Steven, you seem to have a strange view of the Inquisition. Perhaps along the lines of - you never would have fake-converted - you surely would have left the country - ergo - those who fake-converted more or less deserved what happened to them.

No. I don' believe in blaming the victim. I believe in blaming the criminal--but only for his crimes.

I think you're splitting hairs. It was all one regime, well organized, with a certain division of responsibilities. I would understand that you don't blame Christopher Columbus, for example, who worked for that regime, for responsibility for the Jews' forced expulsion/conversion. But when it comes to the Inquisition, I think we can agree that fear of the Inquisition and what might happen to you if you cheated on conversion had an important role in forcing many Jews to choose expulsion. If Ferdinand and Isabela are guilty of ordering the expulsion, the Inquisition is guilty of enforcing it.

Elan