VI. Policies and Proceedings
Inquisitorial bureaucracy generated vast quantities of written documents relating to every aspect of the tribunals’ existence, and these went far beyond the judging and punishment of alleged heretics. In the political sphere, inquisitors corresponded with their own agents and carried on diplomacy at royal and papal courts. At a more mundane level, bills had to be paid and internal quarrels settled. An overview of sample documentation relating to these and other matters can be found in the essay.
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The Inquisition Collection at the University of Notre Dame contains dozens of items that can be used to study the actual day to day organizational structures and functioning of inquisitorial tribunals. Similar documentation can be found in a variety of library collections, but the bulk of inquisitorial administrative documents remain in archives such as the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Madrid.
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.