Tomas de torquemada spanish inquisition biography samples

In , still holding the office of Grand Inquisitor, he held his last general assembly, where new rules were formulated to assure the continuation of the Inquisition in Spain. These rules attempted to curb some of the administrative abuses for which complaints had been lodged against the Inquisition. His tomb was ransacked in , only two years before the Inquisition was finally disbanded.

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Tomas de torquemada spanish inquisition biography samples

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. Grand Inquisitor of Spain — Torquemada depicted oil on canvas. Biography [ edit ]. Early life [ edit ]. Establishment of the Holy Office of the Inquisition [ edit ]. Grand Inquisitor [ edit ]. Death [ edit ]. Notes [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. References [ edit ].

As papal representative and the highest official of the inquisitorial court, Torquemada directed the entire business of the Inquisition in Spain , was empowered to delegate his inquisitorial faculties to other inquisitors of his own choosing, who remained accountable to him, and settled the appeals made to the Holy See. He also instituted a High Council, consisting of five members, whose chief duty was to assist him in the hearing of appeals see Inquisition.

He convened a general assembly of Spanish inquisitors at Seville, November 29, , and presented an outline of twenty-eight articles for their guidance. The Marranos found a powerful means of evading the tribunals in the Jews of Spain , whose riches had made them very influential and over whom the Inquisition had no jurisdiction. On this account Torquemada urged the sovereigns to compel all the Jews either to become Christians or to leave Spain.

They were also compelled to swear an oath of truth before taking the stand, and a refusal to utter the oath was automatic grounds for imprisonment. The auto-da-fe, or a mass public bonfire of nonbelievers, began to occur with alarming frequency. He convened a general assembly of the other inquisitors in in Seville, and gave them an outline with 28 points to conduct their inquiries.

In he was named head of the Consejo de la Suprema y General Inquisicion, which gave him virtual papal powers over a large part of Spain. Nothing could take place without his approval, including a prison term, an excommunication order, or an auto-de-fe; he also controlled the priests and bishops, and even went after some of them as heretics as well.

Opposition remained strong in many places; in some cities, Jewish or converso families had risen to prominence in politics and finance and spoke out against the Inquisition's methods, which included heinous, though bloodless according to Church law, forms of torture. Jews, however, were immune from prosecution by the Inquisition, since it was an ecclesiastical court charged with determining heresy within its own ranks.

The terror and officially sanctioned lawlessness of the Inquisition was the result of its violation of several human rights tenets. The prosecutor and judge were the same person, which compelled him to make his charges stick to the defendant at all costs. Secondly, all suspects were presumed guilty, and Torquemada instructed his judges that a person might outwardly be very devout, but in his or her heart could be a nonbeliever; it was the judge's role to ask a series of questions on theological topics to determine his true belief.

If the defendant still professed his innocence-his belief in Christianity as dictated by the Church, that is-he could be imprisoned for an unspecified length of time. Those who survived, confessed, and were set free were forced to wear a sanbenito, or special penitential garment with a large "X" on it. Those convicted and excommunicated could appeal to the Holy See in Rome, but Torquemada had jurisdiction over all appeals as well.

The property of those condemned was seized by the inquisitors for the state, and in other cases bribes were paid for release. Torquemada's role as Grand Inquisitor allowed him to ruthlessly implement these policies across the entire Iberian peninsula. Scholars estimate that under Torquemada's watch, 2, to 8, Spaniards were burned at the stake.

His powers sometimes invoked the wrath of Rome, but he was closely allied with Ferdinand and Isabella, who were determined to eradicate Spain's religious problems-by ridding the kingdoms of non-Christians entirely. A large number of those summoned before the Inquisition courts were conversos; in Catalonia, 1, were tried between and , and 1, of them were conversos.

Some Jews settled old scores, lying about conversos who had treated them with disdain, and accused the new Christians of practicing Jewish customs in secret. The dilemma led many to suggest that Spain's Jews should be expelled en masse, and Torquemada convinced Ferdinand to enact a decree that would ban Judaism from Spain entirely in A coalition of powerful Jewish families offered the king 30, ducats in return for rescinding the expulsion decree, and Ferdinand contemplated accepting their offer.

Reportedly Torquemada appeared before his patron with a crucifix, said, " Judas Iscariot sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver; Your Highness is about to sell him for 30, ducats. Here He is; take Him and sell Him," and with those words laid the cross on the table. Ferdinand submitted, and some 80, Jews were forced into exile. That same year, Spanish royal forces had seized that last stronghold of Moorish Spain at Granada, making the country, at least outwardly, a homogenous Christian nation.

The Inquisition still continued, however. Torquemada served as Grand Inquisitor until his death on September 16, , in the city of Avila. Diego de Deza succeeded him and the Inquisition was carried on, in varying degrees of harshness, for the next years. After the rise of Protestantism in the late s across many other parts of Europe, and the subsequent pyrrhic religious wars this engendered, the Inquisition courts in Spain were used to root out anti-Catholic sentiments.

It spread to Spanish colonies in Central and South America as well. It was abolished by a Revolution of , but only in was a law guaranteeing religious liberty for all enacted in Spain. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. January 8, Retrieved January 08, from Encyclopedia. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.

Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia. Grand inquisitor of the Spanish inquisition; b. Valladolid, ; d. Avila, Spain, Sept. Although of Jewish descent, Torquemada probably encouraged the monarchs to attack both the orthodox Jews and those crypto-Jews who had been insincerely or forcibly converted to Christianity but continued to practice Judaism in secret.

His influence on the royal couple, especially on the queen, made him a powerful factor in Spanish politics. In conjunction with Cardinal Mendoza he drafted a petition to the Pope requesting authorization of the establishment of a unified national Spanish Inquisition. This was given in Torquemada was among the 12 clerics whose names were submitted to the pope in for inquisitorial appointments.

After confirmation of his appointment he started to prepare the organization of the Inquisition, and founded its general supreme council, which became one of the councils of state and a key power in the internal affairs of the united kingdom. As head of the council, Torquemada was accorded the title inquisitor general Torquemada established a system of regional inquisitional tribunals, at first in smaller towns near centers of Converso influence where opposition from the local population to the inquisitorial methods was manifest.

Later, tribunals were also set up in larger towns. Torquemada initiated conventions of inquisitors the first was held in Seville in to discuss the activities of the tribunals. He also drew up permanent instructions for the tribunals on working methods, as well as judicial procedures. After Granada's conquest he was instrumental in obtaining the general decree of expulsion of the Jews from Spain Influenced by Torquemada's appearance, the king rejected the Jewish offer.

In additional inquisitors were appointed, who were allocated many of Torquemada's former competencies. The appointments were evidently made because of Torquemada's failing health, not because of a decline in his influence.