The Logroño Inquisition Tribunal and Witchcraft Persecutions in Northern Spain

Although Logroño is not a Basque city, it served as the headquarters for an Inquisition tribunal overseeing the Kingdom of Navarre, Álava, Gipuzkoa, Biscay, La Rioja, and parts of Burgos and Soria. This tribunal became one of the most active in Spain, particularly in cases related to witchcraft and superstitions.

Scope of the Logroño Tribunal

• The tribunal investigated a wide range of offenses against Catholic orthodoxy, including:

  • Blasphemy.
  • Crypto-Judaism (secretly practicing Jewish traditions).
  • Healing with nóminas—amulets containing the names of saints, used for protection or medical purposes.
  • Witchcraft and magic, which became the most notorious cases handled by the tribunal.

• Unlike many other Inquisition tribunals, Logroño heavily targeted alleged witches and folk healers, making it a center for witch trials in Spain.

The Accused: Witches, Priests, and Healers

• While women were the primary targets, men, children, and even priests were also accused of engaging in supernatural practices.
• Children were sometimes forced to testify against their parents or neighbors.
• Priests and healers were accused of using “nóminas” (amulets inscribed with saints' names), a traditional form of folk healing that was considered heretical by the Inquisition.

The Logroño Witch Trials (1609–1614)

• The most infamous trials occurred in Logroño between 1609 and 1614, centered around the Basque witch hysteria, particularly in the town of Zugarramurdi (Navarre).
• In 1610, a mass auto-da-fé (act of faith) was held in Logroño, during which six accused witches were burned at the stake, while many others were sentenced to penance or imprisonment.
• The trials were based largely on forced confessions and testimonies from children, leading to hundreds of arrests.
• Eventually, Alonso de Salazar Frías, an inquisitor, investigated the claims and found no real evidence of witchcraft, helping to end the hysteria.

Conclusion: The Logroño Tribunal’s Role in the Inquisition

• The Logroño Inquisition tribunal played a major role in the persecution of suspected witches and healers in northern Spain, especially in the early 17th century.
• While witch trials were more common in Protestant regions of Europe, the Basque witch trials at Logroño became one of the most infamous episodes of the Spanish Inquisition.
• The trials of 1609–1614 eventually led to skepticism within the Inquisition about the reality of witchcraft, influencing later judicial approaches to witch trials in Spain.

Despite its notorious history, the Logroño tribunal continued to operate, targeting folk practices, religious nonconformity, and heretical beliefs well into the 18th century.