Inquisition

Tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church established in 1233 to suppress heresy, originally by excommunication. The Inquisition operated in France, Italy, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, and was especially active after the Reformation; it was later extended to the Americas. Its trials were conducted in secret, under torture, and penalties ranged from fines, through flogging and imprisonment, to death by burning.

During the course of the Spanish Inquisition, until its abolition in 1834, some 60,000 cases were tried. The Roman Inquisition was established in 1542 to combat the growth of Protestantism. Despite bare statistics, however, it is unclear how thorough or effective the Inquisition ever was.