The Times of the Spanish Inquisition

634 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: spanish inquisition essay

Known for the terror it caused the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula, The Spanish Inquisition was one of the most deadly inquisitions in history. Used for both political and religious reasons, the time period between the 1400’s and the 1800’s belonged to the Catholic Roman Empire (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1994). In order to better understand the Inquisition, the reasons behind it, and the phenomenal worldwide effect, it is indispensable to examine its preceding events.
In 14th century Spain, Jewish people are often associated with wealth, being a epidemic to the general public. When Aragon united with Castille in the marriage of Ferdinand V and Isabella, Spain was on the verge of becoming one of the wealthiest nations of the period. A large part of that prosperity was due to the Jewish community. Archdeacon Martinez of Seville continually tried to motivate the people to cleanse themselves of the Jewish citizens, finally succeeding on Ash Wednesday (March 15), 1391. Mobs flogged and beat the Jewish civilians to renounce their religion and become Christian. The victims of that day amount to hundreds, if not thousands, of unsuspecting people (C. Roth, The Spanish Inquisition, 1964). Although the Jews had become Christian to avoid persecution, they still celebrated their beliefs in secrecy. In 1487, their behavior was discovered during Jewish Passover, which was the same week as the Holy Week for the Catholic Church. Thus, the Spanish Inquisition was founded to sanitize the ...

Show More
Related

  • Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The True History of the Conquest of New Spain

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Inquisition." In New Catholic Encyclopedia, edited by Berard L. Marthaler, 485-491. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2003.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Native American And Spanish Civilization

    461 Words  | 1 Pages

    Finally, when it came down to the types of ceremonies and views both civilizations had, they were on two different pages. The Natives believed happiness was the key to good fortune. So, in order to get that fortune, they’d do sacrifices, and rituals to please the “mighty ones”. Then, as stated in the book “A History of Latin America”, it says, “Jews publicly converted to Christianity to avoid the torture…”, In which, this showed how religion and the spiritual views were forced upon people in the Spanish civilization.

    Read More

  • From Renaissance Law to Modern Democracy: A Historical Perspective

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the Byzantine empire’s power began to lessen, ecclesiastical law flourished (Rautman). The Inquisition was entirely based around Roman Catholicism, and was commonly seen as needed in order to protect and defend the church from protestantism and sinners. It’s courts had judges called “inquisitors.” Inquisitors served lifelong terms and made decisions solely in the name of the Pope. While the only type of crime pursued and prosecuted by the Inquisition were crimes against the church, it was often accused of being a very biased institution, as all verdicts were made according to Catholic beliefs, regardless of the circumstance

    Read More

  • The Role of Religion in "The Conquest of New Spain"

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was the dominant force in Western civilization. As the Dark Ages came to a close, the monarchies of Europe began to consolidate power; providing an alternative power base. With the Protestant Reformation came another blow to the influence of the Church. Spain, the forerunner in the Age of Discovery, was a fervently Catholic country. During the 16th century, the monarchy combined the forces of "cross and crown" in its imperial policy; much to the dismay and ultimate destruction of the indigenous peoples of the New World. Through an examination of Aztec polytheism and the Catholicism of the conquistadors, comes the central role of religion in the successful conquest of New Spain.

    Read More

  • Witchcraft and the Inquisition of the Catholic Church

    1839 Words  | 4 Pages

    Witchcraft. The word in itself evokes a certain kind of eeriness. In past centuries, people who were accused of being witches were thought of to be the worst kinds of people there are. There were several kinds of witches and several ways in which they operated. Whatever the reason, the Catholic Church saw witches, or those accused of being witches, as sinful. Partly to stop this kind of sin and other forms, the Inquisition of the Catholic Church was implemented. It is important to know what the factors leading up to the Inquisition included to fully understand its implementation. Once the history is reviewed it is easy to see how the Faith of the Church and the reason behind its thinking were hand-in-hand at the time, and also the way in which they seemingly conflict today.

    Read More

  • The Inquisition and the Crypto-Jews

    1599 Words  | 4 Pages

    History provides several horrible periods of violence, fear and murder. Such horrible acts against humanity have been committed in the name of religion, colonization, and racial superiority. The Holocaust, was one of the most catastrophic and saddest events in history, where about 11 million people, including Jewish children, families, and political dissenters were mass murdered. However, there exists another mournful and cruel period that marked the lives of many Sephardic Jews with secrecy and fear. One hardly hears about the harassment, rejection and humiliation of Sephardic Jewry in Spain, Portugal, and countries like Mexico, at the hands of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, which began in 1492. Due to these events, Sephardic Jews found themselves facing one of the most complex decisions of their lives and those of future generations; conversion, expulsion or death. The reasons for conversion are complex, as many converted by force and others for social or political reasons. As a result, converts became known as Conversos and “marranos /chuetas, and the latter are derogatory terms, as the names imply “swine” (Hordes 6). Another important term is Anusim, referring to those "whose conversion was prompted by violence and fear not sincerity” (Hordes 6). Marranos, were secretive people often, “keeping their children from their Jewish identity, until they reached an age where discretion could be trusted "(Telushkin 195). All of these events, have led to the complex phenomena, of the crypto-Jews in the new world, including Mexico and the American Southwest. Thus, sparking new areas of interest and research of their practices, customs, authenticity, and identification.

    Read More

  • European Witch Hunt

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    The epoch of Medieval European history concerning the vast and complicated witch hunts spanning from 1450 to 1750 is demonstrative of the socioeconomic, religious, and cultural changes that were occurring within a population that was unprepared for the reconstruction of society. Though numerous conclusions concerning the witch trials, why they occurred, and who was prosecuted have been founded within agreement there remains interpretations that expand on the central beliefs. Through examining multiple arguments a greater understanding of this period can be observed as there remains a staggering amount of catalysts and consequences that emerged. In the pursuit of a greater understanding three different interpretations will be presented. These interpretations which involve Brian Levack’s “The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe,” Eric Boss’s “Syphilis, Misogyny, and Witchcraft in 16th-Century Europe,” and Nachman Ben-Yehuda’s “The European Witch Craze of the 14th to 17th centuries: A Sociologist’s Perspective,” share various opinions while developing their own theories. The comparison of these observations will focus upon why the witch trials occurred when they did, why did they stop when they did, why did the witch trials occur when they did, and who was persecuted and who was responsible for the identification and punishing of witches.

    Read More

  • The Spanish Inquisition

    1949 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Spanish Inquisition has inflicted untold amounts of damage on the Spanish society and everyone else’s. It was one of the worst religious acts of ignorance and bigotry ever orchestrated by a group of people. Bibliography Lea, Henry Charles. 1966 A history of the Inquisition of Spain.

    Read More

  • The Spanish Inquisition

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    To initiate, Pérez’s thesis began by introducing the creation of the “anti-Semitism” against Jews; as well as discrimination against Muslims who opposed to the Catholic doctrine during the beginnings the Spanish Inquisition. First, Pérez criticized and analyzed the procedures and manipulations that the Inquisitions imposed to Jews and Muslims to convert them to Catholicism; these procedures and manipulations that Pérez criticized were the oppression to converted these two groups to Catholicism or expel them out from Spain if they remained their faith—many chose the exile (35). Also, Pérez admired the resistance that the majority of Jews had to preserve their faith in “secret” and maintained loyal to their faith even though they faced persecution, discrimination, oppression, and expulsion during the Inquisition (51).

    Read More

  • Latin American Independence Essay

    1482 Words  | 3 Pages

    Judaism is practiced by about 500,000 Jews in the region. Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil host large communities and are faced with large amounts of anti-semitism leftover from Spanish hatred. The Jewish and Muslims were forced out of Spain, even those who had converted to catholicism, by the Spanish Inquisition. This systemic hatred had taken root in Latin America (Class Notes).

    Read More

  • British and Ottoman Empire Imperialism

    1934 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ced by permission of." Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie, Peggy Saari, and Aaron Saari. Vol. 1: Vol.1: Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2002. World History in Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Roman Catholic Church During the Enlightenment

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    Proving to be the paramount of the conflict between faith and reason, the European Enlightenment of the eighteenth century challenged each of the traditional values of that age. Europeans were changing, but Europe’s institutions were not keeping pace with that change.1 Throughout that time period, the most influential and conservative institution in Europe, the Roman Catholic Church, was forced into direct confrontation with these changing ideals. The Church continued to insist that it was the only source of truth and that all who lived beyond its bounds were damned; it was painfully apparent to any reasonably educated person, however, that the majority of the world’s population were not Christians.2 In the wake of witch hunts, imperial conquest, and an intellectual revolution, the Roman Catholic Church found itself threatened by change on all fronts.3 The significant role that the Church played during the Enlightenment was ultimately challenged by the populace’s refusal to abide by religious intolerance, the power of the aristo champions of reform and print culture, the philosophers, who shared a general opposition to the Roman Catholic Church. By the end of the seventeenth century, the fanatical witch hunts of Western Europe led by the Church had begun to die away.4 Although "witches" were still tried by the clergy and clergy-controlled governments, the massive witch hunts of the Middle Ages had been abandoned in search of more reasonable and plausible explanations of the unknown.

    Read More

  • Scandal At The Church Of 1872 New Spain

    2345 Words  | 5 Pages

    Injustice in 18th Century Mexico In the inconclusive court case on the “Scandal at the Church” of 1872 New Spain (Mexico), José de Alfaro fights in court to save his wife, Josefa Cadena, his unborn child, and his family’s honour by taking her attacker doña Theresa Bravo, her daughter, her sister, her woman deposited (her ward) and her husband to trial for their wrong doings. It was after mass at church that Mrs. Cadena brushed up against Mrs. Bravo; resulting in a violent outburst from the high class lady and her family. The six month pregnant Mrs. Cadena was brutally beaten. With the possibility of losing both his wife and child due to bleeding, Mr. de Alfaro seeks justice from those who harmed his family.

    Read More

  • The Influence of the Roman Catholic Church

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Roman Catholic Church had complete influence over the lives of everyone in medieval society including their beliefs and values. The Church’s fame in power and wealth had provided them with the ability to make their own laws and follow their own social hierarchy. With strong political strength in hand, the Church could even determine holidays and festivals. It gained significant force in the arts, education, religion, politics as well as their capability to alter the feudal structure through their wealth and power.

    Read More

  • St. Ignatius Loyola

    1860 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pollen, John Hungerford. "The Suppression of the Jesuits (1750-1773)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 23 Mar. 2014 .

    Read More

More about The Times of the Spanish Inquisition

Open Document