Final answer:
The Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions were feared because they aimed to eliminate heresy by using torture and execution to enforce Catholic orthodoxy, creating a climate of fear and conformity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions were so feared because they aimed to eliminate heresy. These institutions were set up by the Catholic Church to enforce religious conformity and often used severe methods including torture and execution to achieve their goals. The inquisitions targeted individuals suspected of heresy by questioning their personal morals and beliefs, particularly focusing on those who had recently converted from Judaism or Islam to Catholicism. This scrutiny and the potential for severe punishment created a climate of fear.
The Inquisition was not about promoting religious freedom or cultural diversity; rather, it was a tool to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal. The Catholic monarchs, notably in Spain, also used the Inquisition to unify their territories under one faith and to strengthen their political power by targeting the clergy and confiscating property of convicted heretics.