Eduardo Benítez-Inglott y Ballesteros

Thesis Title: In an Age of Uncertainty: Inquisition in Castile and Aragón (1425–1504)

Supervisors: Professor Steven Gunn and Dr John Edwards (†)

Eduardo's doctoral project explores the genesis of the Spanish Inquisition between the first known inquisitorial 'initiative' in Castile (1425) and the death of Queen Isabel la Católica (1504). By focusing on the development of regional understandings of heresy, he investigates the relationship between pastoral visits for the detection of heresy before 1478, and also examines the post-1478 Holy Office's impact on local political structures under the Catholic Monarchs. He is also researching movements for and against the Inquisition in Renaissance Rome using the discipline of Applied Diplomatics, which is the study of documentary structures and settings to solve substantive historical problems. In particular, his research has brought to light the different ways in which the Papal Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary handled petitions for absolution from those persecuted and condemned by the Spanish Inquisition, thus pioneering a previously unexplored aspect of inquisitorial procedural history.

Research Interests

Eduardo is an interdisciplinary student with interests ranging from anthropology to manuscript studies and covering politics, administration, religion, art, and literary studies. Over Michælmas 2022 he acted as graduate assistant in the special subject paper The Trial of the Tudor State: Politics, Religion, and Society, 1540-1560.

Select conference papers

• 'Seville's Inquisition Network, c. 1474-c. 1504', paper presented in the panel 'Converso Entanglements in 15th-century Castile', International Medieval Congress 2023: Networks & Entanglements, University of Leeds (4 July 2023).
• 'A revolving door? heresy and apostasy in the context of forced conversion in Spain (1391-c.1450)', paper presented in a two-part special workshop on conversos, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Queen Mary University of London-University of Oxford (20 & 27 May 2022).
• 'El chivo expiatorio en la Castilla e Inglaterra tardomedieval: Los Lolardos y los Judeoconversos', Aula Manuel Alemán, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (14 January 2021). 
• 'Discordia in regno, hæreses ubique: disobedience, socio-political tensions, and the “creation” of heresy', L'Apprendistato dello storico (IV): disobbedire nel medioevo. Tensioni, repressioni, pacificazioni, Sapienza Università di Roma (11-15 January 2021). 
• 'The Politics of Heresy: the Scapegoating of Minorities in Fifteenth-century England and Castile', The Oxford Transnational and Global History Seminar, University of Oxford (24 November 2020).

Publications

• 'Causas in Partibus Cognoscendas: An Edition of a Vatican Document and Its Possibilities for Future Research on Papal Judges Delegate in Late Medieval Castile', Anthologica Annua, 70/1 (2023), 349–68. Available online. 

Public Engagement

Eduardo is committed to sharing his project and discoveries with those beyond the academic environment. He believes that History can be of immense use for the Present, in particular concerning the wellbeing of religious, social, and ethnic minorities. To that intent he is involved with the media and can be found on Academia.edu, LinkedIn, and is very happy to be contacted by e-mail. 

• Contribution with Dr Jörn Günther Rare Books AG: 'Popes, Conversos, and the Eternal City' (15/09/2023).
• Interviewed in the podcast series Triálogos (13/02/2021): 'The Inquisition and the 21st Century: History in the Service of the Present'. Available via YouTube and IVOOX. 
• Interview: 'Un Canario en Oxford' ('A Canarian at Oxford'), Canarias7 (29/12/2019). 

In stark contrast to most doctorates on medieval history, this DPhil has modern applicability since it aims to comprehend the relationship between crises and scapegoating more thoroughly.The doctorate's returns can be of use for United Kingdom and Spanish government organisations, as well as international bodies such as the United Nations' Forum on Minority Issues.  

About 

Eduardo read History at King's College London as an undergraduate (2014–2017). He then pursued an MSt Medieval Studies at St Catz, Oxford (2017-2018). He has been in receipt of numerous awards, including the Vice-Chancellor's (100th!) De Osma Studentship and the Jewish Historical Society of England's Award. 

He is an member of the Jewish Historical Society of England, the British-Spanish Society, the British School at Rome, and the Oxford Centre for Intellectual History.