Inquisition
an ecclesiastical court established in the 12th century for the suppression of heresy and the punishment of heretics. It was developed in the 13th century by Pope Innocent III, and its operation extended to France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and other countries. The Spanish Inquisition was put under the control of the king in the 15th century and became noted for the severity of its acts and the number of its victims. Thousands of suspected heretics were burned alive or subjected to the cruelest tortures. (International Textbook, 1922)