Edward I and the Jews

England's King Edward I, also known as Edward Longshanks - because he stood tall at 6'2 and had very long arms and legs - lived between the years of 1239 and 1307. He was the first born son of Henry III.  

King Edward I is generally well regarded by historians, since he  fought and won many wars.  Edward I gained control of Wales in 1277 and 1283.  After conquering Wales, Edward built many strong, fortified castles surrounding the area.  He also fought many wars with Scotland and France.  These wars were very costly, and historians laud Edward I for his efficient methods of raising taxes and reforming the law.

Indeed, Edward I was successful in raising taxes.  Yet, his method for doing so was far from noble.  After Edward I conquered Wales in 1283, he was severely in debt.  Thus, he turned to the Jews.  But not in a good way.

As mentioned in my earlier post, Jews were not protected by any particular lord.  Neither were they protected under the Magna Carta of 1215, which protected England's citizens from the whims of its kings, in regards to taxation and legislation.  Additionally, Jews were forbidden from joining guilds, or to make a living by farming.  Their main source of income came through money lending.

In order to fill his coffers with the gold he needed to finance his wars, Edward I commanded that all Jews be expelled from England in 1287.  The Jews were not actually expelled, yet all Jewish property was taken by the crown.  All debts owed to the Jews were transferred to the crown, as well.  In 1289, Edward I issued a steep tax on all of his citizens.  To make the heavy taxation more palatable to the English citizens, Edward I offered to expel all of the Jews from England.  The fact that the English were pleased with the removal of an entire people from their midsts sheds light on the way that Jews were viewed by their fellow citizens in the middle ages. The Edict of Expulsion was carried out on July 18, 1290.  Over 300 Jews were taken to the Tower of London and killed there.  Other Jews were murdered in their homes.  The rest of England's 3,000 Jewish citizens, all wearing yellow badges on their garments, were gathered up and led from English soil.

Although most Jews were said to have made it out of England in one piece, there are some horrific stories, including that of one captain who insisted the Jews take a walk during low tide.  The Jews dutifully followed their captain who then made it back to his ship, leaving the Jews to drown when the high tide came in.  

Many of England's Jews escaped and joined the Jewish communities in Christian Spain.  Jews from England were not alone, as just years later, they were joined by their Jewish counterparts from Germany, France, and Provence, who were expelled during this time, as well.  All this, 200 years before the Spanish Inquisition of 1492.