Beyond the Inquisition: Ambrogio Catarino Politi and the Origins of the Counter-Reformation (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Early Modern History, 2016
There are now a number of ways to describe the phenomena which come under the umbrella of innovations in Roman Catholicism in the early modern period including “Counter Reformation”; “Catholic Reformation” and “Early Modern Catholicism.” After a brief survey of the various labels used by scholars over the last half century or more, this article seeks to rehabilitate the use of the label “Counter Reformation” in the light, particularly, of the determining role played by the Holy Office (aka Roman Inquisition) in shaping the Catholic Church down to Vatican ii (1962-65). A key role in this was played by Gian Pietro Carafa, who was made head of the congregation of the Holy Office at its foundation in 1542 and who became pope as Paul iv in 1555. During the key decades from the 1540s to 1570s the Inquisition in Rome set the agenda and by means, not only, of a series of trials of prominent members of the clerical establishment whom they regarded as their enemies, succeeded in intimidating ...
This paper offers a comparative analysis of two pivotal movements in Christian history: the Inquisition and the Reformation. While both sought to address crises within the Church, they employed radically different methods and left contrasting legacies. The Inquisition, driven by a desire to preserve doctrinal unity, relied on institutional power, coercion, and punishment to suppress heresy and dissent. In contrast, the Reformation, led by figures such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, advocated for theological reform, emphasizing personal faith and access to Scripture, leading to the fragmentation of Christian Europe. Through an exploration of their theological foundations, mechanisms of control, and social and political ramifications, this paper highlights the tension between the preservation of orthodoxy and the quest for reform. The legacies of both movements continue to inform contemporary discussions on religious authority, unity, and freedom. Ultimately, the study reveals how these two responses to crises of faith shaped the future of Christianity and left an indelible mark on European history.
The Inquisition in Rome and Papal Territories.pdf
This chapter focuses the attention on the city of Rome and some regions and towns of the Papal State from late sixteenth to the middle of eighteenth century. The aim is to underline the conflicts and interrelations between the Inquisition and other central tribunals (Governator, Vicar), local bishops and governor and the role played by officers in the roman tribunal and in the peripheral ones. In this diversified context, drawing largely on unpublished archival material, my paper is intended to drawn up the collaboration and the opposition with local episcopal courts and the peripheral inquisitorial world and his staff, to verify the gap between theory and practice, between roman, central policy and the actual practice: how deep and incisive the inquisitorial control was in a peculiar context like the Eternal City and the Papal States?
Established in 1542, the Roman Inquisition operated through a network of almost fifty tribunals to combat heretical and heterodox threats within the papal territories. Whilst its theological, institutional and political aspects have been well-studied, until now no sustained work has been undertaken to understand the financial basis upon which it operated. Yet - as this book shows - the fiscal autonomy enjoyed by each tribunal was a major factor in determining how the Inquisition operated. For, as the flow of cash from Rome declined, each tribunal was forced to rely upon its own assets and resources to fund its work, resulting in a situation whereby tribunals increasingly came to resemble businesses. As each tribunal was permitted to keep a substantial proportion of the fines and confiscations it levied, questions quickly arise regarding the economic considerations that may have motivated the Inquisition’s actions. This book argues that the Inquisition, with the need to generate sufficient revenue to continue working, had a clear incentive to target wealthy groups within society - rich Jews, merchants and aristocrats - who could afford to yield up substantial revenues. Furthermore, as secular authorities also began to rely upon a levy on these revenues, the financial considerations of decisions regarding heresy prosecutions become every greater. Based upon a wealth of hitherto neglected primary sources form the Vatican and local Italian archives, Dr Maifreda reveals the underlying financial structures that played a vital part in the operations of the Roman Inquisition. By exploring the system of incentives and pressures that guided the actions of inquisitors in their procedural processes and choice of victims, a much clearer understanding of the Roman Inquisition emerges.