What is heresy? Who are heretics?To put it briefly, heresy in the Middle Ages was any deviation from the true faith accepted by the church. And this faith meant exactly as much as it was laid in the concept of the church itself. Of course, heretics are traitors to the church faith. These are people who committed sin in the sight of the Lord. They also had their own government-the Inquisition. In the Middle Ages it was the most common thing! More about this - in our article.
All in the hands of the papal
It was in the hands of the papal church, which could decide what kind of faith and what statements about the Lord are considered correct and which ones are false (that is, heretical).
The heretics were hated more than the Gentiles (peopleanother faith). They despised even more than Muslims. And all this because heretics considered themselves to be real Christians. They were particularly dangerous internal enemies of the church, which undermined its authority and foundations.
History of the Inquisition in the Middle Ages
What is the Inquisition?
Heretics did not leave the church no choice, so in the Middle Ages in Western Europe, the fires of the Inquisition were constantly blazing - a specially created organization that fought with the secret enemies of Catholicism.
In general, the word "Inquisition" in the Middle Agesmeant "search", "search". In our time this is called a secret police. However, not all so simple! The Inquisition was much worse and more dangerous than any secret police! Why? Yes, because its power, influence and power extended not to any one state, but to whole Europe!
The very first inquisitor, without any doubt, can be considered the pope Innocent III. Curiously, the very concept of "inquisition" in the Middle Ages was introduced after the death of the pope.
"King of kings and lord of lords"
Innocent III developed a vigorousthe eradication of heretics, as soon as he entered the papal throne. He did not hesitate to believe himself the master of the destinies of all mortals and the whole Christian world! Innocent Third was called himself "king of all kings and ruler of all lords". In addition, the pope did not hesitate to call himself "the priest of all ages and peoples" and was not afraid to talk about himself as "the vicar of Christ Himself on earth sinful." Can you imagine how large the Inquisition was in the Middle Ages?
Torture of the Inquisitors
The installation was quite simple:turn inside out the whole soul. To torture until the heretic confesses his sin, does not realize his offense. Monstrous torture made even very harmless heretics to take the blame for committing horrible crimes!
Brutal torture can be listed before blushing,which only did not invent medieval inventors, sadists. Inquisition in the Middle Ages spared almost no one heretic. Here is a list of the most sophisticated torture:
- evisceration and quartering;
- deadly pressure;
- an interrogation chair;
- fork of the heretic;
- cat's paw;
- hand saw;
- "Stork";
- brazier (grate);
- Breast rupture
- stamping (a favorite occupation of Vlad Tepes - ruler of Transylvania, Romanian governor);
- the wheel (the favorite way of execution for Peter the Great).
