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History 282

This article explores the history of Jews in Medieval Christendom, focusing on their settlement patterns from Mediterranean lands northwards, their role as merchants, and traditional explanations for their economic advantage. It also discusses the inevitable tensions that arose, such as ethnic animosity, ghettoization, and eventual expulsions. The article concludes with a discussion on defining anti-Semitism and the impact of the Protestant Reformation.

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History 282

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  1. History 282 Jews in Medieval Christendom

  2. Settlement Patterns • From Mediterranean Lands northwards • Spain • Italy • Jews as merchants

  3. Traditional Explanations • Jews as intermediaries between empires • Pirenne thesis • Jews’ shared legal system • Ethnicity as an economic advantage

  4. Simon Kusnetz

  5. The Jews. Their History, Culture and Religion • Edited by Louis Finkelstein • 3rd edition, 1960; reprinted 1979 • DS102.4 .F5 1979

  6. Minority by Choice • Fully Manned Economy • Marginalization • Concentration • High Risk and High Reward

  7. Charters • Jews as Urbanizing Element • Charters are negotiated • Rudiger of Speyer 1084 • http://www.history.umd.edu/Faculty/BCooperman/NewCity/Charters.html • power shifts will challenge Jews’ position • directed towards frontiers

  8. Jews as Moneylenders • what are the advantages to Jews? • what are the advantages to non-Jewish society? • source of capital • control of “illegal” activity

  9. Inevitable Tensions • Visigothic Spain - Jews within diverse Christian society • Papal Protections (Gregory the Great) • Ethnicity focuses social animosity • The Limits of religious tolerance • Importation of Jew Badge • Black Death 1348 -- well poisoning

  10. Blood Libel & Magic • Ascription of child murder • Male, innocent, blood • Host desecration • Projection of social tensions

  11. Ghettoization • Origins of the term … and the phenomenon • The ghetto as protection • The ghetto as inclusive • The ghetto as marginalizing

  12. Expulsion • England 1290 • France 1304 + • Spain 1492 • Survival in German and Italian lands

  13. Defining Anti-Semitism • modern word based on modern ethnographies and biologies • anti-Judaism? • religious ideology; social and economic reality • kings and popes, priests and peasants -- and burghers

  14. H Have it your way!!!

  15. Protestant Reformation

  16. Martin Luther • d. 1526 • Christ was Born a Jew • Later hostility

  17. Conversos • Marranos, New Christians, anusim • Racial hostility -- 1455 • Inquisition -- not re Jews -- 1478 • Portuguese conversion

  18. Burning of the Talmud • Medieval occurrences • Banning in 16th century • Reaction to printing?

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