Goa Inquisition

Francis Xavier who requested the Inquisition in 1545 The Goa Inquisition was the office of the Inquisition acting in the Indian state of Goa and the rest of the Portuguese empire in Asia . It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774–1778, and finally abolished in 1812. The Inquisition was established to punish relapsed New Christians – Jews and Muslims who converted to Catholicism , as well as their descendants – who were now suspected of practicing their ancestral religion in secret. In Goa, the Inquisition also turned its attention to Indian converts from Hinduism or Islam who were thought to have returned to their original ways. In addition, the Inquisition prosecuted non-converts who broke prohibitions against the observance of Hindu or Muslim rites or interfered with Portuguese attempts to convert non-Christians to Catholicism. While its ostensible aim was to preserve the Catholic faith, the Inquisition was used against Indian Catholics and Hindus as an instrument of social control, as well as a method of confiscating victims' property and enriching the Inquisitors. Most of the Goa Inquisition's records were destroyed after its abolition in 1812, and it is thus impossible to know the exact number of the Inquisition's victims. Based on the records that survive, H. Sassoon state that between the Inquisition's beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, some 16,202 persons were brought to trial by the Inquisition. Of this number, it is known that 57 were sentenced to death and executed in person; another 64 were burned in effigy. Others were subjected to lesser punishments or penanced, but the fate of many of the Inquisition's victims is unknown.

The Goa Inquisition was the office of the Portuguese Inquisition acting in Portuguese India , and in the rest of the Portuguese Empire in Asia . It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774–1778, and finally abolished in 1812. Based on the records that survive, H. Sassoon state that between the Inquisition's beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, some 16,202 persons were brought to trial by the Inquisition. Of this number, it is known that 57 were sentenced to death and executed; another 64 were burned in effigy. Others were subjected to lesser punishments or penance, but the fate of many of those tried by the Inquisition is unknown. The Inquisition was established to punish apostate New Christians — Jews and Muslims who converted to Catholicism , as well as their descendants—who were now suspected of practising their ancestral religion in secret. In Goa, the Inquisition also turned its attention to Indian converts from Hinduism or Islam who were thought to have returned to their original ways. In addition, the Inquisition prosecuted non-converts who broke prohibitions against the observance of Hindu or Muslim rites or interfered with Portuguese attempts to convert non-Christians to Catholicism. While its ostensible aim was to preserve the Catholic faith, the Inquisition was used against Indian Catholics and Hindus and also against Portuguese settlers from Europe (mostly New Christians and Jews but also Old Christians) as an instrument of social control, as well as a method of confiscating property and enriching the Inquisitors. Most of the Goa Inquisition's records were destroyed after its abolition in 1812, and it is thus impossible to know the exact number of those put on trial and the punishments they were prescribed.

The Goa Inquisition ( ) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in colonial-era Portuguese India . The Inquisition was established to enforce Catholic orthodoxy in the Indian dominions of the Portuguese Empire . The inquisition was instituted to counter the Hindus , Muslims , Bene Israels , New Christians and the Judaizing Nasranis by the colonial era Portuguese government and Jesuit clergy in Portuguese India . It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774 to 1778, continued thereafter until finally abolished in 1820. The Inquisition punished those who had converted to Catholicism but were suspected by Jesuit clergy of practising their previous religion in secret. Predominantly, those targeted were accused of Crypto-Hinduism . A few dozen criminally-charged natives were imprisoned, publicly flogged and could be, dependent on the criminal charge, be sentenced to death. The Catholic Christian missionaries also burnt any books written in Sanskrit, Arabic, Marathi, or Konkani that they could find in Goa, as well as restricted Protestant Christian books from entering Goa on Dutch or English merchant ships. While some sources claim the Goa Inquisition was requested by Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier (from his headquarters Malacca in a letter dated 16 May 1546 to King John III of Portugal ), the only letter that asked for a king's minister, with special powers to protect the newly converted Christians from the Portuguese commandants, was the one dated January 25th 1545 . Between the Inquisition's beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, around 16,000 persons were charged before the Inquisition. Almost all of the Goa Inquisition's records were burnt by the Portuguese when the inquisition was abolished in 1820. It is impossible to know the exact number of those put on trial and the punishments they were prescribed. The few records that have survived suggest that at least 57 were executed for their religious crime, and another 64 were burned in effigy because they had already died in jail before sentencing. Other records such as those left by the French physician Charles Dellon , who was also a victim of the Goan Inquisition, and others, suggest that nearly 70% of those found guilty of Crypto-Hinduism were executed, many prisoners starved to death and racial discrimination against Indians was rampant during the Goa Inquisition proceedings. In Goa, the Inquisition also prosecuted violators of prohibitions against the observance of Hindu or Muslim rites or festivals, or interfered with Portuguese attempts to convert non-Christians to Catholicism. The Inquisition was the judicial system over Indian Catholics, Hindus and of Portuguese settlers from Europe (mostly New Christians and Jews). The Inquisition laws made reconversion to Hinduism , Islam and Judaism and the use of the Konkani language a criminal offense. The inquisition was also a method of confiscating property and enriching the Inquisitors. Although the Goa Inquisition ended in 1820, the religious discrimination and persecution of Indian Hindus and Muslims by the Portuguese Christian government continued in other forms such as the Xenddi tax. Portugal and its Empire, 1250-1800 (Collected Essays in Memory of Glenn J. (Translators, 2001), The Marrano Factory. Group Identity in the Renaissance World . Inquisition and Interdisciplinary History . Portuguese Rule in Goa:1510-1961 P43 . The New Indian Express . (Translators, 2001), The Marrano Factory. Ruth IllmanL and Bjorn Dahla (ed.). Early modern Goa: Indian trade, transcultural medicine, and the Inquisition .

Portuguese Inquisition in colonial-era Portuguese India This article is about the historical inquisition. The Goa Inquisition ( ) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India . Its objective was to enforce Catholic Orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of Rome ( Pontifex ). Conversions took place through the Goan Inquisition with the persecution of Hindus and the destruction of Hindu temples . The inquisition primarily focused on the New Christians accused of secretly practicing their former religions, and Old Christians accused of involvement in the Protestant Revolution of the 16th century . It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774 to 1778, continued thereafter until it was finally abolished in 1812. Forced conversions led to crypto-Hinduism (practising Hinduism in secret while posing to be Christians) with those accused of it imprisoned and depending on the criminal charge, could even be sentenced to death if convicted. The Inquisitors also seized and burnt any books written in Sanskrit , Dutch , English, or Konkani , on the suspicions that they contained deviationist or Protestant material. The aims of the Portuguese Empire in Asia were suppressing Islam , spreading Christianity, and trading spices. The Portuguese were guided by missionary fervour and intolerance. Examples of this include the Madura Mission of Roberto de Nobili (nicknamed the White Brahman ), as well as the Jesuit mission to the court of the Moghul emperor Akbar , with which the Inquisition enforced the subjection of the Syrian Church to the Roman Church at the Synod of Diamper in 1599. Between the Inquisition's beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, around 16,000 persons were charged. Most of the Goa Inquisition's records were burned by the Portuguese when the Inquisition was abolished in 1812. It is therefore impossible to know the exact number of those put on trial and the punishments that they were given. The few records that have survived suggest that at least 57 were executed for religious crimes, and another 64 were burned in effigy because they had already died in jail before sentencing. It is estimated that by the end of the 17th century, the Christianisation of Goa meant that there were less than 20,000 people who were non-Christians out of the total Goan population of 250,000. From the 1590s onwards, the Goan Inquisition was the most intense, as practices like offerings to local deities were perceived as witchcraft. This became the central focus of the Inquisition in the East in the 17th century. In Goa, the Inquisition also prosecuted violators observing Hindu or Muslim rituals or festivals, and persons who interfered with Portuguese attempts to convert non-Christians to Catholicism. The Inquisition laws made reconversion to Hinduism , Islam and Judaism and the use of the indigenous Konkani language and Sanskrit a criminal offence. Although the Goa Inquisition ended in 1812, discrimination against Hindus under Portuguese Christian rule continued in other forms such as the Xenddi tax implemented from 1705 to 1840, which was similar to the Jizya tax. Religious discrimination ended with the introduction of secularism via the Portuguese Constitution of 1838 and the subsequent Portuguese Civil Code of Goa and Damaon . Portuguese Rule in Goa: 1510-1961 . The New Indian Express . Discoveries, Missionary Expansion, and Asian Cultures . Portugal and its Empire, 1250-1800 (Collected Essays in Memory of Glenn J. Group Identity in the Renaissance World . Inquisition and Interdisciplinary History .

Portuguese Inquisition in colonial-era Portuguese India This article is about the historical inquisition. The Goa Inquisition ( Portuguese : Inquisição de Goa , Portuguese pronunciation: [ĩkizɨˈsɐ̃w dɨ ˈɣoɐ] ) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India . Its objective was to enforce Catholic orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of the Pontifex . The inquisition primarily focused on the New Christians accused of secretly practicing their former religions, and Old Christians accused of involvement in the Protestant Revolution of the 16th century . Also among the targets were those suspected of committing sodomy ; they were given the second most harsh punishments. The inquisition was established in 1560, briefly stopped from 1774 to 1778, and was re-instated and continued until it was finally abolished in 1812. The Portuguese used forced conversion to spread Catholicism. The resulting crypto-Hinduism was viewed as a challenge to the Church's absolute religious control. Those accused of such practices were often instructed to confess and realign with Catholic teachings. Imprisonment, torture, death penalties, and intimidating people into exile were used by the Inquisition to enforce Catholic religious control. The Inquisitors also seized and burned books written in Sanskrit , Dutch , English , or Konkani , as they were suspected of containing teachings that deviated from Catholic doctrine or promoted Protestant , Polytheistic and/or Pagan ideas. The Inquisitors aimed to ensure Catholic teachings were absolutely enforced. The aims of the Portuguese Empire in Asia were trading spices, spreading Christianity, and suppressing Islam (due to the Al-Andalus Islamic rule of Iberia which lasted 781 years). The Portuguese were guided by missionary fervor and the 3 Gs of God, gold and glory . Examples of this include the Madura Mission of Roberto de Nobili , the Jesuit mission to the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar as well as the subjection of the Nestorian Church to the Roman Church at the Synod of Diamper in 1599. In 1545, Francis Xavier wrote to King John III of Portugal requesting a Goan Inquisition. Between the Inquisition's beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, around 16,000 persons were brought to trial. Portuguese authorities sought to enforce Catholic doctrine in Goa. When the Inquisition ended in 1812, the majority of its records were destroyed by Portuguese officials, making it difficult to determine the exact figures of those prosecuted and the nature of their cases. However, the few records that remain indicate that approximately 57 individuals across the 249 year long inquisition were sentenced to execution for significant religious transgressions, while an additional 64 were symbolically condemned after they had died in custody. These numbers reflect the rarity of such punishments amid efforts to enforce compulsory Catholicism over many decades, partly because people avoided prosecution by fleeing Goa. It is estimated that by the end of the 17th century, the Christianisation of Goa meant that there were less than 20,000 people who were non-Christians out of the total Goan population of 250,000. From the 1590s onwards, the Goan Inquisition was the most intense, as practices like offerings to local deities were perceived as witchcraft. This became the central focus of the Inquisition in the East in the 17th century. In Goa, the Inquisition also prosecuted violators observing Hindu or Muslim rituals or festivals, and persons who interfered with Portuguese attempts to convert local Muslims and polytheists. The laws of the Goa Inquisition sought to strengthen the spread of Catholicism in the region by criminalising practices that conflicted with Catholic teachings. In this context, the Inquisition prohibited conversion to Hinduism , Islam , and Judaism , as well as restricted the use of Konkani and Sanskrit , languages associated with Hindu religious practices. These measures were intended to force Catholicism on the local population. Although the Goa Inquisition ended in 1812, discrimination against polytheists under Portuguese rule continued in other forms such as the Xenddi tax implemented from 1705 to 1840, which was similar to the Jizya tax. Religious discrimination ended with the introduction of secularism , via the Portuguese Constitution of 1838 & the subsequent Portuguese Civil Code of Goa and Damaon . Portugal and its Empire, 1250-1800 (Collected Essays in Memory of Glenn J. Group Identity in the Renaissance World . Inquisition and Interdisciplinary History . Goa: A Daughter's Story . The second necessity which obtains in India, if those who live there are to be good Christians, is that your highness should institute the holy Inquisition; for there are many who live according to the law of Moses or the law of Muhammad without any fear of God or shame before men". However, his actions in India were not without controversy, as he was involved with the establishment of the Goa Inquisition, which punished converts accused of continuing to practice Hinduism or other religions.