The neighboring kingdom of Portu-gal generally followed Spanish policy on religion. Pope Paul III au-thorized a Portuguese Inquisition in 1536. It was organized on the Spanish model—that is, highly centralized and under royal control. As in Spain, most of the executions occurred in the early decades of its existence, and most of the victims were converted Jews. Both the Spanish and the Portuguese inquisitions followed the procedures used by medieval inquisitors. Both national inquisitions also became involved in the censorship of books during their struggle to suppress Protestantism.
Historical Dictionary of Renaissance. Charles G. Nauert. 2004.