The Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition was a controversial time primarily during the 15th century. However, it kept reoccurring during other parts of history rather than only in the 15th century. There were many different methods used in which non-Christians would be tortured. Sometimes, the wrong people would be tortured if they believed that the person they were torturing really wasn’t Christian. The torturing of people because of their religion is what makes the Spanish Inquisition such a disturbing and dark part of history.

The reason for the Spanish Inquisition was because the Christians conquered Spain again, which led to the Christians forcing non-Christian people, such as Jews, to convert to Christianity. Any non-Christian who refused to convert to Christianity would be prosecuted and tortured using different methods such as starvation, strappado, racking and many other forms of torture. In 1478, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabelle of Castile established the Spanish Inquisition. The reason the inquisition was established was because Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabelle of Castile wanted to unite Spain.

The Spanish Inquisition could help economically because money could be made by stealing property from accused heretics. Another reason for the Spanish Inquisition is because Ferdinand and Isabelle believed that Spain could be united under Christianity. Also, Ferdinand and Isabelle discriminated against Jews simply because they were anti-Semites. The first Inquisitors arrived in Seville in 1480 to abolish heresy. Heresy is a belief or opinion that is contrary to an orthodox religious doctrine (especially Christianity). Many Spanish Jews were forced to convert to Christianity and some of them converted by choice.

There were different sentences for those found guilty of heresy. If you were found guilty of heresy, then your property would be confiscated and you would be burned to death. There would be public humiliation for those found guilty at the auto da fe, which is the ceremony where the heretic would be burned to death. The time of the greatest influence during the Spanish Inquisition was under the reigns of Philip II and Philip III. This time period occurred in 1569-1621. The Inquisition had suffered previous to this time period because of a lack of direction under Charles V, who ruled from 1517-1556.

But, during the reign of Philip II, there eventually became 16 tribunals in Spain, two tribunals in Italy and three in the New World. The Inquisition greatly expanded its prosecution of many different religious crimes. Ordinary Spaniards were drawn into the tribunals as well as Protestants, conversos, Moriscos and foreigners. There was detailed questioning even to people who most likely didn’t commit heresy. These people would be fined one or two ducats, which was considered a very heavy fine. The tribunals relied on unpaid officials. First, there were the two networks of familiars and camisarios.

The familiars were laymen charged with carrying messages, arresting suspects and delivering them to the Inquisition. The comisarios were priests who assisted in the gathering of evidence at the local level. Calificadores would advise the inquisitors about the accusations to whether someone was a heretic or not. There was a cruel way in which the Inquisition functioned. Possible heretics weren’t treated like in today’s standards mostly because the phrase “innocent until proven guilty” wasn’t followed. First, there was the accusation. When the Inquisition arrived in a city, the first step was known as the Edict of Grace.

It was called this because a period of grace was offered to the people accused of a crime to bring the accused person to the church without severe punishment. Next, there was the detention. The case would be examined by the calificadores would determine if there was heresy involved. Many cases lasted up to two years before the calificadores examined the case. The property of the prisoner would be taken during detention. This property would be used to pay for expenses and the own costs and maintenance of the person being accused. The entire process was done with much secrecy.

The trial process is after the detention process. The trial consisted of a series of hearings. The denouncers and defendants both gave their testimonies. Torture was used until the defendant would confess. The torture used was very unsystematic. It was applied mainly to those suspected of Judaism and Protestantism. Torture would even be applied regardless of a person’s age. Basically even children and elderly people would be tortured. Torture played a major role in the Spanish Inquisition. There were many different methods of torture. One method of torture was strappado.

Strappado was when the victims would be suspended from the ceiling by their wrists. The victim would fall from a height and be stopped by an abrupt jerk right before they reach the ground. Another method of torture was starvation in which the person accused of heresy would be starved. Racking was also used. A rack was an instrument of torture consisting of a frame on which the victim was stretched by turning rollers to which the wrists and ankles were tied. Toca was a method of making the victim believe they were drowning by putting a cloth in their mouth and pouring a jar of water in their mouth.