Inquisition

Definition: An Inquisition is an institution with the church, which generally was concerned only with the heretical behaviour of Catholic adherents or converts. There have been several Inquisition since dawn of the church, but the Spanish Inquisition was the most prominent, therefore it is also the one we base our analysis upon.

Spanish Inquisition:
The organization set up by the Roman Catholic Church in Spain in the 15th century to punish people who opposed its beliefs, known for its cruel and severe methods.
The purpose for inquisitional penalties were described in the handbook of inquisitors from 1578: “"... for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit."

Goal: The goal of the Inqusition was to purify the European countries from people who denied the Catholic god and law. The inquisition used torture as a tool to achieve this purpose, thereby protecting and preserving religion and believes.

Target group: The people who were deemed criminals by the Inquisition was Heretics, people who denied canon law, Jews, witches and islamists. The Inquisition did even persecute people, who believed in natural medicine, because it was against the established Catholic laws.

Role of the inquisition: The inquisition handed over convicted and prominent heretics to secular authorities for judgmental purposes. The remaining convicts and people characterized as criminals by the Inquisition, was dealt with by the inquisition themselves.

Made by Jeppe, Mads Martin and Tubbe (taber).