Goa Inquisition

The Goa Inquisition was a religious court set up by Portuguese rulers in Goa to investigate and punish people accused of not following Catholic Christianity.

• It began in 1560, when Goa was the main centre of Portuguese power in India. The court was influenced by similar Inquisitions in Portugal and Spain.
• Its targets included Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and especially people who had converted to Christianity but were suspected of continuing older religious customs in private.
• People accused by the Inquisition could be questioned harshly, imprisoned, or punished. Religious practices that had long been part of local life could become dangerous under Portuguese rule.
• The Inquisition was connected to wider Portuguese control: political power, trade control, and missionary activity often worked together to strengthen colonial rule.
• It continued, with interruptions, for over two centuries and was finally abolished in 1812. Its history shows that colonial rule affected not only land and trade, but also people’s freedom to practise their faith and preserve their traditions.