The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition, was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, ordering Jews and Muslims to convert or leave. It continued for nearly four hundred years. The first auto-da-fé was held in Seville on February 6, 1481: six people were burned alive. From there, the Inquisition grew rapidly.

Throughout the centuries, people have been persecuted, hounded, brutalised and punished simply because of their beliefs – and it’s still going on today. This hard-hitting, powerful new series features specially filmed recreations and reconstructions to tell the dramatic stories of how men and women have died for something in which they believe. From the Templars and Cathars, to the bloody Torquemada and the Marian ‘heretics’, we hear stories of incredible courage, raw savagery and brutal torture that go back almost a thousand years. Episode One: Templars And Cathars It’s not clear if the process against the Templars was initiated by the Inquisition on the basis of suspected heresy or if the Inquisition itself was exploited by the king of France, Philip the Fair, who wanted the knights’ wealth. But in 1307 the King ordered the arrest of all Knights Templar across Europe and the seizure of all their assets. The… Read moreINQUISITION – The Templars & the Cathars.

http://www.realcrusadeshistory.com Donate to support Crusades history: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=GL77L7KZRK4JY The Granada War series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPq6iUifPrJb_fDt0cQuw79ZyMGurpGsS Crusades History Podcast: New podcasts every 1st and 15th of the month! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Real-Crusades-History/220051141405247 Twitter: Tweets by crusadeshistory Join J Stephen Roberts, Rand Brown, and special guest Paul Copenhagen for a discussion of the Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229). At the dawn of the thirteenth century, Pope Innocent III determined that the Cathar heresy spreading throughout the Occitan could no longer be endured. Therefore, he called on the Kingdom of France to launch a crusade to take control of the Languedoc and restore orthodoxy. Simon of Montfort, a great northern French lord, would emerge as the crusade’s dynamic leader. Thanks to Dr. Helena Schrader for providing the photographs of the Occitan for this podcast!

This documentary takes an in-depth look at the witch hunts that swept Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film questions whether the widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times. Part two of a series of three films on women and spirituality, which includes Goddess Remembered and Full Circle. Directed by Donna Read – 1990