The Inquisitions originated in France in the 12th century to address religious sectarianism (excessive attachment to a particular sect). The Roman Catholic Church wanted to maintain control over the church. In some ways, these Inquisitions echo the actions of the Pharisees (i.e. Jewish religious leaders) in the time of Jesus, who charged and prosecuted him and his first followers.
By the mid-15th century, the Inquisition trials had significantly expanded in response to the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation, spreading into several European countries. There were also more localized expansions, such as the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition; these called into question the authenticity of Jewish and Muslim conversions to Catholicism.