Ugly History: The Spanish Inquisition - Kayla Wolf

TED-Ed4 minutes read

The Spanish Inquisition, led by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, sought to eradicate heresy in Spain through tribunals and persecution, targeting non-Catholics and expelling Jews and converts from Islam over centuries of fear and suffering until its formal end in 1834.

Insights

  • The Spanish Inquisition, led by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, sought to eliminate heresy through tribunals overseen by a "Grand Inquisitor," resulting in severe punishments like imprisonment, exile, and burning at the stake for offenses as minor as hanging linen on a Saturday.
  • Over its centuries-long existence, the Inquisition targeted various groups, including Spanish Jews and converts from Islam, inflicting fear, paranoia, and widespread suffering until its formal abolition by Queen Isabella II in 1834.

Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free

Recent questions

  • What was the purpose of the Spanish Inquisition?

    To eradicate heresy and non-Catholic beliefs.

  • How were non-Catholics treated during the Spanish Inquisition?

    Non-Catholics faced persecution and punishment.

  • Who initiated the Spanish Inquisition?

    Pope Sixtus IV and Catholic monarchs.

  • What were the consequences of the Spanish Inquisition?

    Imprisonment, exile, and burning at the stake.

  • When did the Spanish Inquisition officially end?

    Queen Isabella II ended it in 1834.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

Spanish Inquisition: Eradicating heresy through persecution.

  • The Spanish Inquisition, initiated in 1478 by Pope Sixtus IV and carried out by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, aimed to eradicate heresy in the diverse Spanish kingdoms, leading to the confession of non-Catholics and subsequent persecution.
  • Tribunals, led by a "Grand Inquisitor," oversaw the Inquisition in various regions, starting with an "Edict of Grace" offering mercy to confessors before resorting to anonymous accusations, resulting in imprisonment, property confiscation, and persecution for mundane acts like hanging linen on a Saturday.
  • The Inquisition targeted different groups over time, expelling Spanish Jews in 1492 and later focusing on converts from Islam, moriscos, with punishments announced in public acts of faith, including imprisonment, exile, and the worst penalty of burning at the stake, until Queen Isabella II formally ended the Inquisition in 1834 after centuries of fear, paranoia, and widespread suffering.
Channel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatar

Try it yourself — It’s free.