The Spanish Inquisition is suppressed by royal decree

Background. The Tribunal of the Holy Office was authorized by Pope Sixtus IV in 1478 and became an effective instrument of state power, replacing the Papal-controlled Medieval Inquisition. Although its stated aim was maintaining Christian orthodoxy, it functioned as a tool of the monarchy, with councilors from the Royal Council of Castile advising on legal and religious matters by the 17th century.

Abolition. On 15 July 1834, Regent Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, the liberal widow of Ferdinand VII, abolished the Inquisition by Royal Decree. This action occurred during the minority of Isabella II and was executed with the approval of Cabinet President Francisco Martínez de la Rosa, marking the end of the institution's formal existence.

Political Context. The abolition took place during the regency for Isabella II, following the death of Ferdinand VII in 1833. The decree reflected the political dynamics of the period, where the regent's liberal stance contrasted with the absolutist rule of the previous reign, leading to the suppression of institutions associated with the old conservative order.