The concept of the Spanish Inquisition being unexpected did not arise from historical accounts of the Inquisition itself, but through the satirical and absurdist humour of Monty Python's Flying Circus (a famous British group of comedians and their television program of the same name).
The Spanish Inquisition itself was a court and associated enforcers charged with asserting the orthodoxy of the Catholic Church in Spain, separate from papal control. In 1478, the then Spanish monarchs established the tribunal to replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was directed from Rome.
The Spanish Inquisition was in no real way unexpected, as the multi-religion state of Spain had long since experienced tensions between the ruling Christian faith and the Muslims and Jews who remained in Spain even after the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. It was only a matter of time before the state itself took action to expel the Jews and repress conversos, Moriscos and protestants.
The famous sketches by Monty Python's Flying Circus often depicted an 'everyday' situation, in which one character may be receiving a large number of questions and say with ironic hyperbole "I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition" (meaning 'I did not expect to be interrogated in this manner'), at which point Michael Palin and several other actors would jump into the scene dressed as officers of the Spanish Inquisition and exclaim in reply "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!". This is the origin of the phrase.
You cannot prevent, what you do not expect; and no one expects the Spanish iInquisition!
Spanish Inquisition was created in 1478.
As famous as the line from Mel Brook's movie "History of the World", that goes "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition", there was an increasing tendency towards Catholic extremism and intolerance in Spain throughout the 14th and 15th centuries. The degree of violence and repression of the Spanish Inquisition could not have been anticipated, but state-sponsored religious persecution was rather foreseeable.
King Ferdinand was the king during the Spanish Inquisition.
Yes, the Spanish Inquisition was real, although it was arguably less cruel than the somewhat earlier Medieval Inquisition.
The Spanish Inquisition was set up in 1478 and lasted till 1834. It was active throughout the Spanish Empire as well as in Spain.
The inquisition took place in Spain.
Roman Catholic AnswerThere is no simple answer to this question, as you are dealing with a period of nearly seven centuries, and many different inquisitions. The Medieval Inquisition ran from 1184-1230. The Spanish Inquisition from 1478 through 1834, the Portuguese Inquisition from 1536 through 1821, and the roman Inquisition from 1542 through 1860. When people in the the modern, western world refer to "The Inquisition", most of the time they are referring to the Spanish Inquisition which was the only one which was NOT under the Church's control. The Spanish Inquisition was operated completely under the control of the Spanish crown and independent of the Holy See.Below are two links on the Inquisitions. Basically, Inquisitions under control of the Holy See were to seek out heresy and stop its effects on the population of the faithful, this was obviously not the case with the Spanish Inquisition - which was the only one operative in the Americas.
The Inquisition was started by the Spanish government with the support of the Catholic Church.
The Spanish Inquisition sketch appears in Series 2 Episode 2,
The Inquisition was started by the Spanish government with the support of the Catholic Church.
It allowed them to silence their political opponents.