You are mistaken about the Inquisition being a myth (the Spanish Inquisition was only a part of it but a particularly bloody part).
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Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834)
* Cited in Will Durant, The Reformation (1957):
* Juan Antonio Llorente, General Secretary of the Inquisition from 1789 to 1801, estimated that 31,912 were executed, 1480-1808.
* In contrast to the high estimate cited above, Durant tosses his support to the following low estimates:
* Hernando de Pulgar, secretary to Queen Isabella, estimated 2,000 burned before 1490.
* An unnamed "Catholic historian" estimated 2,000 burned, 1480-1504, and 2,000 burned, 1504-1758.
* PGtH: 8,800 deaths by burning, 1478-1496
* Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church (1910): 8,800 burnt in 18 years of Torquemada. (acc2 Buckle and Friedländer)
* Motley, Rise of the Dutch Republic: 10,220 burnt in 18 years of Torquemada
* Britannica: 2,000
* Aletheia, The Rationalist's Manual: 35,534 burned.
* Fox's Book of Martyrs, Ch.IV: 32,000 burned
* Paul Johnson A History of the Jews (1987): 32,000 k. by burning; 20,226 k. before 1540
* Wertham: 250,000
* Rummel: 350,000 deaths overall.
* MEDIAN: 8,800 under Torq.; 32,000 all told.
* Punished by all means, not death.
* Fox: 309,000
* P. Johnson: 341,000
* Motley: 114,401
It is likely that more people died from torture and beatings related to the Inquisition than were burned.
It's true but irrelevant that Spain was importing large amounts of looted precious metals from the Americas for much of the time. |
