Religion
In Daily Life
The Inqisition



The Medieval Inquisition was the eradication of heresy. Heresy is when people hold beliefs that the Church felt was wrong, and was a serious crime in Medieval Europe. Pope Gregory IX started the inquisition. The bishops had the duty of investigating heresy. After heretics were accused, they had a month for them to confess their heresy, and would be given a lighter punishment. After that, they were brought to a trial. Their accusers names were not given to them, but they could list their enemies to reduce accusations against them. The trials were conducted secretly, and sometimes the accused were tortured. Some of the punishments for heresy were:
  • Burning
  • Penance
  • Fine
  • Imprisonment.
The civil ruler usually confiscated the guilty heretic's property. Some groups of heretics were the
  • Cathari
  • Waldenses.

Today, there is no inquisition, and there are many sects of Christianity. The two major types of Christianity are the Catholics and the Protestants.

 
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