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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was an historical institution founded under Ferdinand
and Isabella of Castile in 1478 to suppress heresies within the Roman Catholic
Church. The Inquisition was primarily under the control of the Spanish monarch,
with only the Inquisitor General appointed by Rome.
In the history of the Catholic Inquisition, the Spanish Inquisition is
especially notorious, particularly in the nature of the auto de fe, or trials,
of converted Muslims, Jews, and Illuminists. This Inquisition also gave rise to
the Peruvian Inquisition and the Mexican Inquisition, which continued until
those countries received their independence from Spain.
In the 15th century, Spain was not a single state but a confederation of realms,
each with their own administrations, such as the Crown of Aragon and the Crown
of Castile, ruled by Ferdinand and Isabella, respectively. In the Crown of
Aragon (a confederation of the Kingdoms of Aragon, Baleares, Catalonia and
Valencia), there had been a local inquisition from the Middle Ages, as in the
rest of the European countries. However, there had not been one in the Kingdom
of Castile.
Much of the Iberian peninsula had been ruled by the Moors, and the southern
regions, particularly Granada, were heavily populated by Muslims. Until 1492,
Granada was still under Moorish rule. The large cities, especially Seville,
Valladolid, capital of Castile, and Barcelona, capital of the Crown of Aragon,
had large Jewish populations centered in Juderías.
There was a long tradition of Jewish service to the Crown of Aragon. Ferdinand's
father, John II of Aragon, appointed Abiathar Crescas, a Jew, as his court
astrologer. Jews held many prominent posts, both religious and political. Pedro
de la Caballeria, a Marrano, or Jewish convert, played a major role in arranging
Ferdinand's marriage to Isabella. Castile even had an unofficial Crown Rabbi, a
professing Jew.
The Inquisition had jurisdiction only over those who professed to be Catholics.
However, some historians have interpreted the Inquisition as an attack on this
diversity of faith in Spain.
There were many motivations for Ferdinand to create the Inquisition. Wiping out
the Jewish and Muslim religions in his domains would help him achieve better
control over his people, and the Inquisition was his method of achieving that.
Spain, historically an area with disparate religious traditions and ethnic
groups, needed a common religion - Catholicism - if it was to have a sense of
unity. Also, many historians believe the Spanish Inquisition was instituted as a
way of weakening Ferdinand's primary political opposition at home. It is also
possible that there was a financial motivation: Jewish financiers had lent
Ferdinand's father many of the funds which he had used to pursue the alliance by
marriage with Castile, and many of these debts would be wiped if the noteholder
were condemned in court. Other historians point out that because the Inquisition
had no jurisdiction over Jews or Muslims, imputing this motive to Ferdinand is
tendentious.
Ferdinand's main aim was to consolidate the independent realms that he had
gained by his marriage to Isabella into a single state to be left to his heir.
Ferdinand was an astute politician, and developed close ties with St. Peter's in
Rome as part of his political manoeuvering. However, he did not want the Pope to
control the Inquisition in Spain, as he was jealous of any other power within
his borders.
The Pope did not want the Inquisition established in Spain at all, but Ferdinand
insisted. He prevailed upon Rodrigo Borgia, then Bishop of Valencia and the
Papal Vice-Chancellor as well as a cardinal, to lobby Rome on his behalf. Borgia
was partially successful, as Pope Sixtus IV sanctioned the Inquisition only in
the state of Castile. Later, Borgia was to have Spain's support for his own
papacy as Pope Alexander VI.
Sixtus IV was Pope when the Spanish Inquisition was instituted in Seville. He
worked against it, but bowed to pressure from Ferdinand, who threatened to
withhold military support from his kingdom of Sicily. Sixtus issued a papal Bull
establishing the order in 1478. Nevertheless, Sixtus was unhappy with the
excesses of the Inquisition and took measures to suppress their abuses.
The Pope disapproved of the extreme measures being taken by Ferdinand, and
categorically disallowed their spread to the kingdom of Aragon. He alleged that
the Inquisition was a cynical ploy by Ferdinand and Isabella to confiscate the
Jews' property. Despite his title of "Most Catholic King", and his ongoing
attempts to woo the Pope to his side politically, Ferdinand continued to resist
direct Papal influence in his lands. He decided to use strong-arm tactics
against the Pope.
Ferdinand had some important levers he could use to bend the Pope to his will.
Venice, traditionally the defender against the Turks in the East, was greatly
weakened after a protracted war which lasted from 1463 to 1479. The Turks had
taken possession of Greece and the Greek islands. France, as always, was looking
for signs of weakness which it could use to its advantage. And in the midst of
all these threats, in August of 1480 the Sultan of Turkey had attacked Italy
itself, at the port of Otranto, with several thousand janissaries who pillaged
the countryside for three days, largely unopposed.
Under these conditions, Ferdinand's position in Sicily — he was king of Sicily
as well as Aragon and several other kingdoms — gave him the leverage he needed.
He threatened to withhold military support for the Holy See, and the Pope
relented.
Sixtus then blessed the royal institution of the Spanish Inquisition. Ferdinand
had won everything he sought: the Inquisition was under his sole control, but
had the blessing of the Pope, and the royal coffers were swelling with the loot
of the Jewish and Moorish victims.
Hey, do feel free to read on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition
First then came for the Muslims, and then they came for the Jews.
Hey, *nobody* ever expects the Spanish Inquisition.
Didn't Americans know that?
*snigger*
Alan
"Nemesis, winged one that tips the scales of life,
dark-eyed goddess, daughter of Justice,
you restrain the futile pride of mortals with your unyielding bridle and,
hating hurtful vanity, destroy black envy: below your wheel,
always moving but leaving no trace, the fortune of man turns.
Unseen, you come at once to defeat arrogance;
by your hand you gauge the span of life, and, frowning,
you scrutinise the thoughts of men, you always hold the balance.
Be merciful, hallowed judge, winged Nemesis, life's force.
We honour you, Nemesis, immortal goddess,
victory incarnate with wings unfurled, faultless,
sharing the throne of Justice; you resent human vanity
and banish men to Tartarus below"
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