the Request of King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I. This Inquisition was to deal with the problems of the Marrano Jews, who through coercion or social pressure had insincerely converted to Christianity”. Many Catholics...
The Inquisition, though it did not become the true instrument of torture and oppression popularized in movies and books until after the Reformation, began during the Middle Ages, in response to the unorthodox religious practices of a variety of different groups throughout Europe. The most threatening of these sects were the Cathars, who lived in what is now southern France. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what frightened the Church fathers most about this group, especially as those people who condemned the Cathars wrote the only surviving records and it was popular at the time to vilify anyone who held radically different religious views. As a result, all manner of horrible rituals and beliefs were associated with the Cathars, the milder of which included, as mentioned in a thirteenth-century chronicle, such apocrypha as “they said also, in their secret doctrine, (in secreto suo) that that Christ who was born in the visible, and terrestrial Bethlehem, and crucified in Jerusalem, was a bad man, and that Mary Magdalene was his concubine.”[1] In addition, they were accused of eating children and participating in orgies. But it is important to remember that during the Middle Ages, people often framed social problems in religious terms. The surviving confessions of Cathars charged with religious heresy reveal the religious establishment attempting not only to quell resistance to its authority, but also to prevent the breakdown of society as the Church perceived it to exist, whether the danger lay in loose sexual mores, a refusal to swear an oath, or less than orthodox religious views. At stake were a social hierarchy and a system of control that regulated everyday life and power r...
After the Muslims conquered the entire Iberian Peninsula the new comers treated the Iberian people the conquered that is both Christians and Jews as dhimmi-people who belonged to a tolerated religion. Jews and Christians had the right to practice their religion and establish their own communities. In return they had to obey Muslim laws, pay special taxes and suffer discrimination and humiliation depending on the whim ruler. Christians were also allowed to maintain most of their churches and the organization of the Church and most activities that were carried out in the churches
To be tried by the Inquisition was something that nobody could take lightly. Although in
The Inquisitions originally started in France and Italy when the Catholic Church tried to seek out all heretics. Inquisitionist would judge whoever they thought was a suspected Heretics. Heretics were people who opposed the Catholic Church these people were captured and tortured sometimes burned alive.
Voltaire once said, “Of all religions, the Christian [religion] should of course inspire the most tolerance, but until now Christians have been the most intolerant of all men.” The quote was once true for the Catholic Church. Catholics have the ten commandments, one of them being, “Thou shalt not kill.” As long as the commandments are followed, it would guarantee a one way ticket to heaven. However, what if the Catholic Church and the Pope grant permission for thousands of innocent people to be killed or punished just because they have their own beliefs that do not follow those of the Catholic religion? In 1472, the Spanish rulers and the Catholic Church started the Spanish (Holy) Inquisition in Western Europe (mainly Spain and Portugal) to gain more political and religious power. Any heretics and non-believers were executed, tortured, or driven away. Thousands of innocent people were killed or harmed all because they did not follow the Catholic belief system. Voltaire is a famous enlightenment writer who wrote many well known poems, plays, and books. One of his most famous literary works is Candide. Candide is written by Voltaire to criticise the events that took place during the Spanish Inquisition. The fictional characters in the book make real life decisions and were stuck in realistic life situations. Voltaire wrote about actual things that happened in history and incorporated his views and opinions into the story (Barnes). Voltaire disagreed with the methods used by the Spanish rulers and the beliefs of the Catholic Church during the Spanish (Holy) Inquisition.
During the 15th through 18th centuries, Europe was going through drastic changes. A series of poor harvests due to the harsh weather conditions lead to widespread famine, growing inflation due to the introduction of Spanish silver from the New World, an increase in the poverty population and transmission of diseases due to unsanitary living conditions and the traveling of large armies of infected soldiers across the country all contributed to this downfall. Changing political structures and religious commotions caused by the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation resulted in a chaotic society. The Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation increased the fear of witchcraft within its citizens by promoting the idea of personal piety (a person’s alone time with their bible and God), which promoted individualism and took away from community involvement. Instead of religious groups coming together, they were dividing and the people feared that the end of the world was near. Catholics believed that this division in society was proof that the antichrist was running rampant and creating havoc across the world, while the Protestants believed that the corrupt behavior of the Catholic Church was the sign that the devil was busy at work. Both Protestants and Catholics were involved in the persecutions because both of their views on the devil and witchcraft were similar. The Reformation played a very important role in the development of witch hunts and witch trials because it convinced people to blame witches for everything. Protestants and reformed Catholics believed and preached that magic was a sin that was controlled by the devil and that the only way to protect themselves against this evil was to kill the d...
The Catholic Inquisition officially began in the year 1231, when the pope appointed the first inquisitors of heresy. The last execution made in its name occurred in 1826 in Spain under the rule of Ferdinand and Isabella. The Catholic inquisition tried many people as heretics. It also tried thousands of women who were accused of being witches and charged with swearing allegiance to the devil and casting evil spells on their neighbors. The Spanish Inquisition was mainly focused on ensuring that Jews and Muslims that had converted to Catholicism truly believed in their new religion, but heretics and witches were also tried. Due to imprecise records, historians have had to estimate the amount of people who were actually executed in the Inquisition
The case was that those people were hated by the catholic church, so they were persecuted and killed of the ways you may imagine, even, initially, the "Holy" Inquisition was created with this aim... - and they called it "Holy".. awful...without words!-
Isabella then desired to boost her control over Spain by establishing the Spanish Inquisition. Its role was to abolish heresy and make Spain a Christian nation (“Spain: History”). The Inquisition officially lasted from 1478 to 1808 (“Queen Isabella’s Influence in the New World”).
“The Grand Inquisitor”, by Feodo Dostoevsky, is a parable wherein the main character (the Grand Inquisitor, or GI) makes repeated attempts to dissuade the populous from following the teachings of Christ. The story is appropriately set in Seville, Spain during the time of the Inquisition where heretics against the will of the Spanish monarchy were routinely burned at the stake. During this time, the sixteenth century, there was also talk about the fact that Christ had not returned and many people questioned if His miracles were real. Hence, the setting was ideal for the GI to exert influence on popular opinion.
The Roman Inquisition was created in 1542 in order to fight heresy. This act controlled both doctrine and practice more successfully than in other countries due to the fact that the Roman Catholic Church had more power in Rome than it did elsewhere. The involvement of politics and military with the policies of Emperor Charles V and Philip II against Protestants were more effective in other
Political power acts as a foundation for society through persuasion. This influential ability controls the thoughts and actions of society as a whole, and who is in control heavily determines how successful their influences will be. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were the political rulers of Spain during the late 15th century, and remained in control up until the early 16th century. They craved unity for their country, and would do anything they could to achieve their desired conformity. Spain was to be united under one flag, one form of ruler, and one religion; those who did not oblige, became targets. For more than three hundred years, the Spanish Inquisition hovered over Spain, inciting fear and inflicting brutality upon those accused of heresy. A heretic was viewed as a contagious, rotted soul, lacking spiritual integrity. Their unholy actions spread like a disease; infecting anyone else in its path. Jews, Muslims, and Protestants, specifically Lutherans, each had their turn being victimized by the Spanish Inquisition. That being said, the King and Queen devote majority of the Inquisition’s years and efforts towards abolishing those of the Jewish and Islamic faiths. The goal was to rid Spain of these trivial beings, and society was influenced to believe that this would help political leaders achieve unity within the country. The Spanish Inquisition was purely driven by political desires, using religion as it’s gateway towards a unified country of power and prosperity.
In 1231, Pope Gregory IX instituted the Papal Inquisition. The name Inquisition comes from the Latin word inquiro, which means “inquire into.” The main goal of the Inquisition was to rid the world of those who did not agree with the Catholic Church. These heretics, as they were called, were not only captured and put on trial, but also brutally tortured. If a person was suspect of saying something heretical, there was no escape. Once caught by the Inquisition, a person was rarely ever heard from