Medieval England Society
Structure of Society
God
King
Nobles
Knights
Freemen
Villeins
Labour service - help farm the Lords land, freemen and villeins did this
Knights service - paying homage to baron, and serve in kings army for 2 months without pay, guard the Lords castle for 40 days a year, and help pay ransom if Lord was captured
Differences between a freeman and a villein - villeins had no rights, so had to ask for permission to do a lot of things while freemen paid rent to the Lord and could have many different jobs
The Church owned 1/5 (20%) of the land in England - in 1086
The number of knights were declining because they had to pay for armour, horses, squire; so not many people had enough money
Treatment of Jews
Blood libels - killing of Christian children for rituals
Money lending
all loans from Jews had to be recorded after 1194 - so debts could be collected by crown if lender died
Jews couldn’t do many other jobs apart from money lending
Aaron of Lincoln was the wealthiest money lender, richer than the king
Jew’s were the kings property
King could tax them when he wanted
only non-Christian group tolerated
Jews didn’t belong in the feudal system, or any other communal structures
Pogroms
Clifford tower (York), Norwich, Lynn, Lincoln, Stamford and Bury St. Endmunds
They were killed because they were the people who condemned Christ to die on the cross
Trapped in castle - some converted, some suicide, but all dead in end
What they couldn’t do
Banned from civil services and legal professions
Weren’t part of feudal system
Attitude of Church
No violence
No forced labour
No desecration of their dead
Allowed holy days
wanted tolerance
wanted jews to convert
Where they lived
Population decreased from 1150
Only Jewish population was in London before 1140’s
Mainly in York, Lincoln, Canterbury, North Hampton, Winchester, Norwich
5000 Jews by 1200