Latest / The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History / The Portuguese Inquisition in Goa: The Tribunal That Terrorized India
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Portuguese Inquisition in Portugal itself — the tribunals in Lisbon, Coimbra, Évora, and how they targeted New Christians. But the Inquisition also had a major branch overseas, and it's one that often gets overlooked: the Goa Inquisition. Luna: Wait — there was an Inquisition in India? Lucas: There was, and it was one of the most feared institutions in Portuguese Asia. It was formally established in 1560, at the request of none other than Saint Francis Xavier. He had written to King João III complaining that New Christians in Goa were secretly practicing Judaism, and that Hindus and Muslims were openly following their own faiths. He wanted a tribunal to enforce Catholic orthodoxy. Luna: So it was a direct response to the religious diversity of Goa. Lucas: Exactly. Goa was a hub of trade and cultural exchange, but to the Portuguese crown and the church, that diversity was a threat. The Goa Inquisition targeted three main groups: New Christians accused of Judaizing, Hindus who had converted but were suspected of backsliding, and Muslims. But over time, it also went after anyone who challenged Catholic doctrine — including some European priests who fell afoul of the church. Lucas: The tribunal was housed in the Palace of the Inquisition, near the Se Cathedral — that massive white cathedral that still dominates Old Goa. And the inquisitors had broad powers. They could arrest anyone on suspicion, confiscate property, and use torture to extract confessions. The first auto-da-fé was held in 1563, and they became a regular spectacle. Luna: What would happen at an auto-da-fé in Goa? Lucas: It was a public ceremony of penance and punishment, often held in the square in front of the Se Cathedral. Convicted heretics would process in their sambenitos — those yellow robes with crosses — and hear their sentences read aloud. Some were flogged, some imprisoned, and in extreme cases, they were burned at the stake. The church didn't carry out the execution itself — that was left to the secular authorities, a legal fiction that the church was not shedding blood. Lucas: One of the most famous victims was a Brahmin convert named Camotinho. He had converted to Christianity but was accused of secretly practicing Hinduism. He was arrested, tortured, and eventually burned at the stake in 1573. His case became a cause célèbre, and it highlighted the deep mistrust between the Portuguese and the native converts. Luna: It must have created an atmosphere of terror. Lucas: Absolutely. Neighbors spied on neighbors. Priests reported suspicious behavior. And the Inquisition didn't just target individuals — it also went after Hindu temples. In the 1560s, the inquisitors led campaigns to destroy temples in and around Goa, and they confiscated temple lands. They also banned Hindu rituals, festivals, and even the wearing of certain clothing. The goal was to erase public expressions of Hinduism. Lucas: But the Inquisition wasn't just about religion — it had an economic dimension. Many New Christians were merchants, and the Inquisition's confiscation of property was a way for the crown to seize wealth. And by persecuting Hindu merchants who were not converts, the Inquisition could disrupt trade networks that competed with Portuguese interests. Luna: So it was also a tool of colonial control. Lucas: Exactly. And it had a lasting impact on Goan society. It created a climate of fear that discouraged many from converting to Christianity, because they saw how converts were treated. And it drove some Hindu merchants to other ports, like Surat and Calicut, which actually weakened the Portuguese economy in the long run. Lucas: One lesser-known story is that of Bebiana, a Goan Hindu woman who was a poet. She was tried by the Inquisition for secretly practicing her faith. Her poetry, written in Konkani, survived, and it gives us a rare glimpse into the inner life of someone caught between two worlds. She wrote about her devotion to Hindu gods, but she also wrote in Christian idioms, as if she were trying to reconcile the two. Luna: That's heartbreaking. She couldn't be openly who she was. Lucas: And she wasn't alone. Thousands faced similar trials. The Goa Inquisition lasted until 1812, when it was finally abolished — long after the Inquisition in Portugal had become less active. It was one of the last Inquisitions to be dismantled, and by the end, its methods had become so notorious that even some Portuguese officials called for its end. Luna: If today's episode was useful to you, and you want to keep these conversations ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It really helps. Lucas: Yeah, absolutely. And on that note — it's worth reflecting that the Inquisition's legacy in Goa is still a sensitive topic today. The Se Cathedral stands as a monument to Portuguese power, but the shadow of the Inquisition lingers in the silence of destroyed temples and lost traditions. Luna: It's sobering to think how much was erased. Lucas: It is. And yet, some voices survived — like Bebiana's poetry, or the records of the trials themselves. Historians have been able to reconstruct a lot of what happened, and it reminds us that behind the grand narrative of empire, there are always individual lives and stories.