The Inquisition: A Global History By Francisco Bethencourt

Introduction

In 2009 the English-speaking world saw the publication of Francisco Bethencourt’s ambitious feat of synthesis, The Inquisition: A Global History, 1478-1834. Fourteen years after the publication of the French comparative study under the different title of L’Inquisition à L’Epoque moderne: Espagne, Portugal, Italie, Jean Birrell ably translated Bethencourts work. In the introduction the author clearly states his main aim: to offer a global perspective on the Inquisition which leads to “a systematic comparison of the constitution, configuration and impact on the world of the tribunals of the faith”. The vast majority of studies on the Inquisition, he argues, have been carried out in a national, regional or local framework and thus

Furthermore, he has also researched the history of racism and ethnic relations. Bethencourt has published in Portuguese, French and English and is currently a professor at King’s College London. Previously, he has worked as a trained lawyer and has thoroughly analyzed trial records. His expertise in both the legal and historical sciences is reflected in his book; the author has a detailed knowledge of trials and canon law which helps to understand the different forms of organization. Moreover, he does not aim to understand contemporary law by looking at the past. Instead, he draws upon a long tradition of historical methodology to analyze broader processes of power and thus make a successful cross-pollination of the two

The main issue addressed is how the Inquisition survived for over six centuries in different forms and different contexts. He tries to understand its position relative to other political powers and the intricate power-dynamics it was subject to. More than anything, Bethencourt is interested in the effects the Inquisition had on the different value systems and social configurations of Italy and Iberia and its colonies. The author argues and concludes that it was the flexibility of the Inquisition, on a political, social and cultural level, that ascertained its long existence but also eventually led to its downfall. The social groups and ideas it tried to repress eventually went from vanquished to victor as it was the change in value systems in Europe, values of religious toleration and equal justice for all citizens, which brought forth the abolition of the tribunals. This book review will first sketch out the structure of the monograph and other formal features before proceeding to an in-depth analysis relating to its