"Mostra-me por que me julgas assim": A petição de António Vieira ao Conselho Geral da Inquisição Portuguesa (1665)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze Antonio Vieira’s petitions (1608-1697), addressed to the Portuguese Inquisition, as a result of a legal proceeding pursued by the Court of Inquisition in Lisbon in 1663, due to his millennialist and messianic ideas inspired by António Gonçalves Annes Bandarra’s prophetism. Certainly, his arrest was also related to his criticism of inquisitorial activity, and to his persecution policy towards New Christians, during the reign of King John IV. This research uses Vieira’s own speech, in which he shows a concern about inquisitorial objections, the possible rise of Portugal as a political force and religious quarrels.

Keywords

• inquisition legal proceeding
• sebastianismo
• antónio vieira
• d. joão iv
• new christians