What is heresy?Who are the heretics?If we talk about it briefly, then heresy in the Middle Ages it was called any deviation from accepted church of true faith.And this faith is meant as much as it was embedded in the concept of the church.Of course, heretics - a church traitors to the faith.These are people who have committed a sin in the sight of the Lord.They had their own council and - the Inquisition.In the Middle Ages it was the most common!Read more about this - in our article.
all in the hands of the papal
She was in the hands of the papal church, which could decide what faith is and what the Lord statements believed to be correct, and what - false (ie heretical).
heretics hated more than the Gentiles (people of other faiths).They despised even more than Muslims.And all this because the heretics considered themselves true Christians.It was extremely dangerous internal enemies of the Church, which undermined its credibility and foundations.
History of the Inquisition in the Middle Ages
What Inquisition?
Heretics did not leave the church no choice, so in the Middle Ages in Western Europe constantly blazing fires of the Inquisition - a specially created organization, fought with the secret enemies of Catholicism.
Generally, the word "inquisition" in the Middle Ages meant the "search", "spying".In our time it is called the secret police.However, not all so simple!The Inquisition was much worse and more dangerous than any of the secret police!Why is that?Because of its power, influence and power does not extend to any one state, but for the whole of Europe!
very first inquisitor, without a doubt, can be considered the Pope Innocent III.It is interesting that the very notion of "inquisition" in the Middle Ages introduced after the death of the pope.
"King of kings and Lord of lords"
Innocent III has developed a storm of activity to eradicate heretics, once came to the papal throne.He shamelessly considered himself the supreme arbiter of all mortal, and the whole Christian world!Innocent III called himself "king of kings and lord of all lords."In addition, the Pope did not hesitate to call himself a "priest of all ages and peoples" and was not afraid to speak of themselves as "viceroy of Christ on earth sinful."Can you imagine what the scale had the Inquisition in the Middle Ages?
Torture inquisitors
Installation was pretty simple: eversion inside his soul.Attempting to as long as a heretic does not confess his sin, he is not aware of his offense.The monstrous torture made even quite harmless heretics take the blame for the commission of heinous crimes!
brutal torture can transfer to blue in the face, what did not come up with medieval inventors sadistic.The Inquisition in the Middle Ages did not spare almost no heretic.Here is a list of the most sophisticated torture:
- gutting and quartering;
- deadly pressure;
- chair interrogation;
- plug heretic;
- cat feet;
- handsaw;
- "Stork";
- roaster (lattice);
- gap chest;
- impalement (a favorite activity of Vlad Tepes - the ruler of Transylvania, the Romanian magistrates);
- the wheel (a favorite method of execution from Peter the Great).
