Chapter XVIII: From the Death of Maimonides to the Expulsion From Spain

(1204-1492 C. E.)

1209. The Council of Avignon issues restrictive measures
against the Jews.

1210(about). Isaac the Blind, founder of =the Kabbala=.
Disciples: Azriel and Ezra.

JEHUDA ALCHARISI, poet.

1210. The Jews of England imprisoned by King John.

1211. _French and English rabbis emigrate to Palestine._

1212. The Jews of Toledo killed by crusaders under the
Cistercian monk Arnold. _First persecution of Jews
in Castile._

=1215.= THE FOURTH LATERAN COUNCIL under the pope INNOCENT
III, among many anti-Jewish measures, decrees the
=Jew badge=.

1222. The Council of Oxford imposes restrictions on the
English Jews.

1223. The rabbinical synod of Mayence regulates the
payment of the Jew taxes.

1227. The Council of Narbonne re-enacts the anti-Jewish
decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council.

1229. Pope Gregory IX antagonizes the Jews.

1232. The Jews of Hungary excluded from state offices.

_Meïr ben Todros Halevi Abulafia_ (1180-1244)
attacks Maimonides’ doctrine of the immortality of
the soul.

1233. Solomon ben Abraham of Montpellier, Jonah ben
Abraham Gerundi, and David ben Saul ally
themselves with the Dominicans, who BURN
MAIMONIDES’ WORKS IN MONTPELLIER AND PARIS.

1235. _Abraham Maimuni_ (1185-1254), physician and
philosopher.

1235. MOSES BEN NACHMAN (Ramban, 1195-1270), Talmudist,
exegete, Kabbalist, anti-Maimunist.

Jacob ben Abba Mari ben Simon (Anatoli), Jewish
scholar at the court of Frederick II.

BEBACHYA BEN NATRONAÏ NAKDAN (Crispia), fabulist
and punctuator.

1235. Gregory IX confirms the _Constitutio Judæorum_ of
Innocent III.

1236. Crusaders attack the Jewish communities of Anjou,
Poitou, etc.

1239. On the charges of the apostate Nicholas-Donin,
Gregory IX orders the Dominicans and Franciscans
to examine the Talmud, and burn it, if necessary.

1240. _Disputation before Louis IX_ of France between
Nicholas-Donin and the Jews, represented by
Yechiel of Paris, MOSES OF COUCY, Talmudist and
itinerant preacher, and two others.

1240. A Jewish Parliament assembled by Henry III.

1242. THE TALMUD BURNT AT PARIS.

1244. _Archduke Frederick I the Valiant, of Austria,
grants privileges to the Jews._

1246. The Council of Béziers _forbids Jews to practice
medicine_.

1247. _Pope Innocent IV issues a bull disproving the blood
accusation against the Jews._

1254. _The Jews expelled from his dominions by Louis IX of
France. End of the Tossafists._

1257. _Alfonso X, the Wise, of Castile, compiles_ a code,
containing a section of _anti-Jewish laws_.

1263. MOSES BEN NACHMAN opposes Pablo Christiani AT THE
DISPUTATION OF BARCELONA.

1264. The Jews of London attacked under Henry III.

1267. The Council of Vienna re-enacts the anti-Jewish
decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council.

1271(about). Pope Gregory X issues a bull deprecating the forced
baptism of Jews.

1278. The Jews of England imprisoned on the charge of
counterfeiting coin.

1279. The Council of Buda enacts anti-Jewish measures.

SOLOMON BEN ADRET (Rashba, 1245-1310), Talmudist.

_David Maimuni_ (1233-1300), grandson of Maimonides.

1283. Beginning of the massacres of the Jews of Germany
on the blood accusation.

Moses ben Chasdaï Taku (1250-1290), anti-Maimunist.

1286. MEÏR BEN BARUCH OF ROTHENBURG (1220-1293), chief
rabbi of Germany, imprisoned when about to
emigrate.

1288. _Saad Addaula_, minister of finance of the Persian
empire under Argun.

1289. _Maimonides’ works burnt at Accho._ Solomon Petit,
anti-Maimunist and Kabbalist; Hillel ben Samuel of
Verona (1220-1295), Talmudist and Maimunist.

1290. THE JEWS BANISHED FROM ENGLAND.

1291. The Jews of Accho imprisoned or executed by the
Sultan of Egypt.

1295(about). Publication of =the Zohar= by Moses de Leon;
Kabbalistic studies flourish.

1298. Persecution of the Jews in Germany instigated by
_Rindfleish_; Mordecai ben Hillel a martyr.

1305. THE BAN AGAINST THE STUDY OF SCIENCE pronounced
by Abba-Mari ben Moses; authorized by SOLOMON
BEN ADRET; urged by ASHER BEN YECHIEL (Asheri);
opposed by the Tibbonides led by _Jacob ben
Machir_ (Profatius) and the poet _Yedaya Penini
Bedaresi_.

1306. _The first expulsion of the Jews from France_ under
Philip IV the Fair.

1310. _Asheri compiles his Talmudic code._

1313. The Council of Zamora renews the canonical laws
hostile to the Jews.

1315. Louis X of France recalls the Jews.

1320. The _Pastoureaux_ persecutions in France (Gesereth
ha-Roïm).

1321. The _Leper_ persecution in France (Gesereth
Mezoraim). _The second expulsion of the Jews from
France._

1328. Persecution of the Jews of Navarre.

1334. _Casimir III the Great of Poland issues laws
friendly to the Jews._

1336. Disputation at Valladolid between the Jews and the
apostate Abner-Alfonso. Alfonso XI of Castile
forbids the use of _alleged blasphemous
expressions in the Hebrew prayers_.

Persecution of the Jews in Germany by the
_Armleder_.

1337. Joseph of Ecija and Samuel Ibn-Wakar favorites of
Alfonso XI of Castile. Gonzalo Martinez plans the
destruction of the Jews of Castile.

1340. JACOB BEN ASHERI (Baal ha-Turim, 1280-1340) compiles
his Talmudic code.

Nissim Gerundi ben Reuben (1340-1380), rabbi of
Barcelona.

1342. LEVI BEN GERSON (Gersonides, Maestro Leon de
Bagnols, 1288-1345), physician and philosopher.

=1348.= Persecution of the Jews in Europe on account of the
=Black Death=. Pope Clement VI issues two bulls
protecting the Jews.

1350. _Moses ben Joshua Narboni_ (Maestro Vidal,
1300-1362), philosopher.

1350. Aaron II ben Elia Nicomedi (1300-1369), Karaite
philosopher.

_Santob de Carrion_ (1300-1350), Jewish-Spanish
troubadour.

Samuel Abulafia, minister to Pedro the Cruel of
Castile.

1351. The cortes of Valladolid ask the abolition of the
judicial autonomy of Spanish-Jewish communities.

1355. The “Golden Bull” by Emperor Charles IV confers the
privilege of holding Jews on the Electors.

1357. Completion of the synagogue at Toledo built by
Samuel Abulafia.

1360. Samuel Abulafia dies under torture on the charge of
peculation.

Participation of the Jews of Castile in the civil
war (1360-1369) between Pedro the Cruel and Henry
de Trastamare, chiefly on the side of the former.

Manessier de Vesoul obtains from King John a decree
permitting Jews to dwell in France.

1370(about). Meïr ben Baruch Halevi of Vienna introduces the
conferring of authorization for the exercise of
rabbinical functions (_Morenu_). He and his
disciples, principally _Isaac of Tyrnau, compile
the customs (Minhagim) of the communities_.

1371. The Jews of Castile under Henry II compelled to wear
badges and give up Spanish names.

1375. Disputation at Avila between the apostate John of
Valladolid and Moses Cohen de Tordesillas.

1376. Disputation at Pampeluna between John of Valladolid
and Shem-Tob ben Shaprut.

Samuel Abrabanel at court under Henry II of Castile.

Chayim ben Gallipapa (1310-1380), innovator;
Menachem ben Aaron ben Zerach (1310-1385),
rabbinical author; Isaac ben Sheshet Barfat
(Ribash, 1310-1409), Talmudist; CHASDAÏ BEN
ABRAHAM CRESCAS (1340-1410), philosopher.

1379. Joseph Pichon, receiver-general of taxes in Seville,
murdered, probably at the instigation of Jews,
against whom the fury of the populace is turned.

1380. Juan I restricts the judicial autonomy of the
Castilian Jewish communities.

1381. A synod at Mayence regulates the rabbinical marriage
laws (Tekanoth Shum).

1385. Juan I of Castile revives the canonical restrictions
against the Jews.

1389. The charge of host desecration leads to the massacre
of the Jews of Prague.

=1391.= Ferdinand Martinez incites the mob against the Jews
of Seville. THE MASSACRE AND PLUNDER OF THE JEWS
SPREADS FROM CASTILE TO ARAGON, MAJORCA, AND OTHER
PARTS OF SPAIN. Many Jews converted to
Christianity: =Marranos=. Solomon Levi of Burgos
(Paul de Santa Maria, 1350-1435), begins his
machinations against Judaism.

1392. Joao I of Portugal forbids force in the conversion
of Jews.

1394. _Third and last expulsion of the Jews from France_,
under Charles VI.

1396(about). Writings in defence of Judaism by Joshua ben Joseph
Ibn-Vives Allorqui (Geronimo de Santa Fé), Chasdaï
Crescas, and _Profiat Duran_.

1399. Persecution of the Jews of Prague at the instigation
of the apostate Pessach; Lipmann of Mühlhausen
among the sufferers.

1408. _Alfonso X’s anti-Jewish laws revived_ under Juan II
of Castile.

Don Meïr Alguades, rabbi and physician, executed on
the charge of host desecration.

Kabbalistic studies flourish in Spain.

1408. Simon Duran (1361-1444), rabbi of Algiers.

1410. _Chasdaï Crescas publishes his religio-philosophic
work._

1412. Juan II issues an edict of twenty-four articles
designed to reduce the social prestige of the
Jews. Vincent Ferrer preaches Christianity in the
synagogues, and inflames the populace against the
Jews. SECOND GENERAL MASSACRE OF JEWS IN ALL THE
SPANISH PROVINCES. Numerous Jews submit to
baptism.

1413. _Religious disputation at Tortosa_ arranged by Pope
Benedict XIII between Geronimo de Santa Fé (Joshua
Lorqui), and Vidal ben Benveniste Ibn-Labi and
_Joseph Albo_. Many Jews submit to baptism.

1415. Benedict XIII forbids the study of the Talmud, and
_ordains the Jew badge_ and _Christian sermons for
Jews_.

1419. Martin V issues a bull deprecating the forced
conversion of Jews.

1420. Persecution of the Jews of Austria.

1421. _Jacob ben Moses Mölin Halevi_ (_Maharil_,
1365-1427), compiler of the German synagogue
liturgy and melodies.

1426. The Jews of Cologne banished.

1428. JOSEPH ALBO (1380-1444) publishes his philosophical
work IKKARIM.

1431. The Jews of South Germany persecuted on account of
the blood accusation.

1431. Menachem of Merseburg (Meïl Zedek) regulates divorce
proceedings.

1432. A synod at Avila under Abraham Benveniste Senior
provides for an _educational system for Jewish
Spain_ (the law of Avila).

Moses ben Isaac (Gajo) da Rieti (1388-1451), Italian
Jewish poet and physician.

1434. The COUNCIL OF BASLE renews old and devises new
canonical restrictions against Jews.

Annihilation of the Jews of Majorca.

1441. The Jews expelled from Augsburg.

1442. Eugenius IV issues a bull enforcing all the old
canonical restrictions against the Jews of Leon
and Castile.

1445. _The first Hebrew concordance_ by Isaac ben
Kalonymos Nathan.

1447. Nicholas V makes Eugenius IV’s bull applicable to
Italian Jews.

_Casimir IV of Poland grants unusual privileges to
Jews._

1450. The Jews of Bavaria persecuted.

1451. Nicholas de Cusa enforces the wearing of Jew badges
in Germany.

_Pope Nicholas V authorizes the appointment of
inquisitors for Marranos._

1453. The persecution of the Jews of Germany, Silesia, and
Poland at the instigation of John of Capistrano.

_The Jews favored in Turkey._ Moses Kapsali chief
rabbi.

1454. The privileges of the Polish Jews revoked.

1460. Alfonso de Spina publishes an attack upon Judaism.

1468. The Jews of Sepulveda charged with the blood
accusation.

1470. The Marranos of Valladolid attacked.

1472. The Marranos of Cordova attacked.

1474. The Marranos of Segovia attacked.

1475. Bernardinus of Feltre preaches against the Jews in
Italy.

The Jews charged with the murder of _Simon of Trent_
for ritual purposes; a persecution of the Jews of
Ratisbon follows.

1480(about). _Pico di Mirandola_ the first Christian scholar to
devote himself to Hebrew literature.

=1480.= =The Inquisition against the Marranos= established
in Seville and at other places in Castile.

1482. Pope Sixtus IV denounces the cruelties of the
Spanish Inquisition.

1482. THE INQUISITION AGAINST MARRANOS ESTABLISHED IN
ARAGON, THOMAS DE TORQUEMADA CHIEF INQUISITOR.

_Elias del Medigo_ (1463-1498), scholar.

1483. TORQUEMADA MADE INQUISITOR-GENERAL OF SPAIN.

1484. ISAAC BEN JEHUDA ABRABANEL (1437-1509), minister of
finance to Ferdinand and Isabella.

=1492.= =Expulsion of the Jews from Spain.=