# The Grand Inquisitor — Candide character guide

> The Grand Inquisitor in Candide by Voltaire.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0010-ix-what-became-of-cun-gonde-candide-the-grand-inquisitor-and-the-jew

## Who they are

A Portuguese church official who claims Cunégonde as his mistress and is killed by Candide.

## In the story

### [V: Tempest, Shipwreck, Earthquake, and What Became of Doctor Pangloss, Candide, and James the Anabaptist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/chapters/v-tempest-shipwreck-earthquake-and-what-became-of-doctor-pangloss-candide-and-james-the-anabaptist)

Appears as a Familiar of the Inquisition who questions Pangloss about original sin and free will.

### [VIII: The History of Cunégonde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/chapters/viii-the-history-of-cun-gonde)

Covets Cunégonde; forces Don Issachar into a shared arrangement; orchestrates the auto-da-fé.

### [IX: What Became of Cunégonde, Candide, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Jew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/chapters/ix-what-became-of-cun-gonde-candide-the-grand-inquisitor-and-the-jew)

Enters Cunégonde's apartment and is killed by Candide without hesitation.

### [XIII: How Candide Was Forced Away from His Fair Cunégonde and the Old Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/chapters/xiii-how-candide-was-forced-away-from-his-fair-cun-gonde-and-the-old-woman)

His murder is the reason for the Alcalde's pursuit of Candide; his stolen diamonds are traced back to him.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/characters/grand_inquisitor
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candide_se/characters