Module 15.4 Quiz

To fight Protestantism, the Catholic Church established a church court called the Roman Inquisition in 1542. The main purpose of the Inquisition was to impose religious uniformity, especially on converted Jews and Muslims, and later, on Protestants. The Roman Inquisition used harsh methods, including torture, to force a confession and punish heresy, or a denial of Church teachings. The Inquisition tried people who were accused of being Protestants, of practicing witchcraft, or of breaking church law.

In Spain, Muslims (called Moors) controlled most of the country until 1100. In 1492, the Christian army conquered the last Muslim kingdom of Granada. Then, Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella used an Inquisition to increase their power. In 1492, Jews and, in 1500, Muslims were forced to convert to Catholic Christianity or leave Spain. Many Jews resettled in eastern and southern Europe. The majority of the Jews who had earlier converted to Christianity and who were members of the educated elite, stayed in Spain. In many of the areas in Europe where Jews were allowed to stay, they were not as restricted as they had been during the Middle Ages. However, some places forced them to live in a particular part of the city, called a ghetto. The ghettos were walled and their gates closed at a certain time each evening. In time, accounts of torture and executions by the courts damaged the church’s image. The Inquisition’s actions during the Counter-Reformation are still seen as an abuse of the church’s power.