A tribunal founded to enforce religious conformity lasted for 356 years

Established in 1478 by Ferdinand and Isabella to investigate Jewish and Muslim converts suspected of secretly keeping their old faith, the Spanish Inquisition wasn't formally abolished until 1834. Its reputation for torture is well documented, though historians note many of the most lurid later legends exaggerated both its death toll and its reach compared to other courts of the era.

— Henry Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision — Yale University Press, 4th edition, 2014
Go deeper: get the book →