The Middle Ages Series. England's Jews : Finance, Violence, and the Crown in the Thirteenth Century

__England’s Jews__ tells the story of the thousands of Jews who lived in medieval England and played important roles in English society, protected by the Crown, before their expulsion in 1290. John Tolan shows how thirteenth-century England was paradoxically both the theatre of fruitful interreligious exchange and a crucible of European antisemitism. In 1290, Jews were expelled from England and subsequently largely expunged from English historical memory. Yet for two centuries they occupied important roles in medieval English society. __England’s Jews__ revisits this neglected chapter of English history—one whose remembrance is more important than ever today, as antisemitism and other forms of racism are on the rise. Historian John Tolan tells the story of the thousands of Jews who lived in medieval England. Protected by the Crown and granted the exclusive right to loan money with interest, Jews financed building projects, provided loans to students, and bought and rented out housing. Historical texts show that they shared meals and beer, celebrated at weddings, and sometimes even ended up in bed with Christians. Yet Church authorities feared the consequences of Jewish contact with Christians and tried to limit it, though to little avail. Royal protection also proved to be a double-edged sword: when revolts broke out against the unpopular king Henry III, some of the rebels, in debt to Jewish creditors, killed Jews and destroyed loan records. Vicious rumors circulated that Jews secretly plotted against Christians and crucified Christian children. All of these factors led Edward I to expel the Jews from England in 1290. Paradoxically, Tolan shows, thirteenth-century England was both the theatre of fruitful interreligious exchange and a crucible of European antisemitism. "In thirteenth-century England, Jews played important roles in English society. Yet Church authorities feared the consequences of Jewish contact with Christians and tried to limit it, to little avail. Some circulated vicious rumors, accusing Jews of capturing and crucifying Christian children. All of these factors led Edward I to expel the Jews from England in 1290. Paradoxically, thirteenth-century England is both the theater of deep and fruitful economic and social exchange between Jews and Christians and one of the crucibles of European Antisemitism"-- Provided by publisher Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 Introduction 9 Chapter 1. Isaac of Norwich and the Rebuilding of the King’s Jewry (1217–1222) 26 Chapter 2. Of Badges and Wet-Nurses: English Bishops Attempt to Limit Contact Between Jews and Christians 48 Chapter 3. Simon de Montfort and the King’s Jews 72 Chapter 4. Oxford Jews and Christian Hebraism 91 Chapter 5. From the Statutes of the Jewry to Little Hugh of Lincoln (1253–1255) 124 Chapter 6. Baronial Revolts and Anti-Jewish Violence (1258–1267) 147 Chapter 7. A Curse upon Edom 168 Conclusion 195 Notes 201 Bibliography 233 Index 253