In Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand used the Inquisition to suppress heretics.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The statement is true. Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, used the Spanish Inquisition as a powerful tool to maintain religious and political unity during their reign in the late 15th century. The primary goal of the Inquisition was to ensure the orthodoxy of Catholicism in Spain by identifying and suppressing heretical beliefs.
In 1478, Pope Sixtus IV granted Isabella and Ferdinand permission to establish the Spanish Inquisition, giving them the authority to investigate heresy within their kingdom. One of the most significant targets of the Inquisition was the large Jewish population in Spain. In 1492, the monarchs issued the Alhambra Decree, which ordered the expulsion of Jews who refused to convert to Christianity. Those who converted were still scrutinized, and many were accused of secretly practicing Judaism, which led to the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition’s tribunal to investigate suspected “conversos” or “New Christians.”
The Inquisition also targeted Muslims, and in 1502, Ferdinand and Isabella issued a similar decree, forcing Muslims to convert to Christianity or leave Spain. As with Jews, the newly converted Muslims were subjected to intense scrutiny by the Inquisition, with many accused of secretly practicing Islam.
The Spanish Inquisition became infamous for its methods, which included torture and executions. The accused were often forced to confess under duress, leading to a high number of false confessions and wrongful convictions. While the Inquisition’s original purpose was to maintain religious conformity, it also served as a tool for the monarchy to consolidate power and unify Spain under a single religious and political ideology. It continued to operate in various forms until the early 19th century, long after Ferdinand and Isabella’s reign had ended.