The Inquisition -- Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis -- was invented to stamp out heresy[*]. Of which, from a Catholic stand point, Protestantism is just the most virulent strain.
They just experienced some scope creep.
[* Originally the Albigensian** heresy, Catharism.]
[*** It is fascinating to me how there's this one-way pointer in our culture, in our narrative about this part of history. When you read about the Albigensian Crusade, the Cathars, Languedoc, etc, one of the very first things you learn is that this is where the Inquisition comes from. But when you look into the Inquisition, the connection with the Albigensian Crusade, which is a jaw-dropping bit of Medieval history, goes almost completely unmentioned. And I don't really think one can understand the Inquisition without understanding the context in which it arose.]
no subject
They just experienced some scope creep.
[* Originally the Albigensian** heresy, Catharism.]
[** From the town of Albi, in Languedoc. See also Albigensian Crusade.***]
[*** It is fascinating to me how there's this one-way pointer in our culture, in our narrative about this part of history. When you read about the Albigensian Crusade, the Cathars, Languedoc, etc, one of the very first things you learn is that this is where the Inquisition comes from. But when you look into the Inquisition, the connection with the Albigensian Crusade, which is a jaw-dropping bit of Medieval history, goes almost completely unmentioned. And I don't really think one can understand the Inquisition without understanding the context in which it arose.]