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How did murus largus prisons differ from murus strictus prisons?
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inquisition
St. Dominic Presiding at an Auto-da-Fé, panel by Pedro Berruguete, c. 1503; in the Prado, Madrid.
The Inquisition utilized two distinct types of prisons to confine those convicted of heresy, both of which were staffed by laymen. The primary differences between them were the level of restriction and the conditions of confinement:1
- Murus largus: Known as an open prison, this type consisted of cells built around a courtyard. Inmates held in these facilities enjoyed a significant degree of freedom within the prison environment.1
- Murus strictus: This was a high-security prison. Inmates were kept in solitary confinement and were frequently restrained in chains.1
These prisons were part of the judicial system used by the Inquisition to manage those who had been convicted of heresy but were not handed over to secular authorities for execution.1