Homework assignment here, guys. I'm taking a class called Witches, Heretics and the Inquisition and I'm narrowing down on a final paper topic. This is always the hardest part for me; once I find it, I'm good to go. But getting there is difficult. I've narrowed down my main source material, that being Inquisitions and Other Trial Procedures of the Medieval West by Kelly.
I want to write about how the "Inquisition" was not a single entity but rather a decentralized, local process and what necessitated this structure and what it's drawbacks might be. My questions are whether or not this is a good topic to choose (meaning, am I going to be able to find enough material to back up a solid 12-page paper on it), what elements you think support the thesis within Kelly's writing if you've read it (or what elements of what you know about the inquisitions in general, maybe a few recommended sources would be awesome), or if this is just a bad paper topic and/or source in general.
You don't have to go too in depth or anything, I just need to bounce ideas around until something sticks well enough for me to get started working. So far, I've taken a particular interest in the relationship between local inquisitorial authorities and the seat of Rome and how the procedures and decisions could be manipulated by political intervention to this higher authority. Specifically, how this kind of interaction might leave local inquisition vulnerable to corruption.
Please, share your thoughts however relevant they might be. I'm certain I'll learn something. If anything about this question or how I've posed it isn't in keeping with the standards of this subreddit, I apologize. This is my first post. Just let me know so I can fix it.
Let me assure you that 12 pages is not going to be a problem to fill on this subject.
Indeed, the high medieval inquisition (through 1400) was not a monolithic entity:
The practices were licensed by the pope and were locally administered by both bishops and Dominican preachers, but there was no centralizing 'bureau' or 'office' in the papacy at that time.
The medieval inquisition also developed it's practices over time: from the very first attempts in the late 12th century to the more sophisticated formalized practices of the 14th century, the body of writing on how to conduct an effective inquisition rapidly increased and was disseminated through the Dominican order. Someone like Bernardo Gui in the early 14th c stands out as the apex of inquisitorial theory and technique whose work was to be relied upon right though the early modern Holy Roman and Spanish inquisitions.
The inquisition developed procedures, tactics and methodologies that changed with the development and solidification of both canon and secular legal codes, and their respective enforcement during the period 1175-1400.
the relationship between local inquisitorial authorities and the seat of Rome and how the procedures and decisions could be manipulated by political intervention to this higher authority.
This is very true and it can be a fruitful examination. There were a number of times where Dominicans complained about interference of bishops (and vice versa) to the Pope himself. The 'politics' though can not just be ascribed to conflict between inquisitors and bishops; these 'politics' could also be conflict with general citizenry and nobility as well who might also appeal to the pope, or just have it out among themselves. For example, there are some very famous episodes in the early days of the Toulousain inquisition (1240's) which saw fights between bishops, Dominicans, and residents of the city, such that the Dominicans were chased out of the city at one point (note that the 'home' of the Dominicans was Toulouse since the order was first licensed in the 1210's).
Specifically, how this kind of interaction might leave local inquisition vulnerable to corruption.
I would caution you though on making a leap that lack of centralization lead to vulnerability to corruption, as it can quickly lead to the implication that centralization would somehow solve this. That's a structuralist argument that often doesn't suit the medieval period very well. Furthermore, while inquisitors had great individual license in the early days (Robert Le Bougre and Conrad of Marburg stand out here famously as licensed psychopaths), the steady march of documentation and bureaucratic attitude among Dominicans did much to formalize the practices and habits of the inquisition by the 1300s. Central authority isn't in fact the only method of command and control; the nature of bureaucratic methods themselves brings with it aspects of discipline.
Furthermore, the 'centralizing' Roman and Spanish inquisitions did not in fact have any less abuse of powers nor less opportunity for local politics to rise up or have influence.
For other reading and sources, I'm going to recommend:
Peters, Edward Inquisition (Univ California, 1988)
Given, James Buchanan. Inquisition and Medieval Society: Power, Discipline, and Resistance in Languedoc (Cornell University Press, 2001)
Wakefield, Walter Leggett. Heresy, Crusade and Inquisition in Southern France 1100-1250 (G. Allen & Unwin, 1974 + various reprints)
Kelly is pretty far-ranging across the periods with an emphasis on very late medieval and early modern, and the book is a compendium of essays. To help you with the high medieval period of which the inquisition was borne, Peters's introduction and first chapter will help contextualize the medieval inquisition as an 'office' that developed over time, Given will lend you some more local flavour of how high medieval inquisitions operated and interacted with the papacy and the local populations, Wakefield's chapter on the inquisition will give you some sense of the development of the inquisition and conflicts.
If you have follow up questions don't hesitate. You can also PM me anytime if you want.
I've also written on /r/askhistorians before on the medieval inquisition where you might find aspects that interest you:
Was the inquisition as bad as it's made out to be?
How did one become an inquisitor?
What sort of tortures were allowed and disallowed during the inquisitions of the 12-14th centuries