It was the end of October 1485, when the good people of Innsbruck, in what is today

Austria, decided that they had had enough of Heinrich Kramer. By that point in his career, the Dominican friar and

papal inquisitor was no stranger to controversy. Kramer had earned a reputation as a dogged

defender of the faith, who had made a name for himself, persecuting heretics throughout Central Europe.

By 1485, he was arguably the most experienced inquisitor in Germany.

Pope Sixtus IV himself lauded Kramer for his quote,

zeal for religion, knowledge of letters, integrity of life, constancy of faith,

and other praiseworthy virtues and merits, and quote.

But despite this glowing commendation from the Pope,

the Dominican was widely disliked.

As historian Hans Brodell has pointed out,

Kramer was, quote,

one of those people adept at ingratiating themselves with their superiors,

while systematically alienating their subordinates and peers,

end quote.

In other words, he was an ambitious kiss-ass with a thorny personality.

You know, like a real cool guy.

Even before he had arrived in Innsbruck, Kramer's career had been dotted with scandals,

beefs with other friars, and even brushes with

the secular authorities. In 1474, he was nearly thrown in prison after he peppered a speech

defending the Pope with a number of personal and slanderous remarks about the Holy Roman Emperor.

The Master General of the Dominican Order had to personally intervene to keep Kramer from being locked up.

...