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The Inquisition. Looking into the Human Soul. Definition. A formal tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church created to discover and suppress heresy A severe interrogation (often violating the rights or privacy of individuals). The Church in Medieval Europe.
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The Inquisition Looking into the Human Soul
Definition • A formal tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church created to discover and suppress heresy • A severe interrogation (often violating the rights or privacy of individuals)
The Church in Medieval Europe • By 1200, Catholicism had been dominant religion in Europe for 800+ years • In most of Europe, the pope was the undisputed religious leader • Heresy wasn’t much of a problem • Church tolerated small groups with opposing views • Others were suppressed
Challenge to Church • In 1100’s, thousands began following Catharism • They believed they were true Christians and the Catholic Church was false • Many dukes and local leaders in France protected the Cathars • This new religion attracted large #s • Threatened pope and French government
Crusade Against Cathars • 1209, Pope Innocent III declared a Crusade against the Cathars • This led to a long war b/w Northern and Southern French nobles • North won, but many thousands of people remained secret Cathars • Chruch leaders felt something stronger needed to be done
The Coming of the Inquisition • 1232, Pope Gregory IX decided to end this heresy once and for all. • He set up a system of special courts called the Inquisition. • Gregory authorized the leaders of the Dominican religious order to send out friars to find and question heretics.
Purpose • Bernard Gui, a French inquisitioner described the purpose of the Inquisition thus: “Heresy cannot be destroyed unless heretics are destroyed and . . . their defenders and [supporters] are destroyed, and this is effected in two ways: . . . they are converted to the true Catholic faith, or . . . burned.”
Procedure • When the Inquisition arrived in town, townspeople would gather in a public place • Failure to show = suspicion • Anyone could denounce self for a light punishment • They would also have to inform on other heretics • Other people faced forced interrogation
Sample Inquisition Trial The inquisition has come to town. Everyone gather together to confess your crimes!
The Trial • Generally favored prosecution (Church) • Lawyers were allowed, but seldom used • Closed trials • Defendant allowed to confess (but seldom knew charges) • Defendant didn’t have right to face accuser • Testimony was taken from all sorts
Defendants’ Rights • Defendants named those with “mortal hatred” against them. • If the accused was named, the defendant was released. • The accuser faced a life sentence. • This was meant to keep the Inquisition out of local grudges.
Torture • Used after 1252 • A confession under torture was not admissable in court • The inquisitor could threaten torture • Torture was common in medieval judicial system • Torture used by Inquisition was mild in comparison
Torture • Forbidden to use methods that resulted in bloodshed, mutilation or death • One of the more common forms of medieval inquisition torture was known as strappado. • The hands were bound behind the back with a rope, and the accused was suspended this way, dislocating the joints painfully in both arms. • Weights could be added to the legs dislocating those joints as well.
Punishment • Long pilgrimage for first offenders • Wearing a yellow cross for life • Confiscation of property • Banishment • Public recantation • Long-term imprisonment
Punishment • Burning at the stake was only for the most serious cases, including repeat offenders and unrepentant heretics. • Execution was done not by the Church, which was forbidden to kill, but by secular officials.
Punishment • The inquisitors generally preferred to persuade the heretic to repent. • They wanted to be perceived as merciful, and they generally preferred to keep defendants alive in hopes of obtaining confessions. • Bernard Gui executed 42 people out of over 900 guilty verdicts in fifteen years of office. • Execution was to admit defeat, that the Church was unable to save a soul from heresy, which was the goal of the Inquisition.
Spanish Inquisition • Founded 1478 under Ferdinand & Isabella • Thousands of Jews & Muslims had settled in Spain • They’d been forced to convert to Christianity to participate in business and government • These conversos made up a large portion of the wealthy and influential
Spanish Inquisition • Much anti-Semitism in Spain • Rumors spread that conversos continued to practice Judaism • Anti-conversos riots erupted • This upset the finally-united Spain • Ferdinand and Isabella took action
Spanish Inquisition • Didn’t attack rioters • They attacked the conversos • Pope Sixtus IV gave permission for them to set up their own Inquisition • Tomas de Torquemada, Dominican friar, appointed Inquisitor General
Spanish Inquisition • Ferocious in dealing with heretics • Within 10 years, 2,000 people had been burned at the stake • Another 15,000 suffered other penalties • Even the auto-da-fe was horrendous
Auto-da-fe • “Act of faith” • Final public ceremony of Spanish Inquisition • Crowds gathered in public square • A bishop called out names of condemned • Heretics led out, wearing black robes with red demons and flames • They were tied to the stakes
Auto-da-fe • A priest would ask if they’d given up their heresy to the church • Anyone who repented would be strangled to death • The others were burned • Their screams mingled with the crowd’s cheers
Spanish Inquisition Ends • In 1492, Ferdinand & Isabella expelled all Jews who refused to convert • This paralyzed Spanish commerce • 100 years later, same resentment and fury turned toward Muslims • Spain never recovered as a commercial power
Protestant Reformation • In the 1500’s, the Pope tried to use the Inquisition against the growing Protestant movement • Unsuccessful • Protestants had government allies • They were therefore protected • A single Europe had come apart
Inquisition Peters Out • The Inquisition began as an attack on a few sects of heretics • 300 years later, it could no longer hold Europe together • Religious and national wars were to last centuries and take hundreds of thousands of lives
Galileo • Galileo's belief in the Copernican System eventually got him into trouble with the Catholic Church. • A committee of consultants declared to the Inquisition that the Copernican proposition that the Sun is the center of the universe was a heresy. • Because Galileo supported the Copernican system, he was warned that he should not discuss or defend Copernican theories.
Galileo • In 1624, Galileo was assured by Pope Urban VIII that he could write about Copernican theory as long as he treated it as a mathematical proposition. However, with the printing of Galileo's book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo was called to Rome in 1633 to face the Inquisition again. • Galileo was ordered to stand trial on suspicion of heresy in 1633.
Galileo’s Sentence • Galileo was required to recant his heliocentric ideas, which were condemned as “formally heretical”. • He was ordered imprisoned; the sentence was later commuted to house arrest. • His offending Dialogue was banned; and in an action not announced at the trial, publication of any of his works was forbidden, including any he might write in the future.
