El Conservador (1820), un periódico exaltado del Trienio Liberal para justificar la abrogación de la Inquisición y servir a la Historia

Abstract

Despite its title there was nothing “conservative” about the newspaper El Conservador published in Madrid from March 27th to September 30th, 1820. Actively campaigning against Inquisition, the paper proved how wise it had been to abolish it through various articles exposing the excesses and atrocities perpetrated by its members between 1815 and 1820, at a time when, according to the paper, the Tribunal of the Holy Office had been more repressive than ever (before) and a period for which no figures nor testimonies remained. El Conservador also strongly advised former prisoners from these secret jails to make statements for the sake of History. Thus, through its close analysis of articles published about the Inquisition and its members, this piece, after introducing a paper seldom studied, is trying to bring light to the Holy Office’s endeavours at a period for which information is scarce.

Keywords

• Conservador (El) (1820)
• Liberal Triennium (1820-1823)
• Exaltation press
• Inquisition
• Testimonies
• Prisoners