Tomas De Torquemada Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Tomas De Torquemada
OCCUPATION: Priest
BIRTH DATE: 1420
DEATH DATE: September 16, 1498
PLACE OF BIRTH: Valladolid, Spain
PLACE OF DEATH: Ávila, Spain

Best Known For

Priest Tomas De Torquemada became notorious for his cruelty while serving as Inquisitor General during the Spanish Inquisition.

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Tomas De Torquemada

APA Style

Tomas De Torquemada. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:41, May 26, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626.

Harvard Style

Tomas De Torquemada. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626 [Accessed 26 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Tomas De Torquemada." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 26 2013, 05:41 http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626.

MHRA Style

"Tomas De Torquemada," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626 [accessed May 26, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Tomas De Torquemada," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626 (accessed May 26, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Tomas De Torquemada [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 26] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626.

Bluebook Style

Tomas De Torquemada, http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626 (last visited May 26, 2013).

AMA Style

Tomas De Torquemada. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/tomas-de-torquemada-17169626. Accessed May 26, 2013.

Synopsis

Born in Spain in 1420, Tomas De Torquemada served as a priest before being appointed as Inquisitor General by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1483, during the Spanish Inquisition. He became notorious for his cruelty.

Spanish Inquisitor

Dominican priest and inquisitor, born in Valladolid, Spain. He was a Dominican prior at Segovia (1452-74), and was appointed Inquisitor General by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1483. Although debTorquemada did not institute the Inquisition, it was during his 18 years in control that it became synonymous with barbarous torture and unexplained deaths. During his time, 2,000 heretics were burned alive and a further 17,000 mutilated. He drew up the Copilación de las Instrucciones del Officio de la Sancta Inquisición hechas por el muy Reverendo Señor Fray Thomas de Torquemada, first published in Latin in 1592. The term 'Torquemada' has since been synonymous with heartless cruelty.