research question: the Spanish Inquisition
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no, but mel brooks did an awesome rendition of
The Inquisition in History of the World part II
The Inquisition in History of the World part II
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it could if you write humorcloudy said:Yep, but I don't think that version will work in my story.
oggbashan
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Official Roman Catholic View
The 'normal' people of Spain were largely untouched by the Inquisition.
Those most affected were the Conversos - those of Jewish descent who were converts from Judaism to Christianity. Their religion was seen as suspect, particularly if they were rich. Moriscos, converts from Islam, also featured.
The other targets of the Inquisition were those in positions of power and influence who might infect others by their heretical opinions.
Anyone who was not Christian was not a victim although unconverted Jews and members of Islam were persecuted. The Inquistion feared revolution from within the Church especially protestantism or even mild criticism of the Church's authority.
The reality was far removed from the fictional versions although 2,500 died. A close parallel in modern times was McCarthy's Anti-American Activities crusade.
What was true for both was 1. that accusation was taken to indicate guilt without the need for proof. 'Proof' could be manufactured to order. And 2. that the trials were a symptom of unrealistic fear that the established order was being undermined by a group of people opposed to the existing order.
Much of what has been written about the Spanish Inquisition was written as propaganda against the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church's supporters wrote their own propaganda about Protestants. Unfortunately there was little need for propaganda. In England under the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth people died for being of the wrong faith or not changing quickly enough. In Canterbury, Kent, there are memorials to those Catholics martyrs who died for their faith and also to the Protestant martyrs. Both were treated abominably. Canterbury has a Norman Castle. It isn't much mentioned in the guide books because it was stained with the blood of both faiths and in the 19th the locals turned it into a gas producing plant because they did not want to preserve it. Many of those who died were starved to death in their cells.
Og
Edited to correct original post.
The 'normal' people of Spain were largely untouched by the Inquisition.
Those most affected were the Conversos - those of Jewish descent who were converts from Judaism to Christianity. Their religion was seen as suspect, particularly if they were rich. Moriscos, converts from Islam, also featured.
The other targets of the Inquisition were those in positions of power and influence who might infect others by their heretical opinions.
Anyone who was not Christian was not a victim although unconverted Jews and members of Islam were persecuted. The Inquistion feared revolution from within the Church especially protestantism or even mild criticism of the Church's authority.
The reality was far removed from the fictional versions although 2,500 died. A close parallel in modern times was McCarthy's Anti-American Activities crusade.
What was true for both was 1. that accusation was taken to indicate guilt without the need for proof. 'Proof' could be manufactured to order. And 2. that the trials were a symptom of unrealistic fear that the established order was being undermined by a group of people opposed to the existing order.
Much of what has been written about the Spanish Inquisition was written as propaganda against the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church's supporters wrote their own propaganda about Protestants. Unfortunately there was little need for propaganda. In England under the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth people died for being of the wrong faith or not changing quickly enough. In Canterbury, Kent, there are memorials to those Catholics martyrs who died for their faith and also to the Protestant martyrs. Both were treated abominably. Canterbury has a Norman Castle. It isn't much mentioned in the guide books because it was stained with the blood of both faiths and in the 19th the locals turned it into a gas producing plant because they did not want to preserve it. Many of those who died were starved to death in their cells.
Og
Edited to correct original post.
Last edited:
minsue
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I just skimmed this, but it looked to have a bit of relevant info (though the 
icon that show on the address bar is a bit disturbing considering the topic....). As for life for the average citizen, be they persecuted or not, I haven't the faintest idea on where to find that info. If you find it, will you post the link(s)? You've got me curious myself now.
icon that show on the address bar is a bit disturbing considering the topic....). As for life for the average citizen, be they persecuted or not, I haven't the faintest idea on where to find that info. If you find it, will you post the link(s)? You've got me curious myself now.
minsue
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Found another. It's actually from a page about Cervantes and how to better understand his work by better understanding the world he lived in, but that link will take you straight to the section about Ferdinand & Isabel's marraige and has pretty good detail about the politics and govt of the times.
rgraham666
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They forgot to mention the pouting of molten lead into eyes, ears and onto joints. Thumb and scrotum screws as well.
I believe Torquemada was sainted for his work, and still is.
I believe Torquemada was sainted for his work, and still is.
rgraham666
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minsue said:
I believe competent would be a better word.
Good had nothing to do with it.
Rumple Foreskin
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Thank you, Cloudy, for giving me the chance to post this again.cloudy said:
Just remember:
NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn!
http://people.csail.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/tt3.jpg
Rumple Foreskin
Rumple Foreskin said:
Funny trivia: The guys (Mike & Terry?) that wrote this sketch got the idea one day when they were working away on another sketch and one of the women (Carol?) walked into the office interrupting them. They snapped something like "What do you want!?" at her and she replied, "I just came in to give you this," (or something) "...I didn't expect the spanish inquisition."
You can just imagine their eyes suddenly popping wide open like those cavemen in farside cartoons...
This is not an easy research area. Most stuff on the 'net' tends toward Catholic postulated arguement / justification for the Inquisition rather than accounts of the experience of living in those times.
Useful things to remember: Isabel & Ferdinand started the Inquisition to drive Jews out of Spain. Jews were given the option of becoming 'New Christians' - renouncing their Jewish faith and living as Catholics. Children aged over 6 were taken from Jewish parents and raised as Catholics.
A good fictional account can be found in "The last Kabbalist in Lisbon" by Richard Zimler. The book claims to be a true record, indeed, I could take you to plces in Lisbon mentioned in the book but there are aspects that are false.
The town of Belmonte, in northern Portugal, became a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution from the Inquisition in Spain and later in Portugal. The citizens of Belmonte practised Judaism in secret from the 16C through until 1976. Searching 'Belmonte' on the internet will give you many 'human' tales of practising a religion in hiding.
Hope this helps.
Useful things to remember: Isabel & Ferdinand started the Inquisition to drive Jews out of Spain. Jews were given the option of becoming 'New Christians' - renouncing their Jewish faith and living as Catholics. Children aged over 6 were taken from Jewish parents and raised as Catholics.
A good fictional account can be found in "The last Kabbalist in Lisbon" by Richard Zimler. The book claims to be a true record, indeed, I could take you to plces in Lisbon mentioned in the book but there are aspects that are false.
The town of Belmonte, in northern Portugal, became a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution from the Inquisition in Spain and later in Portugal. The citizens of Belmonte practised Judaism in secret from the 16C through until 1976. Searching 'Belmonte' on the internet will give you many 'human' tales of practising a religion in hiding.
Hope this helps.
BlackShanglan
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Damn. Beaten to the observation that the chief problem was that no one expected it.
Shanglan
Shanglan
Colleen Thomas
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I would suggest looking for more general information on the people and times. You may find a general overview of life with the primacy of the church over secular authority colored everyone's perceptions even during the inquisistion. You may also find some powerful first person accounts that exist in diaries and other source material that aren't prejudiced by a vatican cleansing or a protestant femonizing, but rather reflect the attitudes of the people who were living in spain and portugal and other parts of Europe during the time of the inquisistions.
OhMissScarlett
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Cloudy, during some research I was doing on a story about the Hapsburg Dynasty and Archduke Philip I, I ran onto quite a few sites regarding the movement to canonize Isabella Of Castile. Here's the site dedicated to the prevention of this insanity http://isfsp.org/isabella.html. It includes quite a few links to various articles and sites about the subject.
There's also The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision by Henry Kamen. It doesn't seem to get very good reviews on Amazon, but I found it very informative.
There's also The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision by Henry Kamen. It doesn't seem to get very good reviews on Amazon, but I found it very informative.
BlackShanglan
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*hopefully*
NO ONE expects Miss Scarlett to take her knickers off ... !
NO ONE expects Miss Scarlett to take her knickers off ... !
OhMissScarlett
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Probably because I'm not wearing any.BlackShanglan said:
cloudy said:
Quick question . . . are you looking for information written for the lay person or for scholars or both? That'll make a difference in what's "good". Either way, I'd recommend checking out your local library as a more reliable resource (easier to check the author's credentials).
While no specifically Inquisition focused sources come to mind for me instantly, I'd recommend the following generalist ones (which bring up the Inquisition):
The Templars by Piers Paul Read - lots of stuff on the Inquisition's attempts to wipe out the Knights Templar
Medieval Panorama by G.G. Coulton - old, but still respected and a fair bit on the Inquisition
The Middle Ages Volume 1: Sources of Medieval History by Brian Tierney - reprints a transcript of an Inquisition "questioning"
Also, try doing a search for Torquemada, a lot of bios about him have good Inquisition info.
dr_mabeuse
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I don't know what you mean by a "normal" person--peasant? merchant?--but I thought this site was pretty good:
http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0816Inquisition.html
Hope that's some help.
--Zoot
http://www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0816Inquisition.html
Hope that's some help.
--Zoot
The Inquisition was actually called the Holy Office, and later the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, and a fair outline is at http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/1112-96/article2.html.
elfin_odalisque
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Cloudy
Rumple didn't quite finish.
The main instrument of torture in the Spanish Inquistion was The Rack.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/tt6.jpg
If this wasn't enough, they tried the Comfy Chair.
'Oh No! Not the Comfy Chair!!
LOL
Rumple didn't quite finish.
The main instrument of torture in the Spanish Inquistion was The Rack.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/tt6.jpg
If this wasn't enough, they tried the Comfy Chair.
'Oh No! Not the Comfy Chair!!
LOL
Rumple Foreskin
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elfin_odalisque said:
http://people.csail.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/tt11.jpg
I DIDN't QUITE FINISH?
Oh, dearly beloved, we have many true believers.The main instrument of torture in the Spanish Inquistion was The Rack.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/tt6.jpg
If this wasn't enough, they tried the Comfy Chair.
'Oh No! Not the Comfy Chair!!
LOL
Right Rev. Rumple Foreskin
