Spanish Inquisition History

Final Research Paper


The Spanish Inquisition is known for the terror of murdering heretics also of the terror it cause the villagers of the Iberian Peninsula. “Although the Inquisition originally began, for the purpose to purify heretics it came to have more materialistic, racial, and political motives, instead of just purification.” (Lu Ann Homza. The Spanish Inquisition. Indianapolis, IN; Hackett Publishing Company, Inc, 2006.) The beginning of the Inquisition is mainly credited to the reign of Ferdinand V and Isabella. In order to understand the inquisition you must understand the events that led up to it.
Jewish people are often known as being wealthy and with being plague to the society to which they belong. Well 14th century Spain was no different either. “In the city of Seville, there was an archdeacon named Martinez who continually tried to convince people to clean themselves of the so-called dirty Jewish citizens. After several criticisms by the Spanish Cardinal and the Pope, Martinez finally succeeded. On Ash Wednesday (March 15th, 1391) Martinez commanded his men to riot. The crowd moved quickly towards the Jewish Quarters. Some of the mobbers were captured by the police and flogged or beaten, but that was not enough to stop the mob. Although Martinez did nit succeed that day to destroy the Jews, the feelings that Martinez had started lay simmering until June 6th when the mob attacked the Jewish Quarters. It is believed that the victims were in the hundreds if not thousands.” (Cecil Roth, The Spanish Inquisition, 1964). After this tragic event and a

Few more the Jews finally thought of themselves as free to those problems, but that was not the case.
When Ferdinand V and Isabella were married, it united Aragon and Castille, the two most powerful states in Spain. At this time Spain was on the verge of becoming one of the richest nations. A large part was obviously due to the Jews. After what had happened with Martinez many Jews...