The Portuguese Inquisition in Brazil: Faith, Fear, and Colonial Control

When the Portuguese Inquisition reached Brazil in the 16th century, it wasn't quite the same institution that terrorized Goa or Lisbon. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the Holy Office operated in the colony — a vast, sprawling territory where the Church struggled to enforce orthodoxy. They discuss the first visitations, the role of the episcopal inquisition in Salvador da Bahia, and the surprising targets: not just Jewish converts but also African slaves accused of witchcraft, indigenous people practicing their old rituals, and even French Calvinists. Learn about the auto-da-fé of 1579 in Salvador, the case of the 'holy ghost' cult in the 1610s, and how the Inquisition's reach was limited by geography and colonial politics. The hosts also touch on the tangled relationship between religious authority and the slave trade, and what records reveal about the daily lives of those accused. A nuanced look at how one of Europe's most fearsome institutions adapted — and struggled — in the Americas. #InquisitionPortuguesa #BrazilColonial #SalvadorDaBahia #AutoDaFé #CristãosNovos #Jesuitas #HistóriaDoBrasil #Colonialismo #TráficoDeEscravos #Sinhás #Feitiçaria #SéculoXVI #SéculoXVII #Portugal #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast #Inquisition Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo