Persecution in Medieval England

Heavy Taxation

Things were not always comfortable for Jews in medieval Britain. They were seen as outsiders, non-Christians in a christian kingdom. The situation only got worse. Over time, the idea that Jews belonged to the king as his property began to be accepted in England. This meant that they were under his protection, but also subject to his moods and demands. 

The king saw the Jews in England as a source of money that he could draw on whenever he wanted, through special taxes or by demanding loans. To pay for wars in the 13th century, the Jewish community were increasingly heavily taxed compared to non-Jews. In the face of this discrimination, many Jews began to leave the country. 

A receipt roll from The National Archives for the heavy taxation of Isaac fil Jurnet in Norwich, 1233. Isaac is drawn as a three-faced devil at the top of the image. Another devil, named as Colbif, touches Mosse Mokke, Isaac’s debt collector (in his identifying spiked hat), and Mosse’s wife Avegaye. All the Jews in the image were accused of charging excessive interest on loans. Mosse Mokke was executed for the crime of coin-clipping in 1240.

King Edward & The Edict of Expulsion

The end of this period of Jewish life in England came in in 1290, with the Edict of Expulsion. Edward I ordered all Jews to leave England in exchange for Parliament’s agreeing to the largest single tax of the Middle Ages.

An image of Jews being beaten from a 13th-century English manuscript from the British Library. The figures in blue and yellow are wearing a badge in the shape of two tablets, identifying them as Jews.

Blood Libel and Massacres

In 1144, the Jews of Norwich were accused of murdering Christian children. Later, similar accusations developed into claims that Jews used their blood to make matzah for the festival of Passover. This lie, now known as the ‘Blood Libel’, spread across England, and more Jewish communities were falsely accused of the crime.

Hatred of Jews grew, and in 1190 one of the worst antisemitic massacres of medieval Europe took place in York. The city’s entire Jewish community was trapped by an angry mob inside the tower of York Castle. 

Many members of the community chose to commit suicide rather than be murdered or forcibly baptised by the attackers. This was only one of a series of massacres of Jews in late-12th-century England. 

TO FIND OUT

King Henry, wrote a royal charter (legal document) for the Jews of London. According to the charter, what were Jews allowed to do?

DID YOU KNOW?

Many people blamed the Jews for the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) in the 14th century, as fewer Jews died of it than non-Jews. This was probably due to Jews washing more often as religious Jews ritually wash their hands when they wake up in the morning and before eating, as well as bathing in a ritual bath called a ‘mikva’. Most people in medieval times didn’t wash much so germs would have spread more easily!

CRITICAL THINKING

Why do you think Jews were made to wear pointed hats and badges to identify them as Jews? 

CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1. How did the king view the Jewish community?

2. What happened in 1290?

3. What is a blood libel?

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