İspanyol Engizisyonu ve Torquemada

The Spanish Inquisition and Torquemada

The institution of the Inquisition, which was first established in the Middle Ages and became a symbol of cruelty and violence, has been much more effective in Spain than elsewhere. Undoubtedly, the influence of the morisco and marrano populations, which were present in the country in considerable numbers, cannot be denied. With the completion of the Reconquista, these two elements became undesirable in the country and were asked to convert by force. Those who did not fulfill this demand were subjected to various persecutions. The Spanish Inquisition differed from other inquisitions in terms of its foundation and the mission it undertook, and took on a completely different identity, especially with Torquemada, who became famous with the nickname “Gran Inquisidor” (the great inquisitor). Torquemada gave the Spanish Inquisition its golden age and as a result, the kingdom was cleansed of moriscos, marranos and many other heretical elements and “religious unity” was achieved. This study aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the Spanish Inquisition of the Torquemada period (1483-1498), exploring in depth the religious, social and political impact of this process. The research is based on written sources, academic studies and historical documents from the period, using historical analysis and qualitative methods. The scope of the study includes the implementation of the Inquisition, its methods, the communities it targeted, and the effects of this process on Spanish society. The sources have been carefully selected from reliable and authoritative documents of the period and evaluated to provide information from various perspectives. This holistic approach seeks to understand the history and impact of the Inquisition from the past to the present, and thus to understand the repercussions of this historical event on the modern world.

Keywords: Torquemada; Inquisition; Spanish Inquisition; Converso, Morisco; Marrano