Page 37 - All About History - Issue 38-16

Isabella of Castile’s Spanish Inquisition

Convicted heretics were forced to During the Inquisition, torture
wear a pointed hat called a sanbenito could only be used as a coercive,
as part of their punishment not punitive, method

Despite the reputation the Spanish Inquisition of gaining the information required. Torture and most trusted advisers had converted from the
would later gain, initially it was not entirely the Spanish Inquisition have become virtually Jewish faith, with three secretaries that served
unpopular. On the contrary, at a time when the synonymous in the popular imagination, and for the monarchs being from converso families. It
kingdom had been almost torn apart by the good reason: a standard 15th-century approach, was even said that Ferdinand himself had Jewish
instability of civil war, to some it was a relief to see it was used by the Inquisition in order to gain blood in his veins from converso ancestors.
the proof of firm control being established by the the all-important admission of guilt. Although Despite Isabella’s hopes, it became apparent
new reign of Isabella. This relief, however, proved technically a suspect could only undergo torture that merely targeting conversos was not enough,
premature: the people of the kingdom of Castile once, there were ways around this restriction – talk and in 1492, all Jews were expelled from Spain. In
would live to regret the day the Inquisition was of a session being paused or suspended meant that the decades that followed, the Inquisition spread
established within their cities. it could be continued the following day without throughout Spanish-held territory, including
The Inquisitors, with their distinctive white strictly breaking the rules. Naples, the Spanish Netherlands, and territory held
robes and black hoods, struck first at that well- Once confession had been obtained, the details by Spain in the Americas. There is no established
known hotbed of converso laxity: Seville. At their of the case were then examined, and verdict figure of how many people in total were affected,
arrival, mass panic ensued among the converso and sentence, if necessary, decided. Acquittal, though it is estimated that 3,000 people went to
community, with about 4,000 people fleeing though rare, could sometimes occur. A suspect the flames during Isabella’s reign. The Inquisition,
the city. They were right to be afraid. Retribution could likewise be sentenced to perform penance, to this day, remains “one of the most cruel and
was swift. Moves were taken to track down those or the harsher verdict of reconciliation, which enduring religious persecutions known in the
who had fled, while the nobility, under threat of could mean indefinite imprisonment, religious history of Western Europe,” the name
excommunication, informed against those whose incarceration, flogging, or serving on a galley boat. and its deeds inextricably linked to
whereabouts were known to them. Those who were reconciled were made to wear a that of Queen Isabella of Castile.
The first public execution took place in Seville yellow gown called a sanbenito, woollen and knee
on 6 February 1481. During the spectacle of the length, and a tall, conical hat called a coroza to
auto de fe, six people were burned, a terrifying advertise to people that they had sinned. This was
declaration of the might of the Inquisition and the not even forgotten on death – the sanbenito would
intention of the monarchy behind it. be on display in the local church to the shame of
With that, the Inquisition spread steadily the family left behind.
through Spain, with tribunals set up in Cordoba, What made the Inquisition so feared was
Jaen and the religious capital of Toledo by 1485. A the fact that it thrived on that most deadly of
set pattern to proceedings was quickly established: weapons: anonymous accusations. Not only that,
firstly, the people of a town were prepared – the but once a confession was made, a suspect was
fear of God – and by extension the Inquisition – required to name others who had also lapsed, thus
preached from the pulpit for all to hear. Matters giving the Inquisition a steady stream of victims.
officially began with the arrival of the Inquisitors, Refusing or failing to alert the authorities as to the
when the Edict of Grace – a call to come forward identity or whereabouts of a heretic could also lead
and confess – would be read out, and a span of to arrest and execution.
time given to the people of the town to respond. Although permission and blessing were
If they confessed their sins and admitted their initially granted by the pope, the Inquisition was
Judaism, they could hope for redemption. If financed and organised by Isabella and Ferdinand © Alamy, freevectormaps.com, Nicholas Forder, Joe Cummings
not, they should expect the full wrath of the themselves. Whether Isabella personally attended
Inquisition to fall upon them. an execution ordered by the Inquisition is
Once a suspect was in custody, the primary unknown, but it is undeniable that she knew, and
aim was to extract a confession. If a person spoke approved of, the methods used by the Inquisitorial
freely, then all to the good. If not, there were ways machine. Despite this, many of her closest and

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