Spanish Inquisition facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Spain Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición Spanish Inquisition
Seal for the Tribunal in Spain
Type
Type	Tribunal under the election of the Spanish monarchy, for upholding religious orthodoxy in their realm
History
Established	1 November 1478
Disbanded	15 July 1834
Seats	Consisted of a Grand Inquisitor, who headed the Council of the Supreme and General Inquisition, made up of six members. Under it were up to 21 tribunals in the empire.
Elections
Voting system	Grand Inquisitor and Suprema designated by the crown
Meeting place
Spanish Empire
Footnotes
See also: Medieval Inquisition Portuguese Inquisition Mexican Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition was a tribunal started in 1478 in Spain. It was started by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, with the assistance of Tomás de Torquemada. During the Spanish Inquisition many people were burnt in front of crowds in the streets. In practice, the Spanish Inquisition served to consolidate power in the monarchy of the newly unified Spanish kingdom, but it achieved that end through infamously brutal methods.

The rulers of Spain asked the Pope to start the Inquisition to catch Jews who pretended to be Christians. In 1492 they commanded all Jews to leave Spain. Many left, but many stayed and said they were Christians. The Inquisition became busy deciding which ones were lying. In 1502 the Muslims were also ordered out. Some parts of Spain actually enforced this order. When Protestants appeared, the Inquisition said they were just pretending to be Christians. Most trials ended with the defendant simply giving up his beliefs and being let go.

The Inquisition became less active in later years and was completely abolished in 1834.

Images for kids

• 

  The Virgin of the Catholic Monarchs.

• 

  Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. The martyrdom of San Pedro de Arbués (1664).

• 

  Tomás de Torquemada

• 

  The burning of a 16th-century Dutch Anabaptist, Anneken Hendriks, who was charged with heresy

• 

  Auto-da-fé, Plaza Mayor in Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru, 17th century

• 

  Diego Mateo López Zapata in his cell before his trial by the Inquisition Court of Cuenca

• 

  The Inquisition Tribunal as illustrated by Francisco de Goya

• 

  Rizi's 1683 painting of the 1680 auto-da-fé, Plaza Mayor in Madrid

• 

  Auto-da-fé, Viceroyalty of New Spain, 18th century

• 

  The Peruvian Inquisition, based in Lima, ended in 1820

• 

  Contemporary illustration of the auto-da-fé of Valladolid, in which fourteen Protestants were burned at the stake for their faith, on 21 May 1559

• 

  Monty Python members Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones performing "The Spanish Inquisition" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion.

See also

In Spanish: Inquisición española para niños