The Spanish Inquisition. What was it really? Was it horrific or ridiculous? Was it lazy and lenient or merciless and cruel? Centuries of satirizing and demonizing can make it hard to know where history ends and stereotypes begin.

Reading the Inquisition will let you decide for yourself.

This site presents full cases from the files of the Inquisition—unedited and unabridged—in three formats simultaneously: document image, transcription, and translation.

• Document images allow readers who are familiar with colonial documents to see the original handwriting, text layout, and paper quality.
• Transcriptions offer those readers who are comfortable with Spanish a more legible version of the original text.
• Translations written by inquisition scholars expand access to readers of English.

To begin browsing, start with "Browse Collections" tab above.

If you have any questions about how the site works or are interested in contributing to it, please get in touch through the “Contact Us” tab.