Who was the Roman Inquisition? A Social Profile on the Tribunal’s Employees (1590-1680)

Thanks to the development of inquisitorial research, historians can now have a more detailed idea of the Roman Inquisition. Nevertheless, there are some aspects that still remain unknown, such as the inquisitorial staff. This heterogeneous group was composed from notaries, bodyguards, stewards, lawyers and by hundreds people who concretely ran the Tribunal for three centuries. They earned spiritual, economic, military and jurisdictional privileges. These laic collaborators were of fundamental importance, not only to keep strong control over society, but also in building solid relations with local élites. All inquisitorial assistants were an expression of indigenous interests, thus showing us how the so-called “terrible Tribunal” was at the same time a strategic opportunity for aristocratic and powerful families.

This presentation will also encourage general reflections about the Counter Reformation’s and Italian history over the early modern and modern period.

Dennj Solera is a PhD candidate in Early Modern History at the University of Florence, with the History of Counter-Reformation as his main field. He is currently working on his dissertation, preliminarily titled “The familiares of the Roman Holy Office: A political and social profile of the Inquisition’s police”.

Please bring your own lunch, CREMS will provide tea and coffee and mince pies.