Between the wave of anti-Semitic violence in 1391 and the expulsion of all Jews in 1492, many thousands of Spanish Jews were baptized. Many of them remained in close contact with their Jewish relatives, and no small number also observed some traditional Jewish rituals in private. Concerns about such behavior, and the beliefs it suggested—as well as the equivalent practices of baptized Muslims and, later, the infiltration of Protestant doctrines—led the monarchy to create the Spanish Inquisition in 1478. This office of the Church was responsible for investigating Catholics suspected of harboring heretical ideas or engaging in blasphemous activities. (Unconverted Jews and Muslims were excluded from its jurisdiction.)
The Holy Office also kept meticulous records of its interrogations, which generally began with the simple question, “Tell us about yourself.” For Richard Kagan, these documents have been an invaluable source about the lives of former Jews and their descendants. He discusses his findings with Nachi Weinstein. (Audio, 74 minutes.)
Read more on Seforim Chatter: https://seforimchatter.com/2023/08/02/spanish-jewry-through-the-ages-episode-10-prof-richard-kagan-autobiographical-tales-from-the-inquisition/