The Spanish held a lot of control over the church during the expansion to the new world. The Spanish inquisition started in 1480, with the new idea of “Judaizing” where thousands of Jews were either given a choice or forced to convert to Christianity. The Inquisition continued to strengthen through the discovery of the new world.
Throughout Europe in the 1400’s non-Catholics were being prosecuted for their religious beliefs. The sect of Catharism, a part Gnostic group, was prosecuted in the medieval Spanish inquisition. Muslims and Muslim trade was fought in Europe for years. A few hundred years previously the crusades were launched against the Muslims, and when Muslims were the powerhouse of trade the Europeans destroyed them by force.
By: Katherine Corrigan
"Christianity." Renaissance: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Paul F. Grendler. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 156-161. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. New Trier High School. 2 Sept. 2008 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=winn16583>.