English Inquisition

The English Inquisition was an organization of the Catholic Church which worked closely with the English government when Catholicism was that kingdom's official state religion under Queen Mary from 1553 to 1558 and under Queen Isabella and King Albert from 1588 to 1598. Like Inquisitions in other Catholic kingdoms, the English Inquisition was charged with rooting out heresy. Under Isabella and Albert, the Inquisition identified Protestants, alchemists, homosexuals and others whose beliefs or actions were canonically prohibited. An accused heretic would be incarcerated and given several opportunities to recant their heretical beliefs. If they consistently refused, they would be executed, usually in an auto da fe.

During the Protestant eras of English history, there was no exact equivalent of the English Inquisition, but there were state-sponsored institutions to persecute both Catholics and Puritans.