Seal of the Inquisition
The Brunanter Inquisition was formally established in Brunant in 1535, largely at the behest of the Spanish. The Council of the Holy Office in Brunant would be active for over two centuries, trying and sentencing individuals, though nowhere near the extent done in Spain or Portugal. The Inquisition was officially abolished in 1784 by James Carrington, though after 1740, no people were tried by the council.
History[]
The major target of the Brunanter Inquisition were those who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism, the Converses, also known as new Christians. Despite that, wealthy Jews were able to pay off the Inquisition to prevent any punishment.
As in Spain, the Inquisition was subject to the authority of the monarch. It was headed by a General Inquisitor, named by the Pope but selected by the King of Brunant. The Inquisition was based in Grijzestad with bishop Bartolomeus Jonckersen as its first General Inquisitor.
An auto-de-fe
The first converse was executed in 1543, though the Inquisition was at odds with Anders I and refused to function until that issue was resolved in 1540. For many years, those convicted would die by beheading. Around 1590, the auto-de-fé was brought over, whereby people would be burned at the stake in front of a crowd. Like the Spanish Inquisition, it concentrated its efforts on rooting out those who had converted from other faiths (overwhelmingly Jews), but did not adhere to the strictures of Catholic orthodoxy, such as protestants, bigamists and others deemed a risk by the Catholic Church. By 1720, the inquisition gave up auto-de-fes and simply resorted to arresting people.
Execution figures[]
The majority of those tried by the Inquisition was executed in Koningstad, though after 1621, they would be carried out in Markstad (present-day Carrington) as well. Inquisitors were required to keep detailed records, which were stored in the Royal Archives and can now be accessed at the National Library.
| Tribunal | Number of autos de fé with known sentences | Executions | Penanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grijzestad | 41 (1590–1740) |
112 (1543-1773) |
1085 |
| Markstad | 17 (1624–1736) |
56 (1621-1740) |
470 |
Legacy[]
Since the Inquisition targeted protestants, there was a significant decline in Dutch immigration to Brunant after the reformation period in the 16th century, while many more Iberian Catholics would come to Brunant.