Inquisitors
Officials who searched out heresy in the Catholic faith.
An inquisitor was an official (usually with judicial or investigative functions) in an inquisition – an organization or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Literally, an inquisitor is one who 'searches out' or 'inquires' (from the Latin inquirere).
Quick Facts
- Category
- Religious; Faith system
- Primary target
- Heretical provinces (conversion via missionaries)
- Related systems
- Missionaries
- Papal Authority
- Religious Wars
- Heresy
Lore & Background
There are also archaic female forms of the word. Inquisitrix was found to be used in the early 1800s and its predecessor inquisitress was found to be used in the early 1700s. In some cases, inquisitors sought out the social networks that people used to spread heresy. There were multiple national inquisitions with different approaches and targets.
Reader's Guide
In the Albigensian Crusade a second-hand story arose that inquisitor and general Arnaud Amalric at the storming of Béziers advocated general slaughter, saying 'Kill them. For God knows who are his.' Amalric's own report to the Pope was that his troops jumped the gun and took over the town violently before he was aware.
Did You Know?
- Peter of Verona (also known as Saint Peter Martyr) had the fastest canonization in history.
- Heinrich Institoris and Jacob Sprenger are associated with the Malleus Maleficarum.
- Vincenza Matilde Testaferrata was a female inquisitor.
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