dipity

A brief history of the persecution of Jews in England between 1070 & 1290. Background information for Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice."

Created by charitylthompson on May 6, 2011

Last updated: 07/13/11 at 01:02 PM

Tags: history jew england jewish judaism persecution explusion shakspeare merchant of venice shylock

• Our Study of "The Merchant of Venice"
  2011

• Return to England
  1655

• Shakespeare Presents "The Merchant of Venice"
  1597

• Total Expulsion
  1290

  The king ordered all sheriffs to enforce a decree for all Jews to leave, taking only what they could carry. All homes became property of the king, except for a few of the king's favorite Jews. This impacted 4,000-16,000 Jews.

• Imprisoned as a Race
  1278

  As punishment for their crimes and trickery, all of England's Jewish population was imprisoned. At least 293 were executed.

• Jewish Expulsion
  1275

  Expulsion from all lands of Queen Dowager Eleanor

• Growing Desperation
  May 6, 1270

  Some Jews resorted to crimes and trickery just to get by, lending money and extorting bonds that included both principal and interest. Some resorted to highway robbery, and many others went to coin clipping as a means of securing a precarious existence.

• Statutum de Judaismo
  May 6, 1270

  Edward forbade Jews to charge interest on loans, but gave permission to engage in commerce and handicrafts, and to take farms 10 years or less. But farming and handicraft businesses take more than 10 years to become lucrative. Plus, England's guilds had a monopoly on skilled labour, and Jews couldn't be part of the guilds.

• There Will Be Blood!
  1255

  The king sold the Jewish community to his brother, Richard of Cornwall, for 5,000 marks, and lost all rights over it for a year. But the chief Jews were seized at a wedding on a charge of murdering a boy named Hugh. 91 were sent to London to the Tower, 18 were executed for refusal to plead, and the rest were kept in prison till Richard's control over their property expired.

• Jewish Expulsion
  1244

• Jewish Expulsion
  1242

• Jewish Expulsion
  1236

• Jewish Expulsion
  1235

• Jewish Expulsion
  1234

• Increasing Persecution
  Jul 1, 1200

• Jewish Expulsion
  1190

• Massacres
  Jul 1, 1189

• A bit of relief
  Jul 1, 1100

  Jews represented the king in financial matters, so King Henry gave Joseph, chief rabbi of London, permission with his followers to travel through England without paying tolls, to buy and sell goods and property, to be tried in court by other Jews, and to swear on the Torah instead of the Bible.

• Royal Invitation to England
  1070

  “Believing that their commercial skills and incoming capital would make England more prosperous, William I invited a group of Jewish merchants from Rouen, in Normandy, to England. However, Jews were not permitted to own land nor to participate in trades (except for medicine). They were limited primarily to money lending. As Catholic doctrine held that money lending for interest was a sin, Jews dominated this activity.”

• People as Property
  Jul 1, 1066

  "All Jews were the king's property."