Portugal.— Yrom Spain the Inquisition was introduced into the diflferent comitries over which it held its sway. Thus it was not really introduced into Portugal until its union with Spain in 1557, and only then after much opposition. It is true, under king Joan III of Portugal, an effort was made to establish the tribunal against the New-Christians of that country, imitating the Spaniards in this respect, and Henrique, the bishop of Ceuta, a former Franciscan monk and fanatic, even took the law in his own hands, and executed live New-Christians, to hasten the establishment of the Intpiisition. IMany rea- sons swayed in favor to tolerate the Jews in Portugal, and they, of course, were in that country the first against whom the tribunal was intended to direct the bloody work. In 1531 Clement Yll was even persuaded to is- sue a breve (Dee. 17) to introduce the Inrpiisition, but already, in the year following (Oct. 17, 153-2 i. lie revoked this order (comp. Herculano, Orir/em da lii'/iii.</rn" mi Portugal, i, 276 sq., et al.). Rut when the IiKiuisition, under Spanish influence, was at last introduced, as in Spain, it became also in Portugal a tribunal of the crown, and it is for this reason Roman Catholic writ- ers argue that the see of Rome cannot be held respon- sible for the horrible deeds that it enacted in these two countries and in their dependencies. It is true, some of tlie popes protested against the establishment of the Inquisition as a state tribunal, but it must be remem- bered that the opposition was directed against it (as in Ital}', above) not so much on account of its cruel meas- ures, but because it chose to be independent of Rome. Indeed the popes, feeling their power insufficient to en- force obedience, found themselves compelled, from mo- tives of prudence, to tolerate what they were powerless to suppress ; i. e. unable to establish the Inquisition un- der their own immediate control, with the benefits ac- cruing therefrom all flowing into their own treasury, they yielded to a state tribunal, that gave them at least a part in the proceedings, as well as a part of the spoils. The highest tribunal of the Portuguese Inquisition was, of cinirsp, at Lisbon, the capital of the country, and the aiijidintment of the grand inquisitor at the pleasure of the king, nominally also subject to the approval of the pope. When, finally, Portugal became again indepen- dent under the duke of Braganza as John IV (1G40), an effort was made by the Royalists to abolish the In- qnisitiim, and to deprive it of the right of so(iuestration. But .Kilin IV found too strong an opposiiion in the liriesihnod, especially in the ever-plotting Jesuits, and he was prevented from executing his intentions success- fidly. After his death he was himself put under the ban, and his body was only a long time after officially absolved from this, one oi' the grossest sins a son of Rome could possibly have permitted, the attempt to cleanse his Church from the sin of unrighteousness. In the 18th century the Inquisition was further restricted in its activity and privileges by Pedro II (1706), and a still more decided step was taken by Pombal under his son and successor, Joseph I. The Jesuits were expelled
from the country, and the inquisitorial tribunal was commanded by law to communicate to the arrested the accusations presented against him or them, the names of the accusers and witnesses, the right of an attorney to hold communication with the accused, and it was fiu-thermore decreed that no sentence should be execu- ted without the assent of the civil courts. At the same time, the auto da fe was also forbidden. After the fall of Pombal and the death of Joseph I the clergy regain- ed their power for a season, but the spirit of enlighten- ment had made too great inroads not to conflict with the inte'-ference of the priests, and under king John VI (1818-26), when " this great engine for the coercion of the human mind, if worked with the unscrupulous, im- passive resolution of Machiavellianism," could no longet be made to accomplish its purpose, it breathed its last, and the very records of its proceedings were condemned to the flames.
Netherlands. — From Spain the Inquisition was also introduced into the Netherlands as early as the 13th century, and from this time forward exerted in this country, next to Spain, her authority most luiscrupu- lously. Especiallj' active Avas its tribunal during the Reformation. After a severe edict by Charles V at Worms against the heretics (May 8, 1521), he appoint- ed as inquisitors to the Netherlands his councillor, Franz von der Hulst, and the Carmelite Nicolas of Egmont. They at once set out to do their task, and to inflict the usual penalties on their victims — banishment, etc. — and found especial helpmeets in the regent of the Nether- lands, Margaret of Austria, in connection with the bish- op of Arras, Granvella. The printing, sale, and posses- sion of heretical books were strictly forbidden, and the magistrates were required, under penalty of loss of of- fice, to be active in discovering heretics, and send a quarterly report of their labors to the regent ; the in- 1 formers to receive a considerable reward for any proof (Raumer's Briefe, i, 164 sq.). Nevertheless, the Refor- mation spread, and the Inquisition was not even able to prevent the rise of fanatical sects, as the Anabaptists (q. v.), etc. But Charles, determined to uproot the Ref- ormation, issued a new mandate for the organization of the Inquisition after the Spanish form (April 20, 1550) (see Sleidani Commentarii, ed. chr. car. Am Ende : Frcf. ad M. 1785, iii, 203 ; Gerdesii Hist. Eefonnat. iii, App. p. 122). But this attempt, like the former one, also failed. Maria, the widowed queen of Hungarj', who in secret inclined to the Reformation, was now regent. Deputations of the citizens made her aware of the dan- gers Avhich threatened her on that account; she went immediately to Germany to Charles, and was success- ful in effecting a change of the mandate in so far that in a new form of it (issued September 25, 1550) the words "Inquisition" and "inquisitors" were omitted. But it was still opposed, and could only be published in Antwerp on the condition of the municipal rights being preserved (Gerdesii, id sup. iii, 210 sq.). That the In- ([uisition was very active up to this time in the Nether- lands is certain ; but the accounts that, under Charles V, 50,000, or even 100,000 persons lost their lives by it in that country (Sculteti Annales, p. 87; Grotii Annales et Ilistorim de rebus Belrjicis, Amst. 1658, p. 12), seems to be exaggerated. When the Netherlands were placed un- der the government of Philip II a more severe policy was initiated, determined, if possible, not to modify the existing heresies, but to extinguish them altogether. The Inquisition was at once set in full motion, and a zeal was manifested by its tribunal worthy of a better cause. But the cruelties which followed a people de- termined to worship their God in the manner which seemed to them a plain duty could excite no fear, but rather added new fuel to the flame already confined to too narrow limits, and it at last burst forth in all its maddened fury. At first the cities Louvain, Brussels, Antwerp, and H( rzogenbusch unitel in demai;ding the aliolition of the Inrpiisition. Their example was imi- tated, and in February, 1556, a league of the nobility,