Letters on the Spanish Inquisition: a Rare Work, and the Best Which Has Ever Appeared on the Subject

by Joseph de Maistre

This is a copy of the original book. In this series, we are bringing old books back into print using our own state-of-the-art techniques. Generally, these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way that the author intended. However, as we are working with old material, so occasionally there may be certain imperfections within the text. We are so pleased to ensure these classics are available again for generations to come.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Catholic, Religion

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1977

About the author

A Savoyard lawyer, diplomat, writer, and philosopher. He was the most influential spokesmen for hierarchical political systems in the period immediately following the French Revolution of 1789. Despite his close personal and intellectual ties to France, Maistre remained throughout his life a loyal subject of the King of Sardinia, whom he served as member of the Savoy Senate (1787–1792), ambassador to Russia (1803–1817), and minister of state to the court in Turin (1817–1821).
Maistre argued for the restoration of hereditary monarchy, which he regarded as a divinely sanctioned institution, and for the indirect authority of the Pope over temporal matters. According to Maistre, only governments founded upon a Christian constitution, implicit in the customs and institutions of all European societies but especially in Catholic European monarchies, could avoid the disorder and bloodshed that followed the implementation of rationalist political programs, such as the 1789 revolution. Maistre was an enthusiastic proponent of the principle of hierarchical authority, which the Revolution sought to destroy; he extolled the monarchy, he exalted the privileges of the papacy, and he glorified God's providence.
Xavier de Maistre was his younger brother.

Reviews

[Wilfredo R. Dotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an interesting and informative book that defeats all the unfounded myths about the Spanish Inquisition. In it, de Maistre explains the need for its creation (which was created in 1478 to combat the judaizing foci that had been located in the archbishopric of Seville), as well as its procedures, always emphasizing that this institution was not as bloody as it has been made to see, owing to a great extent to the propaganda issued by England, Germany, Holland and France, who at that time were enemies of Spain and professed Protestantism, which maintained (and still do) an antagonism towards Catholicism.

[Tanner Gadams · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Spain is awesome, actually. Anglos cope and seethe."--Joseph de Maistre (probably)

[Adrian Fanaca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conservative French writer tries to convince us that the crimes of the Spanish Inquisitions were not crimes of the Church but crimes of the state. This effort to whitewash the Catholic Church is regretable and wrong, in my opinion. Those crimes for the truth were done by a group which was led by the Catholic Church, even if it included members of the Spanish Monarchy. This is ridiculuous! This document has some historical value, for example we find valuable information about the British protestants crimes towards the Irish catholic, which is a big blow for the common knowledge that Brits were liberal and ahead of their times.

[Hafl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turns out the Spanish Inquisition was much less bloodthirsty and much more boring than everyone thought.

[Pyatno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Де Местр - человек тонко понимающий отдельных людей и целые народы. Его по праву считают отцом политической реакции, возможно, знакомство с его работами сильно повлияет на ваше восприятие многих исторических событий.

[Eduardo Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pontuações lógicas, dialéticas, onde ele destroi a concepção errada sobre a inquisição espanhola através de citações, fontes e de demontrar que a inquisição era um tribunal eclesiástico e toda a decisão judicial partia dos juízos do estado e do próprio rei.

[Neo_classical · Rating 4 out of 5]

surgical and legalistic defence from the lawyer, Joseph de Goatstre

[Dmitriy Slepov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Неплохие мысли и живейший ум; оригинальные обоснования мыслей и хорошая доказательная база. Интересный анализ политической ситуации начала XIX века от такого умного и тонкого "пламенного консерватора". В общем довольно любопытные мысли и отличная риторика.
Но витиеватый стиль изложения с десятками "рюшечек" вокруг каждой фразы убивает всё желание читать. Приходилось прям-таки продираться сквозь стиль, чтобы увидеть мысли и попробовать насладиться ими. Последнюю треть книги даже не осилил, не хватило мне моральных сил бороться с высоким штилем публицистики того времени.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is edited by a Revered Thomas Fletcher, who, while knowledgeable, apparently feels the need to add extensive commentary in his footnotes throughout the book. The footnotes are almost always helpful, to varying degrees, but they considerably slow down the pace of the book. I have no complaints about de Maistre himself. His writing can be challenging - it requires consistent concentration - but his arguments are well-presented and powerful.

[Arkadiy Volkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очередная опора для моего консерватизма. Удивительно, что даже сегодня воспринимается как что-то очень свежее и нужное. Как жаль, что к нему не прислушались.