The Inquisition took place primarily within the context of the medieval and early modern Catholic Church, especially in Spain and Portugal. The Spanish Inquisition began in 1478, targeting converts from Judaism and Islam suspected of secretly practicing their former faiths. The Inquisition sought to maintain religious conformity and eliminate heresy, employing methods such as interrogation and trial. Though often associated with the Catholic Church's repression against perceived deviations from orthodoxy, the term 'Inquisition' also refers more generally to efforts by various religious authorities to investigate and combat heresy across different regions during that time.