Seven Myths of the Spanish Inquisition

by Gretchen D. Starr-LeBeau, Alfred J. Andrea (Editor), Andrew Holt (Editor)

“Gretchen Starr-LeBeau’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Inquisition provides an excellent introduction to Habsburg Spain’s most reviled and misunderstood institution. Drawn from archival sources and modern scholarship, this concise study presents the long and tortured history of the Spanish Inquisition in an accessible format for readers interested in the intersection of religion and jurisprudence. Addressing common misconceptions about the procedures, effectiveness, and reach of the Inquisition, this work argues convincingly for an updated assessment encompassing change over time and variations across Spain and its empire. Students of the early modern period will benefit from the volume’s logical organization, glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading.”
—Benjamin Ehlers, University of Georgia

192 pages, Paperback

Published July 3, 2023

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for HIST 3175 - Lowkey I kind of took issue with some of the points expressed in this book, because I felt like they were refuted by some of the other readings and things we talked about in class. It kind of seemed like because the book was divided into myths, there had to be clear statements and conclusions even if that might not have been the case for all of them. However, because the Inquisition was different at different periods of time and in different places, it is way too hard to simply draw those types of conclusions. It was a pretty easy read but to me that was because this book is meant for general people who want to know more about the basics of the Inquisition, and not a book for historians (or history students, in my opinion).

[Katya Soll · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent exploration of a complex and often-stereotyped topic. Well-researched, easy to read, and doesn't require any previous knowledge.

[Kalu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really one of the most helpful introductions to the early modern, global Catholic inquisitions. If you’re new to the topic, pick up this one before proceeding to anything more advanced. It’s really well contextualised and written in accessible style.