A Minority Within the Medieval Cities - The Jews: course description
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Joseph Shatzmiller, Duke University
The course will deal with the history of the Jew during the half of the millennium that separates the year 1000 from that of 1500. It will examine the process of inviting the Jews to come and settle in the West, a consequence of the awakening of the region at the end of the tenth century.
The awakening of European civilization around the year 1000 A.D., the emergence of the “High Middle Ages” (1100 – 1350) and the consequent decline of European civilization that came to a halt by the Italian Renaissance (around 1450 – 1500.) all had a profound influence on the destiny of the Jewish minority that resided in these regions. Until the year 1000, and even a century and a half later, the vast majority of Jews lived not in Europe but in the Middle East, in North Africa and in Moslem Spain, and were part of the Arabic civilization. No Jewish literary works, secular or religious were created at that time in Europe. The situation changed dramatically with the awakening of the west when more and more Jews were attracted to, and settled in, the “New Europe”. Thus the cultural effervescence known as the “European twelfth century Renaissance” subsumed the Jews along with the larger society. Countries like Italy (largely in the south), France and Germany replaced the Middle Eastern regions and became great centers of Jewish Creativity.
At its highest point, around the year 1300 A.D. the Jewish settlement in the west counted around half a million at most, and did not represent even one percent of the total European population. However, in the emerging urban centers they constituted five percent and in some areas as high as ten percent of the citizenship. They were invited to take part in the banking and credit economy and engaged in great numbers in the medical profession and in public administration. With the decline of European civilization (its first signs showing as early as in the 1270’s) their status deteriorated and anti Jewish allegations, both secular and religious, played a more and more dominant role in the larger society’s attitude toward Jews. By 1290 Jews were expelled from England and in 1306 from France. Paradoxically, the “Black Death” of 1348 delayed their expulsion from other countries, but by 1500 there were almost no Jews left in Western Europe.
The twelve weeks of this term will be dedicated to a detailed examination of this chapter in European History. We will analyze documents of the period (in English translation that deal with the political status, the economic activity and the cultural achievements of this small minority. This study may lead us to a better understanding of the History of Europe in a crucial moment of its development.
The awakening of European civilization around the year 1000 A.D., the emergence of the “High Middle Ages” (1100 – 1350) and the consequent decline of European civilization that came to a halt by the Italian Renaissance (around 1450 – 1500.) all had a profound influence on the destiny of the Jewish minority that resided in these regions. Until the year 1000, and even a century and a half later, the vast majority of Jews lived not in Europe but in the Middle East, in North Africa and in Moslem Spain, and were part of the Arabic civilization. No Jewish literary works, secular or religious were created at that time in Europe. The situation changed dramatically with the awakening of the west when more and more Jews were attracted to, and settled in, the “New Europe”. Thus the cultural effervescence known as the “European twelfth century Renaissance” subsumed the Jews along with the larger society. Countries like Italy (largely in the south), France and Germany replaced the Middle Eastern regions and became great centers of Jewish Creativity.
At its highest point, around the year 1300 A.D. the Jewish settlement in the west counted around half a million at most, and did not represent even one percent of the total European population. However, in the emerging urban centers they constituted five percent and in some areas as high as ten percent of the citizenship. They were invited to take part in the banking and credit economy and engaged in great numbers in the medical profession and in public administration. With the decline of European civilization (its first signs showing as early as in the 1270’s) their status deteriorated and anti Jewish allegations, both secular and religious, played a more and more dominant role in the larger society’s attitude toward Jews. By 1290 Jews were expelled from England and in 1306 from France. Paradoxically, the “Black Death” of 1348 delayed their expulsion from other countries, but by 1500 there were almost no Jews left in Western Europe.
The twelve weeks of this term will be dedicated to a detailed examination of this chapter in European History. We will analyze documents of the period (in English translation that deal with the political status, the economic activity and the cultural achievements of this small minority. This study may lead us to a better understanding of the History of Europe in a crucial moment of its development.
