Left, a young woman condemned to be burnt alive by the Spanish Inquisition; right, a young man about to be burnt alive at the stake by the Spanish Inquisition. Engraving by B. Picart, 1722.

The Spanish Inquisition was a council to combat heresy, authorized by a papal bull in 1478 and established by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella in 1480 as responsible to the Crown, not the Church. It used secret procedures and judicial torture, and burning its victims in public ceremonials. With its independence from papal interference, the Inquisition soon became an instrument of the Spanish Crown's build-up of absolute power in the 16th and 17th century. It was finally abolished in 1834

Condemned heretics who refused to recant, as well as those who relapsed after condemnation and repentance, were turned over to the secular arm, which alone could impose the death penalty

[Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1722.

1 print : engraving, with etching ; image 15 x 21.5 cm

Fille condamné par l'inquisition a être brulée vive. Homme qui vâ être brûlé par arrest de l'inquisition. B. Picart sculp. dir. 1722.

On the same sheet as no. 43203 (this catalogue)

Wellcome Collection 43204i