The death of Tomás de Torquemada

1498 Death of Tomás de Torquemada, main player in the early part of the Spanish Inquisition.

The Spanish Inquisition ran from 1478 until 1834. Contrary to popular belief, its inquisitors only condemned about 25 Spanish witches to be burned at the stake. However, it wrought a horrible toll on heretics, Muslims, Jews, reformers and the intelligentsia. Some 114,350 citizens of Catholic Spain were tried in the Inquisition started by Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile. Torquemada was responsible for 2,000 burnings and the expulsion of thousands of Jews (1492).