...Conversos in the Inquisition Spain had an enormous Jewish community in the middle ages and toward the end of the fourteenth century large numbers of them were converted to Catholicism. A “converso” is a person who converted to Catholicism, under either duress or out of social convenience, and was suspected of secretly practicing the Jewish faith. These individuals converted for a variety of reasons. Some of them were forced while some of them went willingly into Catholicism. The term converso was applied not only to the generation that converted but also to their children and their grandchildren and on down through the generations. People often question whether or not the intensions of coversos was correct because of the danger they put themselves and their families in. This proposes the issue of why society creates such violent circumstances in which individuals must lie about private matters, like religion, in order to save their lives. In 1391 there were terrible riots sweeping across southern Spain. People were offered the choice of converting or being killed. Some 20,000 Jews converted under those circumstances. They had no intention of becoming Catholic. They were not educated in Catholicism and they went on living their Jewish lives as they had previously done. Twenty years later there were a series of preaching campaigns run by the Dominicans, which converted many tens of thousands of Jews, largely by persuasion. These people were interested in becoming Catholic...
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...1492 Jan 1 The black legend emerged after Spanish conquest used by enemies to largely discredit the Spanish monarchy claims to the Americas in particular. Ironcally moreover the black legend was based inrooted in the writings done by the Spanish. Espcially a figure whos name is Bartomlme Dailas Casis who was member of Dominican order and was writing in defense of indigouous people and indeed the cause of religion and proptization. He liked all members of churches was driven by political cocerns. Himself in fact had orgiannly been a Reconquista himself who enjoy spoiled of feudal rewards. Spanish interested in colonization. Antonio De Montesinos had a great influence Bartolom. Both of them asserted that the Spanish sovernty rested upon aboriginal people. Also meant their protection and guidance. This would emphasize Spanish brutallty and igore other major factors which wold play a major in the conquest itself. Included indigenous allies. Grandson Ferdenan Isabella asserted that indigenous people cannot be held in slavery and their own governments and recognize apart from Spanish empire. Also considered as wards of Spanish monarchy. Spanish crown stepped in governing any future conquest of indigenous people were to be conducted. This concluded the introduction of The Reconquista requirement. The White legend was able to acquire Christianity and was civilized. Got rid of human sacrifice by the Aztecs. The Spanish used indigenous people’s administrative records...
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...The idea of the Inquisition was to “extort from all heretics by torture a confession of their own guilt and a betrayal of all accomplices” (Schaff 1). “The Inquisition was an ecclesiastical court and process of the Roman Catholic Church set up for the purpose towards the discovery and punishment of heresy which wielded immense power and brutality in medieval and early modern times” (“The Horrors of the Church and its Holy Inquisition” 2). The Church hoped to convince heretics to give up their beliefs and return to the Church, therefore “saving” their souls (McGill 1). All bishops, feudal lords, and faithful Christians were to act as inquisitors (Stalcup 17). The inquisitors sought out any people accused of heresy, meaning any person that spoke...
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.... Maria Lourdes A.Berrey Effects of Religion HUM 130 John GreenLee November 17th 2011 The effects that religion has had on the world and society is never more prevalent than the Spanish Inquisition, which lasted more than 356 years. The Spanish Inquisition was one of the most deadly inquisitions in history. There was a struggle between different religious beliefs such as Islam, Protestantism, Judaism, and Catholicism. These political and religious reasons pressed the leaders of Spain to unify this country into a strong and powerful nation. King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castilla made the choice to establish Catholicism as the religion to unite Spain in 1478. Once Catholicism was chosen the King and Queen then petitioned the pope to begin the Spanish Inquisition (Kreger, 1996-1999). The Inquisition was to purify the person of Spain from any other religion driving out anyone who was not Catholic. Rules and procedures created by Tomas de Torquemada remained intact for more than 15 years. During this period it is thought that around 5,000 Spaniards lead to the gallows (Parker, 2003). Later the Pope and the Catholic Church tried to stop the bloody reign of terror but was unsuccessful. The Inquisition lasted until 1834 when it was abolished because of concerns for the citizens of Spain (Parker, 2003). Another struggle that lead people to a new world was the freedom of religion. Around 1629 to 1642 an influx of about 21,000 emigrants...
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...The Spanish Inquisition In 1469, the marriage of Ferdinand V of Aragon to his cousin Isabella of Castile united the two most powerful provinces of Spain (Hauben, 23). During this time, Spain was becoming one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Much of Spain’s wealth was contributed by the Jewish population, which was very successful during this time period because of Christian church laws against usury, which is an illegal practice of charging unfair rates on loans. Prejudice against the Jews and strong feelings of anti-Semitism had also grown during this time, especially after a riot on Ash Wednesday (March 15,1391), started by a Spanish archdeacon named Martinez. Martinez called out to all Spanish citizens to “purge themselves of the filthy Jews”. Martinez incited his congregation to riot. The crowd moved enmasse towards the Juderia (Jewish quarter). Some of the participants were captured by the police and flogged or beaten, but that was not enough to stop the mob. Although they did not succeed that day to destroy the Jews, the feelings that Martinez had evoked lay simmering until June 6th when the mob sacked the Juderia of Seville. It is believed that the victims numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands (C. Roth, 1964). The estimated number of victims for the riot is said to be a little over one thousand. After this ordeal, a number of Jews, called conversos, professed themselves as Christians to escape persecution. Many Christians were questioning the validity of...
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...Cultural Project 2 – Spanish Cinema For the Cultural Project 2 assignment I decided to continue my exploration of Spanish cinema. I searched for a movie that would include historical events that could broaden my knowledge of the Spanish culture. I chose the Spanish-American film entitled “Goya’s Ghosts” because of the historical relevance the time period had on Spanish culture. The film included references to the Spanish Monarchy, the influence of the Catholic Church, the Spanish Inquisition, French Revolution, and a renowned Spanish painter named Francisco Goya. “Although the historical setting of the movie was based on actual historical events, the movie itself is a work of fiction”(Goya’s). The setting for Goya’s Ghosts begins in Spain in the year 1792. The Catholic Church is “disturbed by prints, created by an artist named Francisco Goya, that are being circulated around the country depicting the clergy using unflattering imagery”(Francisco). There is a long discussion on how the Church should handle the situation, when Brother Lorenzo intervenes. He suggests that “the artist’s depiction is insight into a bigger problem and should be handled by increasing the pressure the church applies to finding people who do not believe in their faith”(Spanish). “The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition (Spanish: Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition (Inquisición española), was a tribunal established...
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...with the inherent hatred toward Jews simply because they have differing theological and religious practices are not Christian, not because they are specifically Jewish. Anti-Judaism began with the crucifixion of Christ – it became commonly believed that the Jewish people were responsible for the crucifixion which caused initial discriminatory writings against the Jews as a people, as well as societal misunderstanding and distrust. The Jewish people were exposed to severe persecution under Visigoth control in the Mediterranean and more Christian control in Spain. It is therefore not surprising that the Jewish people helped the Muslims invade and conquer the Iberian Peninsula in 711 C.E. from the Christians, ushering in the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry. Not long after the conquest, the Jews integrated themselves into Muslim society. Massive migration waves – of both Jewish and Muslim – toward Spain created a political, cultural, and powerful region, running from Barcelona in the...
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...This paper will attempt to accurately examine the development of the Spanish Inquisition, from the spread of the Inquisition into the Spanish territories through the ultimate upheaval, and the initial dissolvement, of the authority it held over the public who feared it. It will endeavor to show the implications of the Spanish Inquisition and how it was ultimately used as a device in its own undoing. Such an examination helps to explain the use of Church authority in secular governing, and later the separating of the Church from the crown. The paper will also take a closer look at this racial injustice in an attempt helping to see just how this may happen again if not understood and foreseen. The Church since its origins has suffered from the attack of heretics and their heresies, which have, caused many controversies and schisms within it. The Spanish Inquisition was independent of the medieval Inquisition, which evolved in the Middle Ages as an effective means of coping with the problem of heresy, which became a serious menace to the Catholic Church in the twelfth century. The fame of the Spanish Inquisition, as Ferdinand and Isabella established it at the close of the fifteenth century, was directed at Jewish merchant and Muslim traders, even under reluctant approval of Sixtus IV. The literal meaning of the word heretics is choosing, selecting beliefs outside or of different religions instead of accepting obediently the whole faith of the Catholic Church. Although, no authorities...
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...Torture reached its peak around the 12th century. From the mid-18th century it was the most common method used and was allowed by the Roman Catholic Church. Torture wasn’t exclusively for criminals, it was also used by the Knights Templar, a member of a religious and military order founded by Crusaders in Jerusalem about 1118 and suppressed in 1312; the Spanish inquisition to punish a person who speaks disrespectfully of sacred things, and liars. The well-known torture devices are the Head Crusher, Cat’s Paw (or Spanish Tickler), Knee Splitter, Scavenger’s Daughter, Judas Chair, Spanish Donkey, Choke Pear, Lead Sprinkler, Breast Ripper, and Crocodile Shears. With the Head Crusher the device was a helmet like hat they placed on top of the victims head and the chin was placed above a metal bar, then the device would slowly turn compressing the skull tightly. First the teeth are destroyed, shattering and splintering into the jaw. Then the eyes are squeezed from the sockets. Lastly the skull fractures and the contents of the head are forced out. This torture device was used widely during the middle ages especially in the inquisition. Some of the torture devices for women were the Brank, Pear, Breast Ripper, and The Saw Torture. Women were tortured for miscarriages, adultery, dishonesty, nagging to their husbands, and gossiping untruthfully. The Breast Ripper did just as its name promotes, often used to punish women...
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...the past, it was war between the Christians and Moslems. According to “The Crusades” (n.d.), “The Crusades were great military expeditions undertaken by the Christian nations of Europe for the purpose of rescuing the holy places of the Palestine from the hands of the Mohammedans” (The Crusades – What were the Crusades). Each religion thought that they had the right to have the holy places which resulted in wars between these religions. Wars have happened because one religion feels they are godlier than the other so try to have all authority or power over the people. Another event was the Spanish Inquisition. According to “Freeman” (2012), “Reasons for the Inquisition included a desire to create religious unity and weaken local political authorities and familial alliances” (How Stuff Works: The Beginnings of the Spanish Inquisition). This led to the people involved in the Spanish Inquisition to kill people who refused to become a Catholic. Organized religion was a way to control or have power over people. This led to people hating each other because of their belief or their...
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...bid to survive. Many very fascinating ideas strike him and he manages to pull things that he would not have dreamed. For instance, when he puts a mark on the wall to make sure he is not going round and round when he could touch the walls. He had the presence of mind to know that he will go round and round till infinity if the pit was circular and he hence left a mark on the wall. He similarly decided to jump off the pit than being squashed to death. That as a choice he would have never had to make in any other circumstance. In this story, Poe shows an irony- an irony where a person becomes that what he hate the most. The captors of the narrator were the Spanish and in the time of the Spanish inquisition the church was against science and hence no scientific activities were tolerated. The main reason of the Spanish inquisition was to make sure science does not get over the church and the church maintains its respect and authority. Through the passage of the story however, the way they treat the narrator is very much similar to a scientific experiment. Throughout the time frame that he is captured; there has always been a way for him to get out. He is firstly given food. Even though...
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...tibornal of the the holy office of inquisition commonly known as the spanish inquisition was established in 1478 by catholic monarchs in their kingdoms and to replace medieval inquisition is under papal control . It become the most substance of the three different . the inquisition was originally intended in large part to ensure the orthodoxy of those who converted judaism and islam . This regulation of the faith of the newly converted was infested after royal decreases issued in 1492 and 1501 ordering jews and muslims to convert or leave spain . Various motives have been proposed for the monarch's decision to found the inquisition such as increasing political authority and awakening opposition profiting the inquisition remained a force...
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...executions became a private practice. It also evolved from being an arbitrary punishment against minorities, to a consistent and steady punishment for anyone who broke the law, eventually morphing into the punishment system of today. As history has progressed, a complete difference has been seen in regards to the rights of the minorities and the poor in the courts of law. The stark difference in the courts opinion toward minorities can be seen if you compare the way that they were tried during the colonization of Mexico with the way that they were treated in English society after the Enlightenment. As Martinez talks about in her essay, blacks were heavily discriminated against. This social tension carried over into the High Courts of Spanish society, which caused them to be extremely biased against the blacks. The courts bias can be easily observed in the Translated Documents from New Spain, in which the courts, under the façade of a trial, punish a group of blacks simply to make an example of them. The effect of the deterrence was undermined by the fact that these punishments were often inconsistent. These punishments were especially cruel, as Martinez describes when she says, “They were being paraded on horseback, shamed before the residents of the vice-regal capital, before all were summarily hanged in front of a large crowd in the [1]central plaza facing the church and palace. The bodies of some of the victims remained suspended in the air through the next...
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...played by the Catholic rulers of Europe in the struggle against Protestant in the years to 1600? It is not unreasonable to state that the Catholic rulers of Europe played an important part in the struggle against Protestantism as rulers like Philip II of Spain can be seen to be fighting against Protestantism very strongly, with events taking place such as the Spanish Armada in 1588. However, whether the most important part in the struggle against Protestantism was played by Catholic rulers is still to be determined as orders such as the Jesuits also contributed. On the one hand, it can be argued that Philip II played a pivotal role in combating Protestantism due to his strong belief in Catholicism. He saw himself as the ‘protector’ of Protestantism and went to extraordinary lengths to ensure that he did this well. This can be seen in his full support of the Spanish Inquisition of 1588. Although his motives for the inquisition may not have been entirely for the good of Catholicism, it is clear that Philip felt that Spain benefited from this and that Catholicism was important to Spain. Philip also ordered the Spanish bishops at the Council of Trent to refuse the Protestants of any accommodation whatsoever which gives an impression of his attitude towards protestants. In this way, Philip II did play an important part in the struggle against Protestantism as through his efforts, Spain remained very Catholic. To add to this, Henry of Navarre of France played a vital role in securing...
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...What in your view was the short significance of the religious policies of Ferdinand and Isabella 1480-1504? Catholicism was a major importance in the Spanish society. Ferdinand and Isabella ruled Spain with the persuasion of their faith and majority of their policies was influenced through religion. The tradition of ‘Convivencia’ is cultural ideas between the three religious groups and ideas of religious tolerance. This played a huge part of Spanish society as there were three religions during this time period which were Islam, Christianity and Judaism. * Royal control over the church The royal had major control over the church. Ferdinand and Isabella managed to gain control over the church. The Roman Catholic Church in Spain had been quite independent of royal authority and also had great influence over the people. Ferdinand and Isabella understood they had to have control over the Church if they wanted complete control in governing Spain. They knew that to control the Church, they needed to be able to place individuals of their own choosing in important Church positions. These choices had usually been made by the pope. ‘ * Military orders The Cortes was established in the 8th century to keep the power of the monarchs under control. The Cortes controlled the national treasury, and the king or queen were required to get approval for all major expenditures. Over time, the members of the Cortes, made up of the aristocrats, became very power. Although Ferdinand...
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