Place · Central Europe
York
Ancient names: Eburacum
An English city where, in 1190, the Jews took refuge in the king's tower and died by mass suicide.
53.9577°N 1.0823°W · representative coordinate · Pleiades 89175 ↗
Statements linked to this place
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In 1190, with the English king away on crusade, Jews were assaulted in many parts of England. At York they took shelter in the king's tower and ended in mass suicide, as many had done in Germany a century earlier during the First Crusade. Their assailants then burned every bond for debts to Jews that had been lodged in the town's cathedral. As a result the king ordered every debt owed to Jews to be recorded in two copies, one kept in the royal treasury. This gave the crown first-hand knowledge of all its Jewish subjects' business and a chance to use the information against nobles in debt to Jewish creditors.
Community: Jews of York
In 1190, with the English king away on crusade, Jews were assaulted in many parts of England. At York they took shelter in the king's tower and ended in mass suicide, as many had done in Germany a century earlier during the First Crusade. Their assailants then burned every bond for debts to Jews that had been lodged in the town's cathedral. As a result the king ordered every debt owed to Jews to be recorded in two copies, one kept in the royal treasury. This gave the crown first-hand knowledge of all its Jewish subjects' business and a chance to use the information against nobles in debt to Jewish creditors.