The Spanish Inquisition
By: Joseph Appelbaum
Charith Desilva
 The Spanish Inquisition was an institution operated
mostly through the Holy Office
 Officially began in 1478 by a Papal Bull (Law) signed
by Pope Sixtus IV
 Gave the Holy Office authorization to eradicate by any
means heresy within Spain
 Final act of the Holy Office was in 1834 (Roth The
Spanish Inquisition)
 Jews in Spain since Roman times
 Every major city had juderia (Jewish Quarter)
 Started by Ferran Martinez in 1378
 Martinez preached against Jews, asking the civilians to
eradicate the Jews from Spain.
 Martinez led rebellion and burned juderia in Seville
(Roth 17, 19, 21,)
 After Seville, many other juderia were sacked
throughout Spain
 Fray Vincent Ferrer (Martinez follower) led angry
mobs into synagogues and forced the Jews to convert
to Catholicism (Roth 22, 25, 27)
 Jews converted en masse to Catholicism
 As Christians, Former Jews (New Christians or
Marrano’s) had the same rights as “Old Christians”
 New Christians became very active in politics,
university, etc. (Roth 29)
 Queen Isabella’s confessor
 Hated New Christians
 Made Isabella swear an oath to do everything in her
power to persecute the Jews (Roth 41)
 Became Head Inquisitor in 1482 (Roth 49)
 Auto de fé was the ceremony in which the Holy Office
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burned heretics
First Act took place on Feb. 6, 1481
6 men and women burned alive (Roth 45)
Ceremonies sometimes happened in honor of visiting
dignitaries
Spanish monarch’s found it offensive if dignitaries did
not enjoy the burnings
Queen Marie Louise of Orleans visited and prisoner
pleaded for their lives to her
 Used to extract confessions from accused heretics
 Heretics that repented were forgiven either loosely or
harshly (Roth 93)
 Inquisitors used “Rope”, “Water”, and “Fire” (Roth 9798)
(Spanish Inquisition Pictures)
 Last Act of Faith in 1834
 Reasons:
 1. People lost interest
 2. Spain lost power
 3. Fewer people convicted
 4. Less were executed
“How the Spanish Inquisition Worked.” How Stuff
Works. Freeman, Shanna. 05 Feb. 2008. Web. 18 Jan.
2011.
Roth, Cecil. The Spanish Inquisition. London:W.W.
Norton Library, 1964.Print.