In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Spanish Inquisition fought especially fiercely against heretics. Codes were created that determined the degree of guilt of the apostates, new instruments of torture were invented. Thus, inquisitor Pedro de Arbuez, in order to diversify the process of punishing heretics, invented a special chess. There were people on the playing field, and the concept of “cutting down a figure” acquired a direct meaning. The heads of the unfortunate were cut off for real.
Zaragoza / Martinez del Mazo, 1647
Pedro de Arbuez was considered one of the most authoritative inquisitors under the Spanish queen Isabella at the end of the 15th century. And when a denunciation was received in the capital that the number of heretics had allegedly increased dramatically in the city of Zaragoza, it was Pedro de Arbuez who was sent to restore order. Together with him went another executioner - Gaspar Hooglar.
Pedro de Arbuez condemns to death the family of a heretic
When the inquisitors arrived at the scene, it turned out that local Jews were suspected of heresy. The informers (impoverished nobles) simply envied the successful businessmen and decided to exterminate them with the help of the Inquisition. This fact did not bother Pedro Arbues at all and he set to work with great zeal.
Massacres, interrogations, torture - all this aroused the hatred of local residents. The families of those executed organized a conspiracy that resulted in the poisoning of Gaspar Hooglar. Upon learning of the death of the inquisitor in Madrid, Queen Isabella advised Pedro de Arbues to take measures to ensure his safety. The inquisitor increased his guard, put on chain mail under his cassock and continued to rage.
Tribunal of the Inquisition / Francisco Goya
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After some time, the traditional methods of torture no longer suited the inquisitor, so he invented a new method of destroying heretics, and at the same time entertainment for himself. We are talking about "live" chess. According to the inquisitor's rules, prisoners in white and black clothes were lined up on a huge chessboard.
Two blind monks were playing chess. When the defeated "figure" had to leave the field, the executioner simply chopped off her head. At the end of the game, the chessboard turned into a bloody mess. In this brutal game, there were no winners or losers. Those who were the last in the field were still going to the stake. This procedure was called "cleansing by fire."
Soon from the overly active actions of Pedro de Arbuez in Zaragoza, a fifth of the population was destroyed. Eventually, the villagers began collecting money in order to hire assassins to eliminate the inquisitor. An amount of R $ 10,000 was collected. The mercenary attack failed, the guards managed to fight back. Then the townspeople lay in wait for Pedro de Arbuez in the church and stabbed him.
Death of Pedro de Arbues / Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1664 year
The news of the death of the inquisitor shook Madrid. Queen Isabella promised a huge monetary reward for those times for information about the murderers of Arbues. While they were looking for those responsible for the death of the inquisitor, all the suspects languished in torture chambers. Several people were burned daily.
To pay tribute to Pedro de Arbues for "good deeds", the Catholic Church canonized him in 1664 and canonized him in 1867.