John of Capistrano was a Franciscan, penitential preacher and papal inquisitor. In 1426 Martin V appointed him inquisitor general against the Fraticelli throughout Italy; with James of the March he destroyed their settlements, and followers were burned at Florence and Fabriano. Nicholas V made him inquisitor of the Jews. In 1453 at Breslau he directed the torture and trial of Jews accused of desecrating a host; forty-one were burned in one day and their small children forcibly baptised. According to Graetz, his admirers called him the "Scourge of the Jews". The Church beatified him in 1694 and canonised him in 1724.
Deaths
41(counted, Jews, burned at Breslau on 2 June 1453)Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891
„forty-one convicted Jews were burnt on one day (2d June, 1453)“
In 1453 at Breslau he directed the inquiry against Jews accused of desecrating a host. According to Graetz, he had Jews stretched on the rack and instructed the torturers himself, sat in judgment on 318 arrested persons, and on 2 June 1453 forty-one were burned in one day. The children under seven of those expelled were taken away and baptised, according to Graetz at his wish. Lea likewise gives forty-one burned. See the entry Breslau 1453.
Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 261
„He ordered a few Jews to be stretched on the rack, and personally instructed the torturers in their task“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 261.
OriginalEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 262
„in all 318 persons, were arrested in different localities, and brought to Breslau. Capistrano sat in judgment upon them, and hurried them to execution.“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 262.
OriginalEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 262
„forty-one convicted Jews were burnt on one day (2d June, 1453)“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 262.
OriginalEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 262
„This was Capistrano’s wish“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 262.
OriginalEvidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39458), Bd. 2, S. 549
„Capistrano made another onslaught on them, and this time burned no less than forty-one.“
Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 2 (New York 1888), Bd. 2, S. 549.
Original
How were they charged and sentenced?
On 27 May 1426 Martin V appointed him inquisitor general against the Fraticelli; Eugene IV renewed the commission in 1432, Nicholas V in 1447. Under Martin's instructions of 1428, all suspects in the village of Maiolati were to be put to the rack, the village destroyed and the children taken from their parents. With James of the March he burned thirty-six settlements of the Fraticelli or dispersed their members; followers were burned at Florence and Fabriano. See the entry on the persecution of the Fraticelli.
Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 6 (1909), Artikel Fraticelli
„In the same year Martin V nominated St. John Capistran (27 May) and St. James of the March (11 October) as inquisitors general to take action against the Fraticelli.“
Fraticelli, Artikel Fraticelli.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39580), Bd. 3, S. 177
„he renewed Capistrano’s commission in 1432 as a general inquisitor against the Fraticelli“
Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 3 (New York 1887/88), Bd. 3, S. 177.
OriginalEvidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39580), Bd. 3, S. 177
„When, in 1447, Nicholas V. ascended the papal throne, he made haste to renew Capistrano’s commission“
Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 3 (New York 1887/88), Bd. 3, S. 177.
OriginalEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 6 (1909), Artikel Fraticelli
„to put all suspects to the rack, destroy their village, separate the children from heretical parents, and disperse the elder population“
Fraticelli, Artikel Fraticelli.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 6 (1909), Artikel Fraticelli
„John of Capistrano and James of the March burned thirty-six of their establishments or dispersed the members and a number were burned at the stake at Florence and Fabriano, at the latter place in the presence of the pope.“
Nicholas V entrusted him with enforcing his bull on Jews of 1447 and appointed him inquisitor of the Jews. According to Graetz, he was authorised to take the whole fortune of Jewish physicians who treated Christians. As papal nuncio he travelled through the Empire from 1451, preaching against the Hussites, and visited Poland.
Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 253
„execution was confided to the pitiless Jew-hater and heretic-hunter, John of Capistrano“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 253.
OriginalEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 258
„This procured his appointment by Pope Nicholas to the post of inquisitor of the Jews“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 258.
OriginalEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 253
„Capistrano was authorized to confiscate the whole of the offender’s fortune and property“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 253.
OriginalEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„in 1451 he went at the request of the emperor as Apostolic nuncio to Austria. During the period of his nunciature John visited all parts of the empire, preaching and combatting the heresy of the Hussites; he also visited Poland“
Giovanni da Capistrano was born at Capistrano in the diocese of Sulmona in 1385 and died on 23 October 1456. He was a lawyer and governor of Perugia, entered the Franciscan Order in 1416 and from 1425 preached as a priest throughout Italy to great crowds.
Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„Born at Capistrano, in the Diocese of Sulmona, Italy, 1385; died 23 October, 1456.“
St. John Capistran, Artikel St. John Capistran.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„In 1412 he was appointed governor of Perugia“
St. John Capistran, Artikel St. John Capistran.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„which he did 4 October, 1416“
St. John Capistran, Artikel St. John Capistran.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„But his apostolic life began in 1425, after he had received the priesthood.“
Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)
According to Lea, it irritated Capistrano in Bohemia that with the Hussites he was limited to persuasion and could not enforce his arguments with the dungeon and the stake. Against Jews, Lea writes, he exercised his inquisitorial office pitilessly at the same time.
Evidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39458), Bd. 2, S. 548
„To Capistrano the position was irritating in the extreme, insomuch as he was limited to the arts of persuasion, and was unable to enforce his arguments with the dungeon and the stake.“
Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 2 (New York 1888), Bd. 2, S. 548.
OriginalEvidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39458), Bd. 2, S. 549
„Yet at this very time Capistrano had no difficulty in exercising his inquisitorial office pitilessly when the victims were unfortunate Jews.“
Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 2 (New York 1888), Bd. 2, S. 549.
Original
Response of the Church
In 1454 he promoted a crusade against the Turks at the Diet of Frankfurt and in 1456 led the left wing of the Christian army at Belgrade. According to Graetz, his admirers called him the "Scourge of the Jews". He was beatified in 1694 and canonised in 1724.
Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„In 1454 he was summoned to the Diet at Frankfort, to assist that assembly in its deliberation concerning a crusade against the Turks“
St. John Capistran, Artikel St. John Capistran.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„he was present at the battle of Belgrade, and led the left wing of the Christian army against the Turks“
St. John Capistran, Artikel St. John Capistran.
Original · Archive copyEvidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Bd. 4, S. 260
„as his admirers called him“
History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Bd. 4, S. 260.
OriginalEvidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Artikel St. John Capistran
„He was beatified in 1694, and canonized in 1724.“
Reference work
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910): St. John Capistran, 1 January 1910.
Original · Archive copy(retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
Reference work
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 6 (1909): Fraticelli, 1 January 1909.
Original · Archive copy(retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
Scholarly literature
Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891: History of the Jews, Bd. 4, 1 January 1891.
Original(retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
Scholarly literature
Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39458): Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 2 (New York 1888).
Original(retrieved 11 Oct 2026)
Scholarly literature
Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39580): Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 3 (New York 1887/88).
Original(retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
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