Christian History 1200 to 1399

1231

POPE GREGORY IX Instituted the papal inquisition. The inquisitional court was set up to look into the large scale heresies (i.e. Cathari and Waldenses) which arose during the 11th and 12th centuries. Until that time, most treatment of heretics was dealt with locally, usually by burning. The name "Inquisition" is derived from the Latin verb "inquiro" (inquire into), and at lest at the beginning, inquisitors traveled from town to town looking into individual cases and pronouncing judgment. According to Gregory's decree any heretic who confessed and repented only received imprisonment with penance. The heretic who persisted received capital punishment. The inquisitors - or judges - of this medieval Inquisition were recruited almost exclusively from the Franciscan and Dominican orders. There were three inquisitions. The first started in 1231. The second, which was against Conversos, started in 1478. It was known as the Spanish Inquisition. The third, which started in 1542, was for the most part was against the protestants, and was known as the Roman inquisition. [52] (17)

1234

Peasants of Steding (Germany) unwilling to pay suffocating church taxes between 5,000 and 11,000 men, women and children slain 5/27/1234 near Altenesch/Germany. [WW223] (10 p. 223)

1235

Fulda/Germany 1235 34 Jewish men and women slain. [DO41] (6 p. 41) January 2, LAUDA - TAUBERBISCHOFSHEIM (Germany) - A Christian body was found between these two cities. For three days, the Jewish communities in both towns were attacked by mobs. Eight Jewish leaders from both towns were put on trial, tortured, convicted and executed. [54] (18)

December 28, RITUAL MURDER CHARGE (Fulda, Germany) - Resulted in a massacre of 32 Jews. Emperor Frederick II established an investigation at Hagenau to confirm or disprove the charges. After hearing various experts, he declared that since Jews are prohibited from eating animal blood, they would surely be banned from using human blood. He forbade anyone to accuse Jews of ritual murder". [54] (18)

1236

July 10, ANJOU (France) - Crusading monks trampled three thousand Jews to death and destroyed the community. [54] (18)

1241

May 24, FRANKFURT(-ON-MAIN) (Germany) - A Jewish boy preparing for baptism was persuaded by his parents to repent. As a result, local Christians attacked the Jews who fought back and a number of townspeople were killed. As the attack intensified and seeing no other option, the Jews set fire to their houses. The fire spread to the rest of the community, destroying nearly half the city. One hundred and eighty Jews died, and twenty-four agreed to be baptized. Conrad IV, the emperor's son, granted amnesty to the Christian residents. [54] (19)

1243

BERLITZ (Berlin, Germany) - First accusation of desecration of the Host. The sanctity of the Host (the wafer and wine distributed as part of the ceremony of the Eucharist during Mass) is based on the doctrine of transubstantiation. In this doctrine (officially recognized in 1215), the wafer and wine is viewed by the Church as a substitute for Christ's body and blood. Therefore, an attack on the Host was considered a direct attack on the body of Jesus. This was the first of many times that the Jews were accused of "killing" Christ or torturing him by sticking pins into or burning the Host. In this case, the response to this accusation wiped out the entire Jewish population of Berlitz. Incidents of Host desecration accusations were as recent as 1836 (Romania). [54] (19)

1255

August 6, KITZINGEN, BAVERIA (Germany) - Ritual murder accusation. Fifteen Jews were tortured to death. Their corpses lay in the street for a fortnight before they were allowed to be buried. [54] (19) August 29, LITTLE SAINT HUGH OF LINCOLN (England) An infamous ritual murder libel. It was alleged that Jews enticed the boy and while starving him, invited Jews to Lincoln to murder him ritually. (Jews did come to Lincoln at that time to attend a wedding.) His body was cast into a well and a month later "miracles" followed the discovery of his corpse. On the basis of the alleged "confession" by Jopin (Jacob), the secular authorities (for the first time) and the Church sent 91 Jews to the Tower of London. 18 were executed before Richard and the friars stopped the killings. This incident provided Chaucer with the idea for his Prioress Tale and the hero of the popular ballad, "Little Sir Hugh". His birthday (August 27) was celebrated until the Reformation.[55] (20)