[Cronos]

Perhaps you ought to read it a bit - the Spanish Inquisition (beware :-P) - was founded, as you said, in 1478 -- well BEFORE the Luthers and Calvins and Elizabeths. Didn't you read that?

Also the Inq was directed against crypto-Muslims and crypto-Jews, both of whom were supporting the Muslims who had just recently (1450) been thrown out of Spain and were an ever-lurking threat.

The Elizabethan slaughter of Catholics, the Kulturkampf (yes, centuries later) etc. - were as horrific and disgusting as the Catholic actions against Huguenots in France and others. All sides did horrific things

[Elsie]

All sides did horrific things

At least the Catholics finally backed down in 1834.

We Prots STILL torture you guys daily on FR!

Spanish Inquisition
Established: 1 November 1478
Disbanded: 15 July 1834