VII. Polemics and Histories
The inquisitions faced opposition from many quarters, especially from Protestant polemicists eager to contribute to the so-called "Black Legend" of Catholic (and especially Spanish) cruelty and fanaticism. Catholic apologists responded with counter-claims of their own, and it would be centuries before historians could make much headway with more-or-less impartial analyses. A survey of the rich literature generated over the centuries as writers debated the true nature of inquisitions and their legacies can be found in the essay.
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The Inquisition Collection at the University of Notre Dame contains scores of items falling under the category of polemical and historical discussions of the inquisitions. Many other editions of these and related works are listed in E. van der Vekene, Bibliotheca Bibliographica Historiae Sanctae Inquisitionis (1966; repr. 3 vols. Vaduz 1982-92); cf. the useful bibliographical essays in Peters, Inquisition pp. 329-346.
For more information about the collection, for appointments to view items for research purposes, or for rights and reproductions, please email us at rarebooks@nd.edu or visit our website.