Spanish Inquisition

A system of ecclesiastical tribunals established by the Spanish monarchy in 1478 to investigate and punish heresy. Formally abolished in 1834, it operated across Spain and its empire.

Inquisitorial procedure: A legal process in which judges investigate suspected offenses and gather evidence, rather than relying chiefly on opposing parties. Spanish Inquisition tribunals used this court model to investigate alleged heresy.
Ferdinand II of Aragon: King of Aragon from 1479, whose marriage to Isabella I helped unite the Spanish crowns. Ferdinand and Isabella secured papal authorization for a new Castilian tribunal system.
Tomás de Torquemada: A Castilian Dominican friar who served as the first Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition. Torquemada helped organize the early tribunals and became its most renowned inquisitor.
Pedro de Arbués: An inquisitor in Aragon who was assassinated in Zaragoza in 1485 and later canonized. His murder became a major early episode in the Inquisition’s campaign against suspected conversos.
Expulsion of the Jews from Spain: The forced departure of Jews from the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon under the 1492 Alhambra Decree. The expulsion formed part of the monarchy’s drive toward religious uniformity alongside inquisitorial enforcement.
Edict of Grace: A notice inviting people to confess heresy within a set period, often with reduced penalties. Early campaigns used these notices to prompt confessions and identify other suspects.
Isabella I of Castile: Queen of Castile from 1474, associated with the consolidation of royal power and Catholic monarchy. Isabella’s government requested the authority that established the Inquisition in Castile.
Diego de Deza: A Dominican theologian who served as Grand Inquisitor of Spain from 1498 to 1507. Deza expanded and administered the institution after Torquemada’s tenure.
Morisco: A Muslim in Spain who converted to Christianity, or a descendant of such converts, especially after the 1502 conversion order. Moriscos became prominent targets as inquisitorial scrutiny widened beyond Jewish converts.
Morisco expulsion: The expulsion of Spain’s Morisco population, carried out between 1609 and 1614. It followed decades of failed conversion policies and scrutiny of Muslim-descended communities.

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