The Medieval Inquisition: Scale-free Networks and the Suppression of Heresy

TL;DR

This paper models heresy in medieval times as a scale-free network virus, showing that targeted suppression of key individuals was more effective than mass persecution.

Contribution

It introduces a network-based perspective on heresy spread and suppression, highlighting the effectiveness of targeting influential individuals.

Findings

Heresy spread follows a scale-free network pattern.

Targeted suppression of key individuals reduces heresy more effectively.

Mass persecution is less effective than targeted strategies.

Abstract

Qualitative evidence suggests that heresy within the medieval Catholic Church had many of the characteristics of a scale-free network. From the perspective of the Church, heresy can be seen as a virus. The virus persisted for long periods of time, breaking out again even when the Church believed it to have been eradicated. A principal mechanism of heresy was through a small number of individuals with very large numbers of social contacts. Initial attempts by the Inquisition to suppress the virus by general persecution, or even mass slaughtering, of populations thought to harbour the "disease" failed. Gradually, however, the Inquisition learned about the nature of the social networks by which heresy both spread and persisted. Eventually, a policy of targeting key individuals was implemented, which proved to be much more successful.