Jews

Key Words

• Usury - charging interest on a loan : In the medieval period the Pope said that is was a crime

Why did Jews migrate to England

• William I encouraged them to migrate so that they could money lend and develop trade

• From 70ce the Romans began to drive Jews out of their traditional home lands

• Looking for new homelands

• Jews and Christians shared similar beliefs so they thought it would be a good place to settle

What was Jews experience in England

Green = Positive Red = Negative

• They had the protection of the monarch

• They were eventually kicked out / expelled from England

• They couldn’t own land

• Restricted from certain jobs

• Taxed higher than others

• They were envied for the protection the King gave them and resented the interest rates they had to pay on the loans from Jews

• They were accused of various crimes such as coin clipping , causing the Black Death and being witches

• They had to wear the Star of David

• The Blood Libel (A myth that falsely accused Jews of sacrificing Christian children and using their blood in religious rituals. ) originated in England and spread across Europe resulting in the murder of many Jews

What was Jews’ impact on England

• Landowners and monarchs relied on the loans from Jewish moneylenders .The money was used to build castles, cathedrals, churches and pay soldiers’ wages