Lurker, the Spanish Inquisition was set up to persicute the Jews under Isabella and Ferdinand (I think that is their names, anyway.) With the Moors being expelled (a good thing, by the way, it saved Spain from the barbarity of Islam) they then imposed Christianity on its population, including the Jews. Their was some doubt as to the sincerity of the Jews conversion and so the Inquisition was set up to check out on the Jews. Really, it was just an excuse to pick on the Jews. When the Protestant Reformation started sweeping across Europe, liberating Europe from the clutches of the Catholic Church (ie. superstition, ignorance, intolerance, etc.) the Inquisition was already in place and attention was diverted away from the Jews to the Protestants. England only ever kicked the Jews out once and that was Edwards I. I can't even find an Englishman to defend Edward I, who was, least we forget, a catholic. Oliver Cromwell let the Jews back in. A much maligned and misunderstood man is Ollie.I think that if we, the Scots and the English, let the Irish down is was that we did not convert them to the Protestant religion and save them from the superstitious and backwards ways. While the Protestant religion was liberating Europe and heralding in the Enlightenment, the Irish were still getting drunk, having babies, and being kept in the dark by their Priests....and if that doesn't bring Sorefinger back to this forum, then I have underestimated him. Hee Hee.