इन्क्विजिसनको शुरुवातको लागि कुनै सटीक मिति छैन, धेरै स्रोतहरूले यो १२२७ र १२३३ को बीचमा क्याथोलिक पोप, Gregory IX(ग्रेगरी ९) को शासनको पहिलो छ वर्षको अवधिमा प्रकट भएको कुरामा सहमत छन्। Pope १२२७-१२४१ सम्म शासन गर्ने पोप Gregory IX(ग्रेगरी ९) लाई अक्सर "इन्क्विजिसन को पिता" भनेर चिनिन्छ।

इन्क्विजिसन क्रिस्चियन र तिनीहरूको यहूदी जडद्वारा गरिएको यातना, विकृति, सामूहिक हत्या र मानव जीवनको विनाशको अभियान थियो। धर्मनिरपेक्ष र धार्मिक दुवै मानव जीवनमा पूर्ण नियन्त्रण नभएसम्म चर्चको शक्ति बढ्यो।
भ्याटिकन क्षेत्रीय प्रमुखहरूले विधर्मलाई जरैबाट हटाउन गरेको प्रगतिबाट सन्तुष्ट थिएन। पोप Innocent III(इनोसेन्ट ३) ले आफ्नै इन्क्विजिटरहरूलाई नियुक्त गरे जसले उसलाई सीधा जवाफ दिन्थ्यो। तिनीहरूको अधिकार मार्च २५, ११९९ को पपाल बुलमा आधिकारिक बनाइएको थियो।⁷ Innocent(इनोसेन्ट) ले घोषणा गर्यो "चर्चको सिद्धान्तसँग बाझिएको ईश्वरको व्यक्तिगत दृष्टिकोण निर्माण गर्ने प्रयास गर्ने जो कोहीलाई दया नगरी जलाउनु पर्छ।"⁸

१२५४ मा, इन्क्विजिटरहरूको कामलाई सहज बनाउन, पोप Innocent IV(इनोसन्ट ४) ले आरोप लगाउनेहरू गुमनाम रहन सक्छन् भनेर आदेश दिए, पीडितहरूलाई उनीहरूको सामना गर्न र आफ्नो रक्षा गर्नबाट रोक्न आदेश दिए। धेरै चर्चहरूमा एक सन्दुक थियो जहाँ सूचकहरूले आफ्ना छिमेकीहरू विरुद्ध लिखित आरोपहरू हाल्न सक्थे। तीन वर्षपछि, उसले विधर्मको स्वीकारोक्ति निकाल्ने तरिकाको रूपमा यातनालाई अधिकृत र आधिकारिक रूपमा क्षमा दिए।⁹
पीडितहरूलाई एउटा कोठामा यातना दिइयो, र त्यसपछि, यदि तिनीहरूले पापस्वीकार गरे भने, तिनीहरूलाई एउटा कोठाबाट अर्को कोठामा इन्क्विजिटरहरू प्रति पापस्वीकार गर्न लगियो। यसरी यो दाबी गर्न सकिन्छ कि बयान बल प्रयोग बिना दिइएको थियो। इन्क्विजिसन कानूनले साझा कानूनलाई प्रतिस्थापन गर्यो। दोषी प्रमाणित नभएसम्म निर्दोषको सट्टा, निर्दोष प्रमाणित नभएसम्म दोषी थियो।

इन्क्विजिटरहरू धेरै धनी भए, धनीहरूबाट घूस र जरिवाना लिने जसले मुद्दा चलाउनबाट बच्न तिरेका थिए। धनीहरू चर्चका लागि मुख्य लक्ष्य थिए जसले तिनीहरूको सम्पत्ति, जग्गा र उनीहरूसँग भएका सबै पुस्ताहरूका लागि जफत गरे। इन्क्विजिसनले आरोप लागेमा पीडितको सबै सम्पत्ति कब्जा गर्थ्यो। आफूलाई निर्दोष साबित गर्ने मौका धेरै कम थियो, त्यसैले क्याथोलिक चर्च धेरै धनी भएको यो एउटा तरिका हो। पोप Innocent(इनोसेन्ट) ले भने कि "भगवान्" ले छोराछोरीलाई आमाबाबुको पापको लागि सजाय दिनुभएकोले, उनीहरूलाई आमाबाबुको सम्पत्तिको कानूनी उत्तराधिकारी बन्ने अधिकार छैन। जबसम्म बच्चाहरू आफ्ना आमाबाबुको दोषी ठहराउन स्वतन्त्र रूपमा बाहिर आएनन्, उनीहरूलाई पैसाविहीन छोडियो। जिज्ञासुहरूले मृतकहरूलाई पनि विधर्मको आरोप लगाए, कतिपय अवस्थामा, उनीहरूको मृत्युको सत्तरी वर्ष पछि। तिनीहरूले पीडितको हड्डीहरू निकाले र जलाए र उनीहरूका उत्तराधिकारीहरूबाट सबै सम्पत्ति जफत गरे, उनीहरूलाई केही पनि छोडेनन्। ¹⁰

इन्क्विजिटरहरूको कार्यले अर्थ-प्रबन्धमा विनाशकारी प्रभाव पारेको थियो जसले सम्पूर्ण समुदायहरूलाई पूर्ण रूपमा गरिब बनायो जबकि चर्च धनले भरिएको थियो। उनीहरूले केही पेशालाई शङ्कास्पद राखेर अर्थ-प्रबन्धलाई पनि अपाङ्ग बनाए। इन्क्विजिटरहरूले छापिएको शब्द चर्चको लागि खतरा हो भनेर विश्वास गरे र १५ औं शताब्दीमा छापाखानाको आविष्कारद्वारा ल्याइएका सञ्चारमा हस्तक्षेप गरे। नक्साहरू, मानचित्रकारहरू, यात्री व्यापारीहरू र व्यापारीहरू सबैलाई गहन शङ्काको घेरामा राखिएको थियो; चर्चको लागि एक खतरा।

यद्यपि चर्चले चौथो शताब्दीमा र फेरि १०२२ मा Orléan(ओर्लियन)मा विधर्मीहरू ठानिएका मानिसहरूको हत्या गर्न थालेको थियो, तर १२३१ को पोपको नियमहरूले विधर्मीहरूलाई आगोले मर्ने कुरामा जोड दिएको थियो। मानिसहरूलाई जलाएर रगत बगाउनबाट रोकियो। यूहन्ना १५:६ "यदि कोही मानिस ममा रहँदैन भने, ऊ हाँगा झैं फ्याँकिन्छ, र सुकेको हुन्छ;र मानिसहरूले तिनीहरूलाई बटुल्छन्, र आगोमा फाल्छन्, र तिनीहरू जल्छन्।"

आज देखीएको बाल यौन शोषण पागलपनको र धेरै जसो इसाईहरूको बाझिएको, विकृत दिमागको एउटा सानो उदाहरण मात्र हो र जहाँ उनीहरूले प्राप्त गरेको कुनै पनि शक्तिले डोर्याउँछ।

जादुगर्नीको शिकार, १४५०-१७५० थियो जसलाई R. H. Robbins(र एच रोबिन्स)[he Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology(जादुविद्या र नरकदेवविद्याको विश्वकोश)] ले भने "चकित पार्ने दुःस्वप्न, सबैभन्दा खराब अपराध र पश्चिमी सभ्यताको सबैभन्दा गहिरो शर्म।" यस ३०० वर्षको अवधिमा, चर्चले निर्दोष मानिसहरूको सामूहिक हत्या र व्यवस्थित यातनालाई बढावा दियो। यातना दिनेहरूलाई आफ्ना पीडितहरूलाई यातना दिनको लागि जति समय चाहिन्छ त्यति नै समय दिइयो।धेरै जसो अदालतहरूले यातना दिनु अघि, पीडितको शरीरको कपालमा पत्ता नलागेको कुनै पनि नरकदेवले यातना दिनेहरूले दिएको पीडालाई मार्न वा पीडितलाई जवाफ दिन हस्तक्षेप गर्न सक्छ भनी दाबी गर्दै पीडितलाई राम्ररी खौराउनुपर्ने माग गरे।¹¹

यातनाबाट पीडितको ज्यान जान सक्छ भन्ने लागेमा डाक्टरहरू उपस्थित हुने थिए।  त्यसपछि थप यातना लागू गर्नु अघि पीडितलाई अलिकति निको हुन दिइन्थ्यो। यदि पीडितको यातनाको क्रममा मृत्यु भयो भने, इन्क्विजिटरहरूले दाबी गरे कि राक्षसले पीडितलाई थप पीडाबाट बचाउन वा आफ्नो रहस्य प्रकट गर्नबाट रोक्नको उद्देश्यले हस्तक्षेप गरेको थियो।¹² बेहोस भएकाहरूले तिनीहरूलाई पुनर्जीवित गर्न तिनीहरूको नाकमा सिरका खन्याइयो। पीडितको परिवारले कानून बमोजिम यातनाको खर्चको लागि अदालतहरूलाई क्षतिपूर्ति गर्नुपर्ने थियो। सम्पूर्ण सम्पदा चर्चले कब्जा गर्थ्यो। पुजारीहरूले तिनीहरूको प्रयोग गर्नु अघि यातना उपकरणहरूलाई आशीर्वाद दिन्थ्ये। कतिपय उपकरणहरू अधिकतम पीडा दिनको लागि प्रयोग गरिन्थ्यो; बिरामी ईसाई दिमागको निर्विवाद प्रमाण:

Judas Cradle(जुडस क्रेडल)

पीडितलाई डोरी वा चेनले तानियो र त्यसपछि बिन्दुमा तल ल्याइयो। यातना दिनेले पीडितलाई तौल जोडेर वा पिडितलाई विभिन्न उचाइबाट झुलाएर वा उठाएर र तल फ्याँकेर दबाब नियन्त्रण गर्थ्यो।

Brodequin [The Boots] The brodequin was used to crush the legs by tightening the device by hand, or using a mallet for knocking in the wedges to smash the bones until the bone marrow spurted out. People who passed out were further condemned as the losing of consciousness to be a trick from the Devil in order to escape pain.

Burning the feet. Oil, lard and grease were applied to the feet before roasting them over a fire. A screen was used to control or increase the pain as exposure to the fire was applied on and off for maximum suffering. Also, as a variation, some victims were forced to wear large leather or metal boots into which boiling water or molten lead was poured.

Hanging and the Strappado

The victim's hands were bound behind the back. They were then yanked up to the ceiling of the torture chamber by a pulley and a rope. Dislocation ensued. Christians preferred this method, as it left no visible marks of torture. Heavy weights were often strapped to the victim to increase the pain and suffering.
Squassation was a more extreme form of the torture. This method entailed strapping weights as much as hundreds of pounds, pulling limbs from their sockets. Following this, the Christian inquisitor would quickly release the rope so they would fall towards the floor. At the last second, the Christian inquisitioner would again yank the rope. This dislocated virtually every bone in the victim's body. Four applications were considered enough to kill even the strongest of victims.

Many were hung upsidedown as well until strangulation ensued.

Heretic's Fork

This device was often used to silence the victim on the way to the burning stake, so they could not reveal what had occurred in the torture chamber or defend themselves in any way.

Ripping the flesh

Christian clergy delighted in the tearing and ripping of the flesh. The Catholic church learned a human being could live until the skin was peeled down to the waist when skinned alive. Often, the rippers were heated to red hot and used on women's breasts and in the genitalia of both sexes.

Breast Rippers

The Iron Torture Chair was studded with spikes. The victim was strapped in nude and a fire was lit beneath the chair. Heavy objects were also used. They were placed upon the victim to increase the pain of the spikes. Blows with mallets were also inflicted. Often, other torturous devices were applied with the chair such as the flesh ripping pincers, shown above and leg crushing vices.

Skull Crusher
This one speaks for itself. Christian clergy preferred this device because it did not leave visible marks, unless the skull was completely crushed, which happened.

The Rack

The Rack, aka the Ladder was another device that was used extensively. The procedure was to place the nude or near nude victim horizontally on the ladder or rack. Ropes were used to bind the arms and legs like a tourniquet. The knot could be steadily twisted to draw tight the ropes and stretch the victim to where the muscles and ligaments tore and bones broke. Often, heavy objects were placed upon the victim to increase the pain. This was considered by the church to be "one of the milder forms of torture."

The Wheel

The nude victim, was stretched out, lying face downward on the ground or on the execution dock, with his or her arms and legs spread, and tied to stakes or iron rings. Wooden crosspieces were placed under the wrists, elbows, ankles, knees and hips. The inquisitor then smashed limb after limb and joint after joint, including the shoulders and hips, with the iron-tyred edge of the wheel, taking care not to bring about the death of the victim. There were splinters of smashed bones, blood spurted everywhere, and the victim's entire skeleton was crushed and smashed. Thereafter the shattered limbs were “braided” into the spokes of the large wheel.

The wheel has to be one of the most gruesome of all torture devices. The idea is, that the victims' limbs are shattered and entwined around the spokes of the wheel, attaching them to it.

The Thumbscrew The thumbscrew was a device where the victim's thumbs were placed and systematically crushed. Similar devices were used on the toes. Thumbscrews were often applied at the same time as the strappado and other torture devices to inflict more pain.

The Water Torture The victim was stripped and bound to a bench or table and a funnel was inserted and pressed down into his throat. Water was poured into the funnel in jugs full with his/her nose being pinched, forcing him/her to swallow. After this was repeated enough times to where the victim's stomach was almost to burst, the bench or table was then tilted, with the victim's head pointing to the floor. The water in the stomach put painful pressure on the victim's lungs and heart. There was not only the incredible pain with this, but also, the feeling of suffocation. Inquisitors would also beat upon the stomach with mallets to the point of internal rupture. In another variation, the victim was forced to swallow large quantities of water together with lengths of knotted cord. The cords were then violently yanked from the victim's mouth resulting in disemboweling.

The Iron Maiden also known as the "Virgin Mary" Covering the front side of this device was a statue of the Virgin Mary, inside were spikes, sharp knives or nails. Levers would move the arms of the statue, crushing the victim against the knives and nails.

Other devices and methods:

• Forced feeding of overly salted foods that resulted in extreme thirst, then, the denial of water.

• Immersion in scalding water laced with lime.

• Yanking back and forth by 2 or more inquisitors with ropes attached to a spiked iron collar. This tore the flesh on the victim's neck. Variations used screws that could be tightened.

• The prayer stool. A spike board on which the victim was forced to kneel.

• Stocks which were fitted with iron spikes.

• Slowly roasting victims over fire.

• "Walking a Witch" entailed forcing a victim to walk back and forth for days on end until completely exhausted. A variation of this was having the victim sit cross legged upon a wooden stool, being deprived of movement or sleep. Some victims were as much as 80 years old.

• "Thrawing." Similar to the spiked iron collar, only a rope was tied tightly around the head and the victim was yanked back and forth.

• "Turkas." These were a variation of pincers used to pull out fingernails.

• Many were thrown in filthy dungeons with no light or human contact, in addition, often being chained or confined in the stocks.

• "Scoring above the Breath" the ancient belief that bleeding a witch above the mouth and nose would break a spell incited inquisitors to tear flesh, stick with needles and other instruments upon the victim's face.

Galileo Galilei, the famous Italian astronomer and physicist was one of the most noted victims of the Inquisition. A letter in which he attempted to demonstrate the Copernican theory, that the Earth is not the center of the universe, was forwarded by some of his enemies to the inquisitors in Rome. He was tried in 1633 and found guilty of heresy. He was forced to recant [publicly withdraw his statement] and was sentenced to life imprisonment under house arrest. In 1979, Pope John Paul II declared that the Roman Catholic Church "may have been mistaken in condemning him," and he established a commission to study the case.13 In 1993, the Catholic Church "officially" pardoned Galileo. In other words, they forgave him for teaching that the planets revolve around the Sun, not the Earth.

Loss of human life:

• Salzburg, Austria, 1677-1681 over 100 murdered.

• Basque region of the Pyrenees; 1608, Lawyer Pierre de Lancre was sent to the region to "root out and destroy those who worshipped Pagan Gods." Over 600 tortured and murdered.

• Witch judge Henri Boguet c. 1550-1619 sent some 600 victims to their deaths in Burgundy, many of them young children who were systematically tortured and then burned alive.

• A pregnant woman was burned alive and from the trauma, she gave birth before she died. The baby was tossed back into the flames.

• Swedish town of Mora, 1669, more than 300 murdered. Among them, 15 children. Thirty-six children between the ages of 9 and 15 were made to run the gauntlet and were beaten with rods upon their hands once a week for an entire year. Twenty of the youngest children, all under the age of 9, were whipped on their hands at the church door for 3 Sundays in succession. Many more were severely beaten for witchcraft offenses.

• In Scotland, under the rule of Oliver Cromwell, a total of 120 in a single month were murdered in 1661. Estimates of the total dead have been as high as 17,000 between 1563 and 1603.

• In Würzburg, Germany, the Chancellor wrote a graphic account in the year of 1629:
  "...there are three hundred children of three or four years, who are said to have had intercourse with the Devil. I have seen children of seven put to death, and brave little scholars of ten, twelve, fourteen and fifteen years of age..."
  Between the years of 1623 and 1633, some 900 "witches" were put to death throughout Würzburg. This was largely maintained by the Jesuits.

• The Chronicler of Treves reported in 1586 that the entire female population of two villages was wiped out by inquisitors. Only two women were left alive.

• Noted cases included the Knights Templar, Joan of Arc who was chained by the neck, hands and feet and locked in a cramped iron cage, Galileo, who stated that the Earth revolved around the Sun and was not the center of the universe as the church taught(See above).

The above accounts were taken from Cassel Dictionary of Witchcraft by David Pickering.

On Sunday, March 12th, 2002, the Pope John Paul II apologized for the "errors of his church for the last 2000 years."

REFERENCES:

¹The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe, page 124
²Cassel Dictionary of Witchcraft by David Pickering, article on "Germany", page 108
³Cassel Dictionary of Witchcraft by David Pickering, article on "Inquisition", page 146
⁴ World Book Encyclopedia article on "Inquisition." ©1989
⁵ Wizards and Sorcerers by Tom Ogden, article on "Inqusition."
⁶ The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe, page 77
⁷Wizards and Sorcerers by Tom Ogden, article on "Inquisition."
⁸The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe, page 77
⁹Wizards and Sorcerers by Tom Ogden
¹⁰The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe, page 80
¹¹Cassel Dictionary of Witchcraft by David Pickering article on "Torture."
¹²Cassel Dictionary of Witchcraft by David Pickering, article on "torture."
¹³World Book Encyclopedia article on "Galileo." ©1989

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