Torquemada and The Spanish Inquisition

The activities of the Inquisition were not universally popular even amongst leading members of the Catholic Church. Pope Sixtus IV criticised it for, ” without observing juridicial prescriptions, it have detained many persons in violation of justice, punishing them by severe tortures and imputing to them, without foundation, the crime of heresy, and despoiling of their wealth those sentenced to death.” But such criticisms cut little ice with Torquemada. He was on a mission to rid Spain of Judaism, the Jews were his obs-session, and he was determined to end the plague of usury that saw them profiteering from the misery of their Christian neighbours. Frustrated by his inability to prosecute those Jews who openly practised their Hebrew religion he overcame this by demanding that the Jews be expelled from Spain altogether, and he worked hard to convince Ferdinand and Isabella to concede to this demand.

Hearing of this threat the Jews in Spain offered 300,000 ducats to be allowed to remain. On learning that Isabella had been tempted by the offer, Torquemada stormed into her chamber and throwing a gold crucifix to the ground screamed at her that Judas Escariot had betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, now she was willing to betray our Lord for 300,000 ducats. He got his way and the edict of expulsion was agreed and on 31 March, 1493, just 3 months after the last Muslim stronghold in Spain at Granada had fallen, the Alhambra Decree came into law. The Jews were permitted to take their belongings with them but they had to leave their money behind. They had the option of course, of converting to Christianity but given recent events leaving seemed the better option. Upwards of 130,000 Jews were forced to find homes in exile.

The expulsion of the Jews was the pinnacle of Torquemada’s career. The Inquisition continued, of course. It would liberally mete out punishments other than death. It could order public whippings, servitude in the galleys, and terms of imprisonment. It was not to be abolished until 1834, it would continue its work unfettered by the Civil Authorities until the very end.

As for Torquemada, he would die peacefully in his bed in 1498, at the age of 78, content that his work had been done. He had been responsible for more than 2,000 recorded executions, but the apparatus of torture and persecution he had established would be responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands more.