Between the twelfth and eighteenth century thousands of Europeans lost their possessions and were banned, tortured and executed after having been found guilty of crimes such as "treason against God", blasphemy and witchcraft. They were the tragic victims of the Inquisition - a cruel campaign launched by the Roman Catholic Papacy to eliminate so-called heretics whom they believed were opposed to the doctrine of the Church. The Inquisition In the early Christian Church individuals who were found guilty of distorting or spreading fallacies about the Christian doctrine were banned from the Church. At the end of the Nicene Age, the relationship between the Church and the State had become so strong that anyone who dared to express opinions opposing the doctrines of the Church were seen as enemies of the State. ABOVE: A mass execution by burning during the Inquisition. In 1244, 200 "heretics" were burnt together on a massive pyre in Montsegur (France). The result was that undetermined thousands of people were killed in the cruelest ways because they were seen as a threat to the Roman Catholic Church. Inquisition gains momentum Violence approved
In 1179 the Eleventh Ecumenical Council (Latrine III) officially approved the use of violence against heretics. The Council recommended that an army of volunteers be assembled and in 1181 this army was used in a campaign to oppress the Catarrhs and Waldense. In 1208 Pope Innocent III launched a similar campaign in Lanquedoc, the south of France. During this campaign some 7 000 heretics were murdered at Bezier. These efforts, which are often referred to as small crusades, opened the way for the future use of violence against believers who were opposed to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Mendicant Order and inquisitors Until 1231 Roman Catholic bishops and local governments were responsible for investigating accusations of heresy in their dioceses and to take action if needed. In 1231 Pope Gregarious IX issued a decree appointing special inquisitors to investigate these accusations. Punishments that could be enforced by the inquisitors were also approved. Most of the inquisitors were members of the Dominican and the Franciscans Orders. The members of these orders - established only a few years previously - were expected to denounce all worldly luxuries as well as to preach and administer sacraments. They were only answerable to the Pope and with their appointment the Pope strengthened his position. Because of the exceptional authority awarded to these inquisitors - they even had the power to ban princes from the Church - they quickly became powerful (and often feared) figures in European society. With their appointments, the Inquisition gained the momentum needed to become a structured campaign. Procedure The inquisitors travelled all over Europe and often stayed in one area for an undetermined time to investigate cases of suspected heresy. Anyone suspected of heresy could be accused and put on trial by them. Light sentences were promised to those who freely confessed their crimes and transgressions to the inquisitors. The names of people who lodged complaints were kept secret until the fourteenth century. The testimony of two witnesses was often enough to find someone guilty of heresy. A list of complaints against the accused was presented at the start of a hearing. In many instances, the inquisitor played the roles of both prosecutor and judge. If the accused confessed his/her guilt, an appropriate sentence was passed. In many cases where the accused denied guilt they were subject to cruel and prolonged torture to force them to tell the "truth".
Victims of the Inquisition The first victims of the Inquisition were the Catarrhs and Waldense. Members of other breakaway groups (amongst them Protestants) and dissident members of the Roman Catholic Church (see Information box: "Knights Templar") were later also persecuted and punished by the Inquisition. Cathars (Albigenses) and Waldense During the twelfth century two groups emerged in Europe and became so popular in France that they were considered as a threat to the Roman Catholic Church as well as to the general stability of the country. The Catarrhs (also known as Albigensians) was a religious sect that derived its name from Albi in southern France. The doctrine of the Cathars (Catharism) was partly in reaction to the debauched life of the clerics of the time and a rejection of most of the Roman Catholic sacraments, but in essence it was an autonomous doctrine built on eastern and ancient principles. They rejected the entire Old Testament as well as Roman Catholic doctrine and sacraments (for example Eucharist, death penalty, and baptism). They believed in dualism - the existence of two balanced powers; the one good and the other evil - and proclaimed that only by living an ascetic life could man be saved. ABOVE: Naked Cathars being led Although some followers had already been burned by the beginning of the eleventh century, the Church only began to act in full force under Pope Innocent III. He rallied the vassals of Count Raymond VI of Toulouse, once the powerful protector of the Albigenses, against him. In the subsequent wars, the Cathars were defeated and thousands were rounded up and killed by the Roman Catholics for being heretics.
The Waldense retained the basic doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, but fell into disfavour with Pope Alexander III when they rejected the authority of the Pope and proclaimed that they considered the Bible as their only guideline when practising their faith. The Knights Templar The Knights Templar - a Roman Catholic Temple Order - were some of the most tragic victims of the Inquisition. During the 14th century this group suddenly fell into disfavour with the king and were persecuted and murdered by their own church. Yves de Faillion, a knight from Burgundy who was to take part in the First Crusade, founded the Knights Templar in 1118 in Jerusalem. This group's official name was "The Poor Knights of Christ and Solomon's Temple". Their original aim was to protect Christian pilgrims who visited "holy sites " in Jerusalem. ABOVE: Knights Templar. The Templars used the Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to the crusaders as the Temple of Solomon, as their headquarters. This was an impressive stronghold comprising stables for two thousand horses, living quarters as well as a church. When Islam conquered Jerusalem during the 13th century, the Templars continued as a Knights' Order in Europe. In 1307 the supreme inquisitor of Paris, Guillaume de Paris, succeeded in convincing King Phillip the Beautiful of France that the Templars were guilty of heresy and that action must be taken against them. Hundreds of Templars were arrested and tortured under supervision of the inquisitor until they admitted guilt.
Afterwards King Phillip (who at the time had financial problems) confiscated all the properties belonging to the Templars in France. In reaction to this, inquisitors in various other European countries launched similar attacks on Templars. In 1312 Pope Clemens V succeeded in suppressing the Templars and two years later - in 1314 - the leaders of this once proud Catholic Temple Order were burned at the stake after having been found guilty of heresy. Witches and Magicians Alleged witches and magicians had been persecuted during the Inquisition of the eleventh century and again became the focus of the Inquisition in Europe after the French inquisitor Jean Vignette declared in 1450 that the practise of witchcraft represented "a new form of heresy". Although some thousands of condemned witches were indeed involved in the occult, many were forerunners in the field of science, whose experiments and ideas stigmatised them as heretics. There are also many known incidences where the Inquisition used its powers to rid itself of any political opposition. Torture Purpose of Torture The torture of an accused was considered an acceptable method to force him/her to tell the truth and admit his/her guilt in order to be granted forgiveness. By the fifteenth century these methods were refined to such an extent that it had developed into a bizarre science. "Unconditional forgiveness of sin" was granted to those who helped the Inquisition - including those who inflicted the torture. ABOVE: Torturing of a suspected homosexual.
Before the torture commenced, the suspects' clothes were removed and the inquisitor gave them a last chance to admit their guilt. If they still refused to admit guilt, they were tortured - using only "acceptable methods". A notary carefully recorded everything that was said and done during the process. Other methods of torture were used if an accused still refused to admit guilt. The torturers went to great lengths to prevent an accused from being convinced "by the devil" to commit suicide between torture sessions. In many instances those accused of crimes admitted their guilt just to bring an end to their torture. "Acceptable" methods of torture The use of torture to force individuals accused of heresy or witchcraft to confess was officially approved by Pope Innocent IV in 1252. Some of the "acceptable methods of torture" used during the Inquisition include: Trial through fire: The suspect was forced to carry a piece of hot metal in his/her bare hand over a certain distance or had to wear a blindfold and walk over hot coals. The burns were bandaged and examined after three days. If the wound was open, it was considered as a sign of guilt. If the wound had closed, it was proof that the person was innocent. Cleansing of the soul: It was believed that the soul of a heretic or witch were tarnished and therefore evil. To cleanse his/her soul, the suspect was forced to swallow boiling water, warm coals or strong soap. Immersion: This method was very popular during the witch-hunt in America and was mainly used in the case of women. The accused was strapped to a chair tied to a long pole. She was then continually immersed in the water of a river or dam. Many women died because of the shock of the cold water. Witches' immersion: This absurd method was used to prove "beyond a doubt" that someone was a witch. The accused's right thumb was tied to his/ her left big toe. The suspect was then thrown into a river or dam. If he/she floated, it was considered as symbolic of his/her rejection of the water used during baptism en he/she was thus found to be guilty. If the suspect drowned, it was proof that he/she was innocent! Heretic's fork: A special fork with sharp points was fitted tightly between the suspect's chin and chest, making any movement not only painful, but also almost impossible.
Knotting: A stick was knotted in a woman's hair and was gradually tightened until her hair was torn out of her scalp. Women were sometimes kept in this position for hours. Mastectomy: One of the cruellest methods of torture used on women. Hot pliers were used to tear a woman's breasts from her body. In some instances her breasts were forced down her throat. Pressure: This method was used during torture as well as to induce death. The suspect was forced to lay on the ground with a small rock under his/her body. Heavy weights were put on top of him/her until it his/her ribs were broken and the rocks pierced the organs. Saw: Saws were used, especially in France, against witches who were "impregnated by Satan". The suspect was hung upside down and sawed in two from top to bottom. Stretching: The suspect was strung up to a beam by his/her arms. Heavy weights were put around his/her ankles, literally tearing the bodies to pieces. Thumbscrews: Screws were placed on the suspect's thumbs and were gradually tightened. Other methods that were used include pulling out a suspect's fingernails or depriving a suspect of sleep for long periods of time.
Punishment If more than one person in an area were accused of heresy and found guilty, punishments were made known during a public gathering. Punishments included anything from an enforced pilgrimage or a fine to the confiscation of property, life imprisonment and the death penalty. Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church or its officials never carried out the sentences, but that the condemned was handed over to the local government to execute the punishment. The method used most often to execute the death penalty was to burn those found guilty of crimes at the stake, because it gave them a "glimpse" of the punishment that awaited them in hell. In 1244 two hundred "heretics" were burnt simultaneously on a giant stake in Montsegur (France). Prohibited reading material Another interesting aspect of the Inquisition is the Papacy's efforts to determine what believers were allowed to read and what not. Because the Catarrhs and Waldense used the Bible to support their arguments, "ordinary people" were prohibited in 1229 to read the Bible or even have parts of it in their possession.
In 1559 an Index of Prohibited Books was published under the leadership of Pope Paul IV. This comprehensive list contained the titles and authors of many books that Roman Catholics were not allowed to read or even own. The list was regularly updated. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Article by Manie Bosman (E-Mail maniebosman@mweb.co.za)