Weekly # 2

 Question: Why is it so important to understand _ [i.e. the topic of your expert group] if one is to really understand the culture of the Middle Ages?

             For my topic I had the Spanish Inquisition. When someone talks about the Middle Ages they can't do it without the Spanish Inquisition.  During this time, hundreds of people were converted to Catholicism. But the conversations were not made by choice but by torture and force. The middle ages was an important time for Catholicism in Europe. Thousands also died because they refused to convert. The Spanish Inquisition changed Middle Ages and Catholicism in the world in many ways.

Firstly, the culture of the Middle Ages is revolved around Christianity. “For 350 years under Papal Decree, Jews, then Muslims and Protestants were put through the Inquisitional Court and condemned to torture, imprisonment, exile and death. (Bragg)” This quote shows how Christianity was very important the middle ages. It also shows how many other religions were not accepted during this time. That is really explained in the Spanish Inquisition.

 Religion is dominant component of the Middle Ages’ culture. You can't understand the Middle Ages without understanding the religion. “Once Rome's religion changed to Christianity under Constantine, it retained the inquisitorial trial method but also developed brutal means of dealing with heretics who went against the doctrines of the new religion. (Bragg)” When Christianity rose to a main religion, many became very religious. When they became religious they also became very strict over the rules. They followed the rules almost too much.

It made it more catholic and dangerous. This was a bad time to be any other religion especially protestant. “The Romans used the inquisitorial process as a form of legal procedure employed in the search for evidence. (Bragg)" This quote really shows how people thought back then. They put religion above all and used the government to enforce it. It also shows how it was not just the Spanish who did an inquisition.  The Spanish Inquisition was ran by more of the government then the church. They had done it without the Pope's permission.

As I said when someone talks about the Middle Ages they can't do it without the Spanish Inquisition.  Every other religions were persecuted because they were not Catholic.  The middle ages was an important time for Catholicism in Europe. The Inquisition rocked the middle ages and was a very influential part of history. The Spanish Inquisition changed Middle Ages and Catholicism forever. 

Cited:

Bragg, M. (2006, June 22). The Spanish Inquisition. Retrieved 2 2011, May , from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003c1bw