September 17: Killing the Inquisitor

Pedro de Arbues, inquisitor for the Spanish province of Aragon, was assassinated in the Zaragoza Cathedral on this date in 1485 in revenge for his persecutions of conversos. (Arbues had conducted two autos-da-fe during his first months in office.) The plotters were Juan de la Abadia and Juan Esperandeu, two wealthy conversos, in consultation with several other Jews and conversos of rank, including Gabriel Sanchez, treasurer to the King of Aragon. In response, nine conversos were tortured and executed, while two committed suicide and thirteen were burned at the stake, according to a contemporary report. The assassination reinforced the Inquisition’s zeal against “crypto-Jews,” as Pedro de Arbues was embraced by the broad population as a martyr. Arbues was made a saint by Pope Pius IX in 1867, which aroused protests from Jews as well as Christians.

“The divine wisdom has arranged that in these sad days, when Jews help the enemies of the church with their books and money, this decree of sanctity has been brought to fulfillment.” —Pope Pius IX