The inquisition

The inquisition is a special tribunal concerned to deal with heretics.In fact, over history there've been several different Inquisitions. First is the Episcopal inquisition, which follows the papal bull Ad abolendamof 1184 instructing Bishops to seek out heresy in their dioceses . Since this is not effective enough in 1233 AD Pope Gregory IX appoints Dominicans and Franciscans as fulltime Inquisitors. The Spanish inquisition is set up in 1478 by King Ferdinando and Queen Isabella to pursue Jews who have only converted nominally to Christianity; it comes to be headed by the notorious Inquisitor General Thomas deTorquemada.It is extended to Peru in 1570 and Mexico in 1571.

A Portuguese inquisition is set up in 1536 and extended to Goa in 1560. Finally in 1542 Pope Paul III sets up the Congregation of the HolyOffice, the Roman inquisition, to supervise local inquisitions. Because of its objective to combat herecy the Inquisition has authority only over baptized Christians; those who will not recant are handed over to the local authorities for punishment. In Spain the auto-da-fe, a ceremony in which sentence is past, is a great public occaion.

The Portuguese Inquisition is abolished in 1821, the Spanish in 1834 The HolyOffice lives on as the Congregation for the Doctrine of faith