The document provides background information on the Spanish Inquisition. It occurred from the 15th to 19th centuries as a way for the Catholic Church and Spanish monarchs to find and punish heretics. Early on, non-Catholics were given a choice to convert or leave Spain. Those who did not comply were tortured and sometimes killed. The Inquisition established procedures for accusing, detaining, trying suspects through torture, and sentencing them. Notable Grand Inquisitor Torquemada was responsible for forcing hundreds of thousands of Jews and heretics out of Spain through brutal means.

1. The Spanish
Inquisition
Torquemada “The Black
Legend”

2. What was the Inquisition?
 Occurred mostly in the 15th-16th Centuries
 Finally stopped in 19th Century
 “inquisition”refers to the Catholic Church
or its Monarchs finding and punishing
heretics
 Heretics were baptized members of the
church who had different ideas than the
church or those who had converted to
save themselves but did not belive

3. Background
 Itwas founded by King Ferdinand and
Queen Isabella in 1478
 Freedom of religion did not exist in Spain
or its territories
 The Catholics wanted to maintain
Catholic traditions despite the
Reformation
 They wanted to ensure that Catholic
converts followed Catholic Law

4. Death estimates are in the range of 35,000 to 50,000

5. Early Days
 At first the Catholics gave non-Catholics a
choice: convert or sell your land and
move out of the country
 Non-Catholics who did not convert or
leave the country were tortured
 If they did not convert they were then
killed
 The Church was also after adulterers,
“witches”, and non-traditional Catholics

6. Procedures
1. Accusation (Edict of Grace)
 An Inquisitor would read a list of heresies
and encourage citizens to confess to
heresies they committed
 If you admitted to a crime you would only
be given a minor punishment
 You needed to give names of other
heresies so the church could find them!

7. Procedures
2. Detention
 The one accused would be isolated in
prison while priests and officials looked at
their case
 Sometimes the person in jail would be
there for months without knowing why
they were placed there

8. Procedures
3. Trial and Sentencing
 In a usual trial the accused would be
tortured until they admitted the crime
 The accused would either be sentenced
to death, freedom (very rare) or if they
admitted their crimes they would go
through the Auto de fe
 The Auto de fe was a public ritual where
the accused publically declared their sins

9. Forms of Torture
 toca: water torture, forced down throat
 potro: tied onto rack by tight cords that
could be tightened
 garrucha: hung by wrists on pulley, weight
on feet, pain and dislocation

12. Other Forms of Torture

13. Torquemada
 Nicknamed “The Black Legend”
 Very close to Isabella
 Pope named him one of the Grand
Inquisitors
 Vented his hatred of Jews and heretics
forcing up to 300,000 out of Spain

14. Story of Torquemada
 Watch the video clip
 Take notes on what makes Torquemada
evil

15. Torquemada By the #’s
 Towns would have about 50 executions
and 200+ prisoners
 Fined 1/5th of property
 Would flagellate themselves on 6
successive Fridays
 5,000 people were captured in first year,
50 a day were burned