During the Middle Ages, the Church was responsible for both the conversion and maintenance of peoples' souls so that they may experience the paradise of the afterlife. In order to do that, they had to help individuals (both noble and non-noble) live within the ways of Church doctrine. So how did the medieval Church deal with heresy? In fact, the most notable way was with an inquisition, a judicial technique used to make people confess to their worldy sins...
PowerPoint: The Inquisition
What was the role of women in the church during this time period? How did Church officials deal with the "heretics" of local towns?
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B. Video Clip:
The Inquisition (The History Channel): Although knights, castles, and "courtly love" often come to mind when one thinks of the Middle Ages, there is a much darker side to it as well--one that makes even the most hardened historian shudder. The Inquisition was a movement of worldly suffering for spiritual salvation, of cleansing medieval society, and ultimately of greed and (at times) murder.
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C. Reading:
Medieval Sourcebook: David Burr's "Introduction to the
Inquisition" Document; This short article is meant to help get you acquinted with the real reason behind the infamous Inquisition and its place in medieval society.