Legal Definitions - quaesita

Quaesita is a Latin term that means "demands". It refers to the remissions of penance that were authorized by the Pope to those who contributed a certain amount to the church. This practice was common in the medieval period.

For example, if a person committed a sin, they would have to perform a penance to make up for it. This could involve fasting, prayer, or other acts of self-denial. However, if the person was wealthy, they could pay a certain amount of money to the church instead of performing the penance. This payment was known as a quaesita or quesita.

Another example is the sale of indulgences, which was a common practice in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. Indulgences were essentially a way to reduce the amount of time a person would have to spend in purgatory after they died. They could be purchased with money, and the proceeds would go to the church.

The examples illustrate how the term quaesita was used in the medieval period to refer to the practice of paying money to the church in order to obtain remissions of penance or other spiritual benefits. This practice was controversial and led to criticism of the Catholic Church, particularly during the Protestant Reformation.