The suspension of the Portuguese Inquisition 1674-81 : trade, religion and cross-cultural political networks in early modern Europe
How can the papal decision to suspend the Portuguese Inquisition in 1674-1681 be explained? In October 1674 Pope Clement X took the unprecedented step of halting trials of the Portuguese Inquisition, striking at the heart of its core values of secrecy and autonomy, questioning the methods used against its primary victims, the New Christians, descendants of Jews forcibly converted in 1497. But how was the disruption of such a powerful disciplinary institution possible? What motivated the decision-making processes? I argue that the suspension of the Inquisition was political and should be understood in terms of different groups' abilities to engage in '<i>cross-cultural</i>' politics, between Portugal, London and Rome. In a period where politics cannot be separated from religion and economics, the study of the suspension shines new light on the reach and potential transformative power of border-crossing mercantile, religious and political networks. The Inquisition was suspended because New Christians, acting '<i>altruistically</i>' in response to severe repression, galvanised an anti-Inquisition pressure group using connections made and skills gained through decades of cross-cultural trade. While faced with
Lloyd, Ana-Paula
The suspension of the Portuguese Inquisition 1674-81 : trade, religion and cross-cultural political networks in early modern Europe. How can the papal decision to suspend the Portuguese Inquisition in 1674-1681 be explained? In October 1674 Pope Clement X took the unprecedented step of halting trials of the Portuguese Inquisition, striking at the heart of its core values of secrecy and autonomy, questioning the methods used against its primary victims, the New Christians, descendants of Jews forcibly converted in 1497. But how was the disruption of such a powerful disciplinary institution possible? What motivated the decision-making processes? I argue that the suspension of the Inquisition was political and should be understood in terms of different groups' abilities to engage in '<i>cross-cultural</i>' politics, between Portugal, London and Rome. In a period where politics cannot be separated from religion and economics, the study of the suspension shines new light on the reach and potential transformative power of border-crossing mercantile, religious and political networks. The Inquisition was suspended because New Christians, acting '<i>altruistically</i>' in response to severe repression, galvanised an anti-Inquisition pressure group using connections made and skills gained through decades of cross-cultural trade. While faced with
suspension portuguese inquisition trade religion cross_cultural political network early_modern_europe papal decision suspend portuguese inquisition explain pope clement take unprecedented step halt trial portuguese inquisition strike heart core value secrecy autonomy question method_use primary victim new christians descendant jews convert disruption powerful disciplinary institution possible motivate decision_making_process argue suspension inquisition political understood_term different_group ability engage cross_cultural politics portugal london rome period politics separate religion economics study suspension new_light reach potential transformative power border mercantile religious_political network inquisition suspend new christians act response severe repression anti inquisition pressure_group use connection make skill gain decade cross_cultural trade face