- The Royal Protection: Kings such as William I and Henry II protected Jews in exchange for taxes and loans. Jews were exempt from certain local laws and had the right to settle and conduct business.
- Jewish Moneylending: Because Christians were prohibited from charging interest on loans (usury), Jews became the primary moneylenders. This role made them economically indispensable but also widely resented.
- Special Taxes and Tallages: Jewish communities were heavily taxed, often disproportionately, which strained their resources and bred resentment.
- Legal Discrimination: Jews were subject to discriminatory laws, including restrictions on property ownership, wearing identifying badges, and limitations on their movements and professions.
Anti-Jewish Sentiment and Religious Prejudice
Religious hostility toward Jews was deeply entrenched in medieval Christian Europe, including England. The Catholic Church promoted negative stereotypes of Jews as Christ-killers and enemies of Christianity.
This religious animosity fueled social prejudice, which sometimes erupted into violence. Popular beliefs about Jews included myths of blood libel—the accusation that Jews murdered Christian children for ritual purposes—which had catastrophic consequences.
Church sermons, literature, and legal decrees often reinforced anti-Jewish sentiments, contributing to widespread intolerance. shutdown123