The 14th Century Inquisitional Administrative Documents in Pere Miquel Carbonell’s Manuscript

Abstract

The Spanish Inquisition encompasses the long period of history of the Iberian Peninsula; established after the unification of the Kingdoms of Aragon and Castile by the marriage union of the „Catholic monarchs“, Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1469. Even thought considered as a ecclesial organization, who would address the issue of the „Jewish threat“, actually it was a tool of the monarchy to consolidate its power and it has been remembered in history by its ostensibly cruel methods.

In this historical frame had lived and worked Pere Miquel Carbonell (1434-1517) a Catalan historian, poet, humanist, notary and royal archivist in The General Archive of The Crown of Aragon from 1476 until his death. He wrote books inspired by the Spanish Inquisition, such as Super facto expulsionis hereticorum and Liber descriptionis reconsiliationisque, purgationis et condemnationis hereticorum which will be the starting point of this investigation. This manuscript which is kept in The General Archive of The Crown of Aragon contains records about the Spanish Inquisition from 1487 until 1507 and describes reconciliations, justifications and condemnations of heretics.

In this manuscript exists two documents holding the same title Pensio assignata Inquisitori hereticae pravitatis from 1357 and 1358 and therefore outside of the described historical period. These records originated in Zaragoza and Barcelona was written by King Peter IV of Aragon and afterwards copied by Carbonell will be the start point of this paper and will take into consideration its administrative regulations and information such as bureaucratic structure of the Sanctum Officium`s members and their obligations.