The Spanish Inquisition

Lasted for 300 years
Interrogation often went on for hours
Questions during interogantion started of as seemingly innocent about lifestyle- trying to discover accomplices
Model has lived on e.g Gestapo , Starzi
Herecy – unrepented couldn’t go to heaven
Many ways worse then murder – they felt it was catching
Bewildering effect on Peasant communities – they didn’t understand the extreme rules of the Spanish inquisition ( prematerital sex between two single people was forbidden )
Torture – feet/ hand bound
Strain on sholder hosited up
And then dropping
To dislocate shoulders
Then questioning continues
Modern academia says that there was no alternative to torture in medieval times

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Rising hatred against the jewish community in 13/1

Being Jewish –medieval Europe tensions between Jews and Christians at time
After new Testement – blamed from crucifiction of Chriest
14 century –used as scapegoats ‘ignite fuse of hatred’
Seville violence in 13 century against Jews ,series of assaults organised by priest – caused waves against Spain
Brooding anti-semitism
Power of Catholic church grew
Over a quarter of a million jews remained and renounced cultural heritage, whislt over 15000 fled .
Convorsos able to take up positions in society that they had previously been banned from( reserved for Christians) - exploited benefit
In one case a Rabbi became a Bishop
Sincerity questions – suspicious

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Rivalry /animosity towards jewish community
Competition for jobs and status
Successful old jews under most suspicious- it was believed that their faith was a sham
First target of Inquisition were these former jews- conversos
The inquisition was the first mechanism in Spain to clense Spain of false belief
Organised and methodical
Trubinals sent all over spain –by grand inquisitors
At disposal was scribe and doctor
Torturer also with them
Suspects – heresy how to find them
Ask for volunteers – old Catholics came forward to show what good religious people they were – receiving small fines in return for repentance
Worked well for petty offenses

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‘Christian duty’ to betray friends and family
informants used – inquisition spies ‘familiaries’ – given elevated social standing
scruntised lifestyle of neighbours and evesdropped
ingenious and effective methods – public participated
Christianity has no room for other religions
It was thought it was a Christian duty to convert everyone to Christianity
Whilst Ferdinand and Isabella were good Catholics they also craved political power
They underestimated volitle hatred between Catholics and Jews threated instability and unity but couldn’t loss spain’s most outstanding citizens – many of them of jewish ancenstary
1492 – 6 months ultimatum convert or leave
dilemma for jewish –betray or loss indentity/ country
didn’t work – so resentment grew
motivates of new Christians not trusted – they were hated
refusal to believe in sincere conversion
kept Jewish sabberts and festivials /kept kosher laws on hygiene and food
threw pork under table after pretending to eat – if refused to eat caused suspicion-hung pork from shop windows could fall under suspicion by handing laundry out to dry on wrong day

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Seville –reached boiling point
Under enormous political pressure dreams nearly goneof stability and Christian orthodox
Could’t create body without permission from Church on November the 1 Pope Sixtus the ii gave his permission to create itu
Papal ball appointed Thomas Del camper – confessioner of Queen and anti-semitic as grand inquisition- vast majority of victims jewish
Instructions he set out
Controllable bureaucratic body followed his roles for next 100 yrs
Didn’t differiceiate between women and men
No quarms about torturing women as much as men
Stripped before torture – ( women)
Secured to rack or vertical pole –tortured
Torture not to be used to punish or kill victim under instructutions
Clerk took every scream down –hand shaking
Record show how effective torture was at extracting confessions

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Pass sentence after confession ‘Auto de faith’ -Act of faith
Circus / court- theatrical display of power of Inquisition
Variety of punishments at disposal from imprisonment / banishment /death
Diagonal red cross –heritic –had to wear at all times humiliation- in some places

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