Medieval enquiry

The medieval Inquisition is an ecclesiastical court of exception charged to fight against the Hérésie S. It is born during the 13th century and reached its apogee during the repression of the Catharisme, following what its activity declines, competed with by the national jurisdictions. At the 15th century, the medieval Enquiry disappears.

Other forms of enquiry appeared in the history: the Spanish Enquiry and Roman Enquiry, the the Holy Office. One will refer in these articles for more information on the history of these forms, and to the article Inquisition for a general discussion of the subject (in particular, the moral problem which the use of violence in the name of the faith poses).

Birth of the enquiry

See also: Amorce=Pour evolution of the right before the enquiry, to see, Enquiry

Inquisiteurs

The medieval Enquiry is born in the years 1230. In February 1231, Gregoire IX publishes the constitution Excommunicamus , which prescribes detention with life for the repented heretics and the capital punishment for the stubborn heretics. Compared to the preceding legal reference frame, the innovation lies in the nomination of inquisiteurs . This nomination and the establishment of an legal institution is officialized by the bubble " Ille humani genreris" (April 1233). From a canonical point of view, the inquisiteurs are police chiefs pontifical, especially charged to fight against the heresy and supposed to collaborate with the bishops. The pontifical delegation makes theoretically impossible the traditional call to the pope, prohibited by Excommunicamus - with the remainder, this call is traditionally denied in the cases of heresy. The mandate is initially limited to the pontificate of the pope having named the inquisitor. In 1267, Clément IV makes it perpetual (but always revocable). In parallel, there exist ad hoc committees.

However, the bishops were not deprived of their prerogatives as regards heresy, either that legates: on the same territory, these various devices can coexist and thus overlap, thus involving quarrels of jurisdiction. Another consequence, the enquiry is defined by the presence of a inquisitor, it is vain to want to define well geographically delimited jurisdictions. One can only raise the existence of important inquisitorial centers as in the south of France, Toulouse and Carcassonne.

In 1232, the new institution extends in Aragon and starting from 1235, in central Italy, then in Lombardy. In France, it is introduced initially by North, in 1233, before penetrating in Languedoc in 1233-1234 with the establishment of two fixed courts of Enquiry: the Enquiry thus did not have as an original intention the fight against the cathares.

A disputed capacity

At the beginning, papacy is given to give to the Enquiry the means of acting effectively: with this intention, it releases it from the traditional supervisions. It is conceived like an institution attached directly to the pope, and not to the Roman Curie or the bishops. Alexandre IV (1254-1261) also withdraws it from the supervision pontifical legates - the privilege will be extended to all the inquisiteurs in 1265. Better still, Alexandre IV authorizes the Toulouse judges to be raised mutually of the Excommunication which weighs on the clerks spreading blood. Previously, one needed a pontifical exemption with this intention: papacy is thus removed a method of control on its inquisiteurs.

The Enquiry runs up initially against the will of the princes to carry out themselves the fight against the heretics. From the beginning, some had simply refused its intervention: in Spain, only Aragon had accepted it. In Scandinavia, the Enquiry is almost absent. In England, repression against the Lollards - disciples of John Wyclif - remains the business of the king and the English clergy. The République of Venice also prefers to regulate itself the fate of its heretics. In France, in Aragon, in certain parts of Italy and the Holy roman Empire, like in the Netherlands, on the contrary, the princes support the Enquiry as of the beginning, thus allowing him to work effectively. With the wire of time, collaboration between the two actors is reinforced.

Within the Church even, the Enquiry is confronted with oppositions. Many bishops hardly appreciate his irruption in a field which was reserved to them before: the popes emit calls to order on several occasions. Thus, in 1279, Nicolas III condemns the bishop of Padoue, considered to be guilty of lack of zeal in its co-operation with the inquisiteurs.

Dominican and franciscains

Most of the time, the inquisiteurs are selected in the new religious orders, Dominicain and Franciscain. Those are precisely founded at the time, and their geographical expansion is still restricted around their surface of origin. In Italy, the Enquiry returns rather to the franciscains - François, the founder, is of Assise; in the South, repression is entrusted to the very new order of the Dominican ones: the birth of the ground cathare order and the action of Dominique de Guzmán against the heretics explain this choice. Contrary to the traditional Benedictine S of the time, they are orders specialized in a function - preaching -, they is not subjected to the wish of local stability - not of fence - and does not have load of heart, i.e. of territorial responsibility). The Dominican ones in particular have the role to preach and profit from a solid intellectual formation: they are theologists. The two orders are “orders beggars”, which live searches made with the sermons and not of the income of their ground, which attracts popular sympathy to them: living poorly, they are better seen population than the rich person Bénédictin S or Chanoine S.

Taking into account their theological competence, of their vocation to being close to the people, and of their good image in the people, the pope preferentially chooses in their rows his representatives to make judges of the Enquiry of them. To be able to devote itself fully to their task, they are frequently raised of some of the obligations that their rule imposes to them, like that of conventual life.

However, of the regular canons are also employed with the office of inquisitor: thus, Conrad de Marbourg is a prémontré. Moreover, of 1249 to 1255, they are members of the secular clergy who direct the court of Toulouse. The expression “Enquiry monastic” is thus an abuse language.

13th century: Apogee in violence

The 13th century sees the birth and the apogee of the Enquiry. The context of violence associated with its action harms the credit of the young institution, and perdure largely until in the current image of the Enquiry.

Contestable inquisiteurs

In 1231, to fight more effectively against the heresy cathare, Gregoire IX confirms Conrad de Marbourg in its role and, increasing its capacities, the title of “inquisitor confers to him”. It seems that Conrad is the first known inquisitor. Its rigor attracts to him many enmities. Assassinated in July 1233, it could never have been judged.

The same applies in Burgundy: Robert the Guy makes profitable his experiment of old “perfect” cathare to continue his/her former brothers; in 1235, it is named general inquisitor of the kingdom of France. Its zeal is such as it enters in conflict with the ordinary courts: at the instigation of several bishops, it is raised of its functions.

These monstrous figures that are Robert the Guy and Conrad de Marbourg are partly extreme singularities, have regard to the full number of inquisiteurs, but remain significant of what Enquiry, with its whole beginnings, lack of control in the choice of the inquisiteurs, and the implementation of the new system.

End of the catharism

In France, the birth of the enquiry takes seat in full crusade against the Albigensians. The work of the Enquiry is associated with the corresponding acts of war, and contributes to cause the resentment of the victims.

In this context of violence, the population and the nobility do not hesitate to eliminate the inquisiteurs physically. The surveys carried out by the inquisiteurs cause popular fears, the squaring of the population of the South leads to the setting in card of most of the population. The most famous massacre is that of Avignonet: May 28th, 1242, the inquisiteurs Guillaume Arnaud, Etienne de Narbonne and their companions are assassinated by knights cathares in the castle of Raymond VII of Toulouse. Terrified by the massacre, the council of Béziers, held in 1243, decides to make fall the fortified town cathare from Montségur. When the fortress goes into 1244 to the crusaders, the will of reprisals explains the exceptional rigor of repression: nearly two hundred cathares are flarings.

Of 1250 with 1257, the Enquiry completes its work in the area and puts an end to the heresy Cathare, not without pain: it burns 21 people and condemns 239 of them to the “narrow wall” (detention with wearing of obstacles, with the bread and water). The last glare of violence takes place in the city-State of Sirmione, in Lombardy, shown in 1273 to hide a bishop cathare: two hundreds of its inhabitants are sent to the Bûcher by the civil authorities. One of the last bûchers for heresy is that of Pierre Autier, burned in 1310. The last believers, like the shepherd Peire Maury of Montaillou, will be put at the " wall étroit" in 1318 by the bishop inquisitor cistercian Jacques Baker, future pope Benoit XII. In Villerouge-Termenès, Bélibaste, which is asserted like one of the last dignitaries of the " églises" cathares, is burned in 1321. The last bûchers are attested in 1328 in Carcassonne.

The inquisiteurs, targets violences

The Enquiry also encounters specific oppositions in the population. In addition to the assassinations of ground cathare inquisiteurs, it is necessary to mention that of Conrad de Marbourg as of July 1233.

In Italy, Pierre de Vérone, inquisitor in Milan, is assassinated the April 6th 1252. Called “holy Pierre Martyr”, it will be the subject of a devotion important starting from the Renaissance and will become the model of the inquisiteurs, although it occupied this station only a few months His very fast Canonization (in less than one year) testifies to the support brought then by Innocent IV for his inquisiteurs. In the same way, this one makes significant efforts to track all the culprits and addresses to the general chapter of the order a letter encouraging the Dominican ones to continue their task and not to fear martyrdom.

These massacres, specific but seizing for the public opinion, testify to the difficult climate in which the Enquiry is brought to work, and of the atmosphere obsidionale in which its judges are driven. They also explain the rigor of the first procedures. However, it should be recalled that the Enquiry could not have functioned without the total assent of the populations concerned which often, are delighted by the punishment of the heretics.

Decline

Effectiveness or control?

Very early, papacy intervenes punctually to ensure a better control of the activity of the inquisiteurs: 12 years after having named the first inquisiteurs, since 1248, for example, Innocent IV tries to restore a supervision on them, placing those of the area of Agen under the control of the bishop of the diocese, in 1248. However, the inquisiteurs consider that such a control goes against the effectiveness of their action. Outraged this obstacle put at their mission, the Dominican judges dislocate themselves.

After the apogee of second half of the 13th century, the accumulation of the requests denouncing of the abuses persuades papacy to undertake an overall reform. Clément V entrusts in 1306 an investigation concerning the inquisiteurs of Carcassonne to two cardinals, Béranger Frédol and Pierre Taillefer of the Vault. In 1311-1312, following the Council of Vienna, it promulgates the constitutions Multorum quarreled and Nolentes , which prescribes collaboration with the ordinary one for the most important acts of the procedure: recourse to the torture (already authorized since 1254, bubble " extirpendam"), sentence, control of the prisons, etc Here still, the Enquiry protests against these new rules, celebrates it inquisitor Bernard GUI denouncing their character according to him against-productive. In 1321, Jean XXII must reiterate the rules in its constitution Cum Mathaeus .

Thereafter, the evolution will always go towards more control of the inquisitor, and an increasing integration with local legal operation. Gradually, the Enquiry becomes an appendix of the ecclesiastical court, whose inquisitor becomes gradually the public prosecutor before the letter.

Discredit of the inquisitor

The inquisitor becomes gradually notable jealous of his privileges.

Within the orders themselves, the particular life carried out by the monks inquisiteurs always does not satisfy the hierarchies: thus, the Dominican provincial chapters try to make respect with their inquisiteurs their wish of poverty, in their imposing to move simply, with foot.

Moreover, of the competitions between the two orders beggars are done day: in 1266, in Marseilles, the Dominican ones show the inquisiteurs franciscains and produce witnesses who prove to be perjuries. The pope must intervene to restore the order.

Dispossession

At the 14th century, the attitude changes: forts of the development of centralization and the administrations, the princes intend to control themselves the Enquiry. In 1302 and 1304, Philippe Beautiful the is posed as referee in the conflict which opposes the population of Languedoc and the Enquiry of Carcassonne. Philippe then obtains from the pope the participation of the Enquiry in the lawsuit against the Templiers.

In 1403, the Parlement of Paris is seized of a conflict between the Cambric inquisitor and the archbishop of Rheims, and slices in favor of this last. In 1412, Philippe the Beautiful one makes stop the inquisitor of Toulouse, considered to be too pledged with papacy. In 1430, at the time of the lawsuit of Jeanne d' Arc, her indicter, Pierre Cauchon, insists to obtain to the collaboration of the Dominican Jean the Master, vicar of the inquisitor of Rouen, in spite of the reserves of this last. In 1485, the inquisitor of France affirms himself like such “by the Holy See and the Parliament.” It is not very distant from what will be with the origne Spanish Inquisition at this same time.

Instrumentalisée, called on the front of the scene and relegated where necessary in background the remainder of time, the Enquiry loses little by little its substance, whereas its prerogatives pass to the States. Even if courts remain in Toulouse and Carcassonne until the 17th century, it disappears in practice at the 15th century. At the time of the Protestant Reform, in fact the French Parliaments will know cases of heresy.

Statistical elements

It is difficult to produce a quantified assessment of the activity of the medieval Enquiry: the data are late - thus located at one time when repression is less - and localized. However, as example, one can quote the following elements:

With Turin, one indexes 200 judgments in a little more than 80 years (of 1312 to 1395), among which: 22 capital punishments, 41 wearing of cross and 22 medicinal sorrows (amends, pilgrimage, etc)
the analysis of the files of Bernard GUI showed that in sixteen years (1307-1323) of exercise in Toulouse, he pronounced 501 sorrows and 243 handing-over of sorrow, most of the time to put an end to a detention. More precisely, it orders 29 capital sentences, 80 judgments with roughing-hew concerning exhumed corpses, 13 sorrows of narrow wall (imprisonment), 231 sorrows of broad wall (house arrest) and 107 sorrows defamatory.

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