Pedro de Arbués (c. 1441 to 1485): Inquisitor of Aragon, assassinated in 1485 and canonized by Pius IX in 1867; the reference works contradict each other on death sentences

Pedro de Arbués, a canon at Saragossa, was appointed inquisitor for Aragon by Torquemada in 1484. The Jewish Encyclopedia reports two autos da fé in his first month, at which several Marranos were executed; the Catholic Encyclopedia claims that no death sentence can be traced to him. In 1485 he was attacked in the cathedral and died two days later, on 17 September. Pius IX canonized him in 1867, which according to the Jewish Encyclopedia aroused protests from Jews and Christians.

Life dates

1441-1485 (about 44 years old)

Country

Spain

Institutions

Spanish Inquisition

Category

Anti-Judaism, Heresy trials, Persecution

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Arbués was born around 1441 or 1442, became a canon at Saragossa and died on 17 September 1485. In 1484 Torquemada appointed him inquisitor for Aragon.
   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel St. Peter of Arbues

   „Born in 1441 (or 1442); died 17 Sept., 1485.“

   Evidence: Dodd, Mead and Company (Wikisource), Artikel Arbués, Pedro

   „in 1484 was appointed first inquisitor of Saragossa by Torquemada“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Marranos had previously tried in vain, with large offers of money, to induce the royal couple to limit the Inquisition and its confiscations. Juan de la Abadia, whose sister the Inquisition had executed and whose father it had condemned, and Juan Esperandeu had the murder carried out by a hired assassin.
   Evidence: Funk & Wagnalls (Wikisource), Artikel Arbues, Pedro

   „Abadia's incentive was doubtless the execution of his sister and the condemnation of his father by the Inquisition.“

   Evidence: Funk & Wagnalls (Wikisource), Artikel Arbues, Pedro

   „The offer of enormous sums to Ferdinand and Isabella to induce them to limit the activity of the Inquisition and the confiscation of property had been fruitless“

Response of the Church

1. Pius IX canonized Arbués in 1867. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia this aroused protests from Jews and Christians.
   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel St. Peter of Arbues

   „He was canonized by Pius IX, in 1867.“

   Evidence: Funk & Wagnalls (Wikisource), Artikel Arbues, Pedro

   „aroused protests not only from Jews, but from Christians“

See also

• Person 1420-1498 · about 78 years old

  Tomás de Torquemada, Grand Inquisitor of Spain

  • Spain
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Murder
  • Persecution
• 1478-1834 · 356 years

  Spanish Inquisition

  • Spain
  • Admission
  • Torture
  • Persecution
• Person 1792-1878 · about 86 years old

  Pope Pius IX (Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti)

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Torture
  • Censorship

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource): St. Peter of Arbues, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), Bd. 11, 1 January 1913. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Funk & Wagnalls (Wikisource): Arbues, Pedro, in: Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), 1 January 1906. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
3. Reference work
   Dodd, Mead and Company (Wikisource): Arbués, Pedro, in: The New International Encyclopædia (1905), Bd. 1, 1 January 1905. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.