¶ … video part of the process of building the nation state?

What we now know as Spain was once a religiously and ethnically diverse society. After unifying their two kingdoms through marriage, Ferdinand and Isabella wished to create a modern-day nation state. In their eyes this meant making Spain into a monarchy that harbored only one faith. Both of these rulers were devout Christians, and regarded all non-Christians, or Christians who did not believe as they believed, as evil. The Iberian Peninsula only 'became' Spain as we know it today because of their marriage. The Inquisition was a way of demonstrating the control of the new monarchs over the rising power of the urban middle class, many of whom were converted Jews, and their influence over the Pope, who became the guiding force of the Spanish Inquisition, because of their influence.

Was there any justification for the ways of the Jews were dealt with? Explain?

Jews were burnt at the stake, simply because they were suspected of practicing their religion. Judaism was portrayed in distorted fashion in the rhetoric of the inquisitors. This created fear and paranoia, and prompted many people to inform upon their neighbors, before they were informed on themselves. The 'justification' for such actions could be said that many converted Jews still secretly practiced aspects of their faith, given that they could not do so openly, for fear of being persecuted.

Technically, unconverted Jews were supposed to be beyond the reach of the Inquisition because they were not baptized as Christians. However, in the actual practices of the Inquisition, given that individuals were tortured to such an extreme level, people would say they were Christians who were 'guilty' of Jewish practices simply to relieve their suffering, or the suffering of their loved ones, as in the case of a man whose wife was tortured before him.

After the converted Jews of Spain attempted to strike back against the Inquisition by stabbing one of the primary inquisitors, persecution increased. This was an act of treason against a man of God and King Ferdinand's appointee. Yet given the horrific and unjust actions of the Inquisition, the assassination seems more like an act of self-defense than murder for the converted and unconverted Jews of Spain.

Works Cited

"Tears of Spain." Secret History of the Inquisition. 2007.