Jews of Medieval christendom

Robert Chazan0521846668, 9780521846660, 0521616646, 9780521616645

Between the years AD 1000 and 1500, western Christendom absorbed by conquest and attracted through immigration a growing number of Jews. This community was to make a valuable contribution to rapidly developing European civilisation but was also to suffer some terrible setbacks, culminating in a series of expulsions from the more advanced westerly areas of Europe. At the same time, vigorous new branches of world Jewry emerged and a rich new Jewish cultural legacy was created. In this important new historical synthesis, Robert Chazan discusses the Jewish experience over a 500 year period across the entire continent of Europe. As well as being the story of medieval Jewry, the book simultaneously illuminates important aspects of majority life in Europe during this period. This book is essential reading for all students of medieval Jewish history and an important reference for any scholar of medieval Europe.

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Table of contents :
COVER……Page 1
HALF-TITLE……Page 3
SERIES-TITLE……Page 4
TITLE……Page 5
COPYRIGHT……Page 6
DEDICATION……Page 7
CONTENTS……Page 9
MAPS……Page 11
PREFACE……Page 13
INTRODUCTION……Page 19
1
PRIOR LEGACIES……Page 41
The muslim legacy……Page 42
The christian legacy……Page 45
The jewish legacy……Page 56
2
THE PAN-EUROPEAN ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH……Page 61
Theological doctrine……Page 62
Ecclesiastical policies……Page 69
Imagery of judaism and the jews……Page 84
Cultural and spiritual creativity: danger, challenge, stimulus……Page 88
Looking ahead……Page 93
3
THE OLDER JEWRIES OF THE SOUTH……Page 95
Southern france……Page 96
Christian spain……Page 108
Italy and sicily……Page 133
4
THE NEWER JEWRIES OF THE NORTH:
NORTHERN FRANCE AND ENGLAND……Page 147
Northern france……Page 149
England……Page 172
5
THE NEWER JEWRIES OF THE NORTH:
GERMANY AND EASTERN EUROPE……Page 187
Germany……Page 188
Eastern europe……Page 216
6
MATERIAL CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES,
AND FAILURES……Page 227
Obstacles and attractions……Page 228
The governing authorities……Page 237
Successes……Page 249
The dynamics of deterioration……Page 257
7
SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES,
AND FAILURES……Page 261
Proselytizing, conversion, and resistance……Page 265
Strengthening traditional lines of jewish cultural creativity……Page 275
Innovative lines of cultural creativity……Page 285
New and creative jewish cultures……Page 300
EPILOGUE……Page 303
Preface……Page 307
Introduction……Page 308
1 Prior legacies……Page 312
2 The pan-european roman catholic church……Page 313
3 The older jewries of the south……Page 315
4 The newer jewries of the north: northern france and england……Page 319
5 The newer jewries of the north: germany and eastern europe……Page 321
6 Material challenges, successes, and failures……Page 323
7 Spiritual challenges, successes, and failures……Page 324
Epilogue……Page 328
Primary sources……Page 331
Secondary works……Page 333
INDEX……Page 339