The Inquisition in America

The activity of the Holy Office was inferior to its metropolitan model, partly because of the prohibition of Moors, Jews or heretics from passing to the Indies, and also because of the late creation of their courts, something reinforced by their lesser implantation in the two viceroyalty. In 1568 the creation of the courts of the Inquisition was decided, initially only established in Lima (1570) and Mexico (1571), although the institution was present in America since the beginning of the 16th century. In 1610 a third court was created in Cartagena de Indias, which helped to develop the city. Given the behaviors away from the orthodoxy of some priests and monks, especially in dealing with indigenous women, the mechanisms of internal control were put in place, since the ecclesiastical vigilance corresponded to the Inquisition, thus, the relaxation The clergy motivated some accusations against the high colonial authorities in use of the Board of Trustees and led to the granting of all American bishops from inquisitorial powers since 1517. In 1519 commissioners of the Inquisition were appointed for some American territories.

Given the peculiar characteristics of the American Inquisition, its activity was inferior to what happened on the Peninsula. Both in number of sentences and in quality, the sentences were not comparable to those applied in Spain. In Lima, in the two and a half centuries of existence of the Holy Office, only 30 death sentences were issued, although the indigenous problem did not fall into its direct orbit of influence and was usually approached from another perspective, even more than the courts of the Inquisition they will look at some causes against the aborigines despite the theoretical prohibition of dealing with them. Its mission was to prevent the corruption of Catholicism among Europeans, for which it was necessary to fight the Judaizers, the Protestants and the witchcraft suspects. In Brazil, their own courts never functioned, and only in very specific situations were courts requested from Lisbon.