Latest / The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History / The Portuguese Inquisition in Goa: Faith and Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: If you've been stepping into history with us episode by episode, you know we've been tracing how Europe carved up the world. We've covered the Treaty of Tordesillas, the Dutch spice monopoly, the Berlin Conference. But today I want to zoom in on something that often gets overlooked: the Portuguese Inquisition in Goa. Luna: The Inquisition in India? I didn't even know that was a thing. Lucas: Exactly. Most people associate the Inquisition with Spain and Torquemada, but the Portuguese had their own version, and it was exported to their colonies. Goa was the capital of the Estado da Índia, the Portuguese eastern empire, and from 1560 it had its own Inquisition tribunal, modeled directly on the one in Lisbon. Lucas: The timing is important. The Council of Trent had just wrapped up, and the Catholic Church was doubling down on orthodoxy after the Protestant Reformation. Portugal, eager to prove its Catholic credentials, brought the Inquisition to Goa just a few years after St. Francis Xavier had been there. Luna: So it was part of the Counter-Reformation, but why specifically Goa? Lucas: Goa was the hub of Portuguese trade and missionary activity in Asia. There was a large population of 'New Christians' — Jews and Muslims who had been forcibly converted to Christianity in Portugal — and they were suspected of secretly practicing their old religions. Also, many native Hindus and Muslims had converted, but some were thought to be crypto-believers. Lucas: The first inquisitor was Aleixo Dias Falcão, who arrived in 1560 with a mandate from Cardinal Henrique, the head of the Portuguese Inquisition. He set up shop in the old palace of the governor, and the tribunal began hearing cases almost immediately. Luna: What kind of punishments were we talking about? Lucas: It ran the gamut. For minor offenses, you might get a public penance or a fine. For more serious cases, you could be tortured to extract a confession, and then possibly handed over to the secular authorities for execution. The most dramatic spectacle was the auto-da-fé, the 'act of faith,' a public ceremony where sentences were read out. Lucas: The first auto-da-fé in Goa was held in 1562, and it became a regular event, sometimes involving hundreds of people. The condemned would wear a sanbenito, a yellow penitential garment, and their fates would be announced in front of a huge crowd. It was as much about political theater as religious punishment. Luna: That sounds terrifying. Were there many executions? Lucas: Relatively few compared to the total cases. From 1560 to 1774, about 16,000 people were tried, but only around 100 were actually executed. The vast majority were reconciled, meaning they were allowed back into the Church after doing penance. But the terror wasn't just in the deaths; it was in the constant surveillance. Lucas: The Inquisition relied heavily on denunciations. Neighbors, relatives, even servants were encouraged to report anyone who seemed to deviate from Catholic practice. The tribunals had spies everywhere, and a careless word could land you in the cells for years. Luna: So how did the local Goan population react to all this? Lucas: There was a lot of fear and resentment. Many converts, called 'gentios' by the Portuguese, continued to practice Hindu rituals in secret. The Inquisition actively tried to suppress these 'malabar rites,' which included things like bathing in the Mandovi River or using sandalwood paste in ceremonies. They saw it as a threat to the purity of the faith. Lucas: But there were some who tried to resist. One notable figure was a Brahmin named Dom Mateus de Castro, who went all the way to Rome to protest the harsh treatment of native Christians. He managed to get some concessions, but the Inquisition remained firmly in place. Luna: Wow, that's a brave thing to do. But did it actually change anything? Lucas: In the short term, not much. The Inquisition continued to operate for over two centuries, until it was finally abolished in Portugal in 1821, and Goa followed a year later. By then, Goan society had been deeply shaped by the experience — many old Hindu temples had been destroyed, and a new Christian elite had emerged. Lucas: But the legacy is complex. On one hand, the Inquisition was a brutal instrument of colonial control. On the other, it also created a distinct Goan Catholic identity that blended Portuguese and Indian influences. You can see that in the architecture, the music, the food — even today. Luna: It's such a tangled history. I'm curious, was there ever any pushback from the Portuguese themselves? Lucas: Actually, yes. Some Jesuit missionaries, who were often at odds with the Inquisition, argued that forced conversions were counterproductive. They preferred a more gradual approach. But the Inquisition had the backing of the king and the papacy, so it wasn't going anywhere. Lucas: There was also a famous case in the 18th century involving a French doctor named Niccolao Manucci, who traveled through India and wrote about the Inquisition's abuses. His writings, along with others, helped shift European opinion against it, especially during the Enlightenment. Luna: So it's not like everyone was on board. It's more like a slow erosion of support. Lucas: Exactly. By the 18th century, the Portuguese empire was weakening, and the Inquisition was seen as an anachronism. The Marquis of Pombal, the powerful minister, actually tried to curb its power in Portugal, and that had an impact on Goa as well. Lucas: But even after it was abolished, the memory lingered. The Inquisition's palace in Goa was later used as a police station, and the site is now a museum. Visitors can see the cells and the torture chambers, if you can call them that — it's a sobering reminder of how faith can be weaponized. Luna: That's something we should all think about. Before we go, I know we don't usually do this, but a friend asked how they can support the show. We've been ad-free from the start, and that's a choice we want to keep. Lucas: Yeah, it means a lot to us that people listen without interruptions. If you ever want to help us keep it that way, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, it's just a way to keep the podcast going. Luna: And it's easy. But back to the Inquisition — it's wild to think that this happened in India, not just in Europe. Lucas: Absolutely. It's a chapter of colonial history that often gets skipped, but it's crucial to understanding how European powers projected their religious and political authority across the globe. The Portuguese were the first to establish a global empire, and the Inquisition was one of their tools. Lucas: So when we think about the 'Rise of Colonialism,' it's not just about maps and trade routes — it's about the people who lived under these systems, and how their lives were changed forever. The Goan Inquisition is a stark example of that. Luna: Thanks for bringing this to light. I'll definitely think about that next time I see a church in Goa. Lucas: It's a reminder that history is messy. And that's what makes it so interesting. Next time, we'll look at another overlooked aspect of colonial rule — stay tuned.