Tomás de Torquemada
Grand Inquisitor of Spain (1420–1498) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tomás de Torquemada[lower-alpha 1] OP (14 October 1420 – 16 September 1498), also anglicized as Thomas of Torquemada, was a Castilian Dominican friar and first Grand Inquisitor of the Tribunal of the Holy Office (otherwise known as the Spanish Inquisition). The Spanish Inquisition was a group of ecclesiastical prelates that was created in 1478, and which was charged with the somewhat ill-defined task of "upholding Catholic religious orthodoxy" within the lands of the newly formed union of the crowns of Castile and Aragon. The lands of this newly formed royal union are now known as the Kingdom of Spain.
Tomás de Torquemada | |
|---|---|
 Torquemada, unknown artist, 19th century | |
| Grand Inquisitor | |
| In office 1483 – 16 September 1498 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Diego de Deza |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 October 1420 Torquemada or Valladolid, Kingdom of Castile |
| Died | 16 September 1498(1498-09-16) (aged 77) Ávila, Kingdom of Castile |
| Relatives | Juan de Torquemada (uncle) |
| Alma mater | University of Salamanca |
| Occupation | Friar |
In part because of persecution, Muslims and Jews in Castile and Aragon at that time found it socially, politically, and economically advantageous to convert to Catholicism (see Converso, Morisco, and Marrano).[1] The existence of superficial converts from Judaism (i.e., Crypto-Jews)[2] was perceived by the Catholic Monarchs as a threat to the religious and social life in their realms.[3] This led Torquemada, who himself was believed to have had converso ancestors,[4] to be one of the chief supporters of the Alhambra Decree that expelled the Jews from the Crowns of Castile and Aragon in 1492.
Owing to the use of torture to extract confessions, and his advocacy of burning at the stake for those declared guilty, Torquemada's name has become synonymous with cruelty, religious intolerance, and fanaticism.[5] The number of burnings at the stake during Torquemada’s tenure has been estimated at about 2,000.[6]