Tomás de Torquemada

Tomás de Torquemada (1420-1498) was a Spanish Dominican friar and the first Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition, established in 1478. He played a key role in the enforcement of Catholic orthodoxy in Spain, particularly targeting converted Jews and Muslims, whom he suspected of secretly practicing their former religions. Under his leadership, the Inquisition employed methods like torture and executions to root out heresy. Torquemada is often associated with religious intolerance and oppression, leaving a controversial legacy as a symbol of fanaticism and the darker aspects of the quest for religious purity in history.