There were a great many Jews in the kingdom of Naples, and they had much wealth: as they had done the king some important service, he treated them with great indulgence. But after his death, attempts were made to convert them, instead of allowing them still to enjoy the free exercise of their religion. The Jews, fearing a persecution, offered to become Christians, provided they were allowed to marry into the richest and noblest families in the kingdom—a condition that they felt certain would be refused; but to their surprise and sorrow, permission was granted, and thus they were obliged to profess Christianity; but those who were not able to make advantageous marriages, soon returned to the practice of their own religion.
It is said, that a monk, who wished the Jews to be punished for pretending to be Christians, hid a cross in a heap of earth, and then accused one of these poor creatures of having done it: the people, enraged at such an act, rose at once and massacred a great number of the Jews, and more would have been put to death if the nobles had not interposed, and even given shelter in their own houses to some of the most wealthy, who were always the peculiar objects of popular fury. In the East, the number and the power of the Jews were much lessened during the thirteenth century. The Caliph of Bagdad, who was a zealous Mahometan, and very fond of money, was vexed to see a people growing rich by their own industry, whilst they were always ready to receive any one who declared himself to be the Messiah: and he therefore began a persecution, by which he hoped to compel all Jews, either to become Mahometans or to leave his dominions. Some departed; others, to avoid exile, pretended to become followers of Mahomet. In some parts of the East the Jews suffered greatly from the invasions of the Tartars; but towards the end of the century they enjoyed peace for a short time, under a prince, whose chief minister and favourite was a Jewish physician, who obtained many privileges and indulgences for his countrymen. But on the death of this prince, his Mahometan subjects, enraged at the favour he had shown to the Jews for the sake of his minister, accused the latter of having poisoned his master: he was condemned without any proof, and vast numbers of his countrymen were at the same time murdered.
Palestine was greatly distressed by the wars between the Christians and the Saracens. The Jews had still some synagogues in their native land; and even amidst their troubles, several learned rabbis appeared amongst them, the most remarkable of whom was styled the "Father of Wisdom"; he had been born in Spain, but went to live in Judæa, where he built a synagogue. Several learned rabbis of the Caraite sect flourished in different parts of the East during the thirteenth century.
The fourteenth century does not seem to have brought any comfort to the wretched Hebrews. The same avarice or love of money which made Philip the Fourth drive them out of France, made Louis the Tenth, who became king a.d. 1314, bring them back again; because he wanted some of their money to enable him to reduce the Flemings to subjection. The Flemings were the inhabitants of Flanders, a country in that part of Europe which we now call Belgium. The conditions upon which the Jews were allowed to return to France were, that they should pay a heavy tax to the king; and that their stay in the country should be limited to a period of twelve years. During this time they might make money by trade and labour: they might buy land for synagogues and burying-places, and they might purchase any books they pleased with the exception of the Talmud: but they were forbidden to converse publicly or privately with any Christian; and they were obliged, as before, to wear a mark upon their upper garment.
Philip the Fifth became King of France in a.d. 1316, and during his reign the Jews suffered much from a body of men called "The Shepherds." They really were shepherds and labourers, who left their usual occupations to go, as they said, to the relief of the Holy Land. Their leaders were two priests, who, by pretending to work miracles, got many of the lowest classes of the people to join the band. Having thus strengthened themselves by the addition of a considerable body of desperate ruffians, the Shepherds plundered the southern provinces of France, and by breaking open the prisons, added still further to their own numbers, by receiving the liberated criminals as brethren. They committed the most unheard-of barbarities, especially upon the Jews, who fled before this savage band, and took refuge in considerable numbers, in a strong castle, near Toulouse; and here defended themselves bravely, but in vain. When no hope of safety remained, they put themselves or each other to death. Many of the Shepherds were taken and executed.
Chapter XI.—END OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
About ten years after the affair of the Shepherds, the Jews in France were accused of having been bribed by the Saracen king of Granada to poison all the wells and rivers in the country. There was no proof of this but the declaration of a leper, who said, that a rich Jew had given him money to poison some wells; but this was enough for the populace, who, without waiting for inquiry or trial, rose at once, and put numbers of the suspected race to a cruel death.
The king, Philip the Sixth, shamefully took advantage of this popular outcry, and imprisoned the wealthy Jews in Paris until they told him where their treasures were hid; he then seized the greatest part for his own use, and banished the whole race from his dominions. The Jews, thus expelled from France, took refuge in the northern part of Italy, then called Lombardy, and there first established "banks," and the system called "banking"; by which merchants, in lands far distant from each other, could receive the price of goods exchanged, without the risk of sending money: and by this means, the Jews from this time were often able to save their riches from the avarice and violence of their enemies. But the system of banking was not useful to the Jews alone: it was of the greatest service to trade in general, as well as to individuals, and has continued so up to the present time, when every considerable town in almost all European countries has its bank or banks. The great skill and cleverness of the Jews in all matters connected with money, made the monarchs of various kingdoms willing to let them remain in their dominions; for though they would gladly have been rid of the Jews themselves, they were anxious to keep their wealth in the country.