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How many people were estimated to have been burned at the stake during Torquemada’s time as grand inquisitor?
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inquisition
St. Dominic Presiding at an Auto-da-Fé, panel by Pedro Berruguete, c. 1503; in the Prado, Madrid.
During the tenure of Tomás de Torquemada as the first grand inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition, the number of people estimated to have been burned at the stake is approximately 2,000.12
While some historical accounts from Protestant critics exaggerated these figures, modern estimates generally settle on this number. It is important to note that the Inquisition utilized brutal methods, including torture and confiscation, to enforce religious and social conformity, reflecting the harsh judicial standards of that era.21