History The Middle Ages Questions
In medieval society, heresy referred to the act of holding beliefs or opinions that contradicted or deviated from the established teachings of the Catholic Church. The consequences of heresy were severe and varied. Those accused of heresy could face excommunication, which meant being expelled from the Church and denied access to sacraments. Additionally, heretics were often subjected to legal persecution by secular authorities, leading to imprisonment, torture, or even execution. The most infamous example of this was the Inquisition, a Church-led institution that aimed to identify and eradicate heresy. The consequences of heresy in medieval society were thus both religious and legal, resulting in social exclusion, punishment, and sometimes death.