Who carried out the Inquisition?

Who carried out the Inquisition?

King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile established the Spanish Inquisition in 1478. In contrast to the previous inquisitions, it operated completely under royal Christian authority, though staffed by clergy and orders, and independently of the Holy See.

How many died from the Spanish Inquisition?

The Spanish Inquisition was the most deadly during its first decades. It is estimated that, up to 1530, as many as 2,000 people died at the hands of the Inquisition; in the 350 years of the Spanish Inquisition, approximately double that number are thought to have been killed.

What was the punishment for being found guilty in the Inquisition?

Those who confessed received a punishment ranging from a pilgrimage to a whipping. Those accused of heresy were forced to testify. If the heretic did not confess, torture and execution were inescapable.

What was the purpose of the Holy Inquisition?

The Inquisition was a powerful office set up within the Catholic Church to root out and punish heresy throughout Europe and the Americas. Beginning in the 12th century and continuing for hundreds of years, the Inquisition is infamous for the severity of its tortures and its persecution of Jews and Muslims.

How many Jews were in the Spanish Inquisition?

Under the edict of March 31, 1492, more than 40,000 Jews left Spain. In his private life Torquemada seems to have been pious and austere, but his official career as inquisitor was marked by a harsh intransigence, which nevertheless was generally supported by public opinion, at least in the early years.

What happens if someone went before the Inquisition?

ACTUAL COURSE OF EVENTS: Before an accused heretic ever went to trial, he was urged to confess and repent for his sins. This often worked, for people feared public humiliation, and the wrath of God. If this were the case, the Inquisition only required a basic confession, and penitance was mild, if even necessary.

How many people were burned at the stake during the Inquisition?

An estimate that has wide credibility among historians is that about 2 percent of those who came before Inquisition tribunals were burned at the stake, which would mean several tens of thousands of people. The rest suffered lesser punishments.

What happened to heretics during the Inquisition?

All heretics wore a sackcloth with a single eyehole over their heads. Heretics who refused to confess were burned at the stake. Sometimes people fought back against the Inquisition. In 1485, an Inquisitor died after being poisoned, and another Inquisitor was stabbed to death in a church.

Where were the Inquisition tribunals in Spain?

Tribunals were also opened in Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia. An Inquisition Tribunal was set up in Ciudad Real, where 100 Conversos were condemned, and it was moved to Toledo in 1485. Between 1486-1492, 25 auto de fes were held in Toledo, 467 people were burned at the stake and others were imprisoned.

What did the Inquisition do to the Knights Templar?

In 1307, Inquisitors were involved in the mass arrest and tortures of 15,000 Knights Templar in France, resulting in dozens of executions. Joan of Arc, burned at the stake in 1431, is the most famous victim of this wing of the Inquisition.