The Spanish Inquisition

by Helen Rawlings

Blackwell, 2005

174 pages, $29.95

Available in online bookstores

John Ford’s classic film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance revolves around the reputation a character has earned from his purported role in the death of the title character. When the truth is finally discovered, it contradicts the commonly accepted perception, leading to the film’s famous quote: “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

In many ways, this line captures the problems surrounding the perception of the Spanish Inquisition. Often portrayed as the embodiment of religious intolerance and brutality, it has become synonymous with anything cruel and repressive. Yet, since the 1960s, the scholarly understanding of the Inquisition has been seriously revised. Researchers have culled the Spanish archives and the immense documentation relating to the inquisitorial tribunals, discovering that the reality is significantly different from the well-entrenched legend. In The Spanish Inquisition, Helen Rawlings provides a concise overview of the key historical details and revisions concerning this controversial topic.

Isabella and Ferdinand instituted the Inquisition in 1478 to assist in their efforts at unifying Spain. The main target in this phase were the thriving communities of former Jews (conversos) who had converted to the Catholic faith in droves in the early 15th century. The persecution of conversos was primarily prompted by pressures from jealous Catholics who charged that the economically successful conversos were secretly practicing their old religion. Anti-Semitic pressures, combined with the crown’s drive for religious unity, ultimately resulted in the infamous expulsion of the Jews in 1492 — a development that actually exacerbated the converso problem since many Jews adopted Catholicism rather than leave Spain. A similar model also occurred with Muslim converts (moriscos), though not to the same degree.

Jewish and Muslim converts were not the only focus of the Inquisition, as the Reformation made Protestantism a pressing concern. In fact, the Inquisition was so fearful of any perceived theological deviation during this period that even St. Ignatius of Loyola was brought before the tribunal. After the Council of Trent, the Inquisition particularly occupied itself in standardizing the beliefs and practices of the faithful. What comes through in the records for these cases is that many Catholics had an appallingly inept grasp of basic dogma. For example, many viewed Mary as a fourth member of the Holy Trinity.

Throughout the work, Rawlings compares and contrasts misperception with reality. The Inquisition, she points out, was actually one of the fairest court systems in early modern Europe.

What are the roots of its nefarious reputation? Primarily, the Black Legend — a negative depiction of Spaniards as backwards and repressive that was constructed by English and Dutch Protestants. They waged an effective propaganda campaign against Spain, their religious and political enemy, and highlighted the Inquisition as the epitome of all that was wrong with the Spanish.

Neither Catholic apologist nor secular cynic, Rawlings presents an objective assessment of this topic. Though a concise book, it’s not always a quick read. At times it reflects the stereotypical staidness of academic writing. Still, this is a valuable handbook on the Inquisition.

It sets the facts straight, puts them in proper historical context and, between the lines, reminds us that we should avoid embracing the opposite extreme of the popular legend. After all, the Spanish Inquisition may not measure up to its reputation, but it was, indeed, promoted and propelled by state-sanctioned anti-Semitism. And it killed close to 5,000 people.

All Rawlings is saying is “Give fact a chance.”

Vince Ryan writes from St. Louis.