From Wikipedia

Secret Files Of The Inquisition
Episode One

Root Out The Heretics

The Spanish Inquisition was an ecclesiastical tribunal started in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the medieval inquisition which was under papal control, and was considered too lenient. The Inquisition worked in large part to ensure the orthodoxy of recent converts, especially Jews, Muslims, and others coerced on pain of death to adopt the Christian religion. Various motives have been proposed for the monarchs' decision to found the Inquisition, such as increasing political authority, weakening opposition, doing away with conversos and profit from confiscating the property of convicted heretics.

The new body was under the direct control of the Spanish monarchy. It was not definitively abolished until 1834, during the reign of Isabella II.

The Inquisition, as an ecclesiastical tribunal, had jurisdiction only over baptized Christians. This included those who practiced forms of Christianity other than Catholicism, and at the time were considered heretics by Catholic Church and newly formed Spanish kingdoms