Synopses & Reviews
Henry Charles Lea's comprehensive three-volume history of the medieval Inquisition, first published in 1888, was firmly based on primary sources. Lea was convinced that the Inquisition was not arbitrarily devised and implemented but was an inevitable consequence of forces that were dominant in thirteenth-century Christian society. In order to give as full a picture of the Inquisition as possible he examines the jurisprudence of the period. In Volume 1 he presents background information, giving a general account of the Catholic Church in the twelfth century and exploring the events that prompted the Church to set up the Inquisition. He explains the prevalent medieval understanding of the roles of the Church and government in society, and looks at medieval concepts of the relationships between individuals and the Church, the government, one another, and God. Lea shows how these views formed the basis of the Inquisition's structure, organization and processes.
Synopsis
Volume 1 of this influential 1888 study describes the social and political situation from which the medieval Inquisition arose.
Synopsis
Volume 1 of this influential three-volume 1888 publication explores the background to the Inquisition. It gives a general account of the Catholic Church in the twelfth century, describes the events that prompted the Church to set up the Inquisition, and explains the Inquisition's organization and processes.
Synopsis
First published in 1888, this three-volume work presents a comprehensive history of the Inquisition in the Middle Ages.
Synopsis
First published in 1888, this influential three-volume work presents a comprehensive history of the Inquisition, adopting a highly critical, rationalist approach to medieval history that broke with earlier scholarship. It covers the origins of the Inquisition, its regional manifestations, and its impact on scholarship, politics and society.
Synopsis
This comprehensive three-volume history of the medieval Inquisition by the influential American scholar Henry Charles Lea, first published in 1888, was firmly based on primary sources, and adopted a rationalist approach that departed from the pious tone of earlier histories of the middle ages. Lea was convinced that the Inquisition was not arbitrarily devised and implemented but was an inevitable consequence of forces that were dominant in thirteenth-century Christian society. In order to give as full a picture of the Inquisition as possible, Lea first examines the jurisprudence of the period and explores the events that prompted the Church to set up such an institution. Volume 2 describes the Inquisition in France, Spain, Italy and Germany, and local opposition to it. The final volume focuses on the impact of the Inquisition on scholarship and intellectual life, faith, politics and society.
Table of Contents
Volume 1: Preface; Book I. Origin and Organization of the Inquisition: 1. The Church; 2. Heresy; 3. The Cathari; 4. The Albigensian Crusades; 5. Persecution; 6. The Mendicant orders; 7. The Inquisition founded; 8. Organization; 9. The Inquisitorial process; 10. Evidence; 11. The defence; 12. The sentence; 13. Confiscation; 14. The stake; Appendix. Volume 2: Book II. The Inquisition in the Several Lands of Christendom: 1. Languedoc; 2. France; 3. The Spanish peninsula; 4. Italy; 5. The Slavic Cathari; 6. Germany; 7. Bohemia; 8. The Hussites; Appendix of documents. Volume 3: Book III. Special Fields of Inquisitorial Activity: 1. The Spiritual Franciscans; 2. Guglielma and Dolcino; 3. The Fraticelli; 4. Political heresy utilized by the Church; 5. Political heresy utilized by the state; 6. Sorcery and occult arts; 7. Witchcraft; 8. Intellect and faith; 9. Conclusion; Appendix of documents; Index.