Gateway Chronicle 2021

Hidden Voices
Anti-Semitism in England
1190- The York Massacre:
During the Norman Conquest, the first Jews had
arrived in England. Anti-Semitism had been a
particular feature of the reign of King Stephen and
then Henry II. It is for example believed that in the
time of Henry II was the beginning of the “blood
libel,” in England, which originated the idea that in
religious ceremonies Jews would murder Christian
children. When Richard I became king in 1189, he
caught onto the widespread feeling of pro-Christian
and Anti-Semitic feeling in the country. He
played into this feeling with his plans to personally
go on crusade and with the denial of Benedict of
York (the richest Jew in the land) from attending
his coronation. Anti-Jewish riots occurred across
England in 1190 and this would culminate with the
very worst in York. Rioting in York followed a fire,
in which the local gentry, aiming to wipe out the
A depiction of the York Massacre
excessive debts they owed to the Jewish population,
blamed the Jewish population for the fire. Following
the death of Benedict of York on his way back
from London to York, the Jewish population were
fearful of the rioting. This led them to take refuge
in York castle as they rightly believed that a royal
castle would give them royal protection. However,
due to rumours that the Warden of the Castle was
going to betray them, the Jews inside the castle
chose to lock him out. This led to him request a
local militia capture the castle by force. One of the
nobility, Richard Malebisse, offered safe passage out
of the castle to anyone willing to denounce Judaism
and convert to Christianity. This offer though was
declined and faced with death the 150 Jews inside
the castle made a pact to take their own lives. A few
chose to accept the offer of Malebisse, however he
went back on his offer and decided instead to kill
them. Malebisse then ordered all documents relating
to the money he owed and all records of the
event be destroyed.
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1290- The Expulsion of the Jews:
Following on from the Magna Carta in 1215 king
John made it clear that the provisions were not to
apply to Jews, they would instead rely on a royal
charter. This essentially meant that the rights of
Jews were down to the king only. Henry III was
particularly anti-Semitic in his policies, for example
he required all Jews to wear badges (the same as
Hitler’s policy) and imposed far higher taxation on
Jews than other subjects. This requirement to wear
a badge was later reinforced again by Henry III in
the Statute of Jewry. In 1275 Edward I then passed
his own Statute of Jewry and to fund his invasion
of Wales this declared that all Jews over 12 would
have to pay taxation and that any money he lent
from the Jews would not be paid back at interest.
This is likely because he never planned on paying it
back, so wanted to ensure there was no time limit
on the money. By 1290 Edward I was deeply in
debt due to his wars in Wales, Scotland and France.
This had an impact on the Jewish population as he
realised by expelling the Jews he could seize their
property and their debts would be transferred to
the crown. However, the financial desires went even
further than this as Edward had to persuade parliament
of a steep tax. Therefore, due to the unpopularity
of the Jews at the time due to the propaganda
spread by the “blood libel,” Edward asked parliament
that in exchange for the tax he would expel