Statute of Jewry facts for kids

The Statute of Jewry was a set of laws made by Henry III of England in 1253. These laws were created because many people at the time had strong negative feelings towards Jewish people. King Henry III tried to separate Jewish people from others and make their lives harder. The laws included forcing Jewish people to wear a special yellow badge so everyone would know they were Jewish and treat them poorly.

Why These Laws Were Made

Jewish People and the King

In England long ago, Jewish people were under the direct control of the king. The king gave them protection, and in return, they played an important role in the country's economy. They were sometimes called "royal serfs," which meant they had special rights from the king. For example, they could travel freely on the king's roads, didn't have to pay certain fees, and could own land directly from the king. They also received protection in the many castles the king had built.

Money Lending and Public Opinion

During this time, Christians were not allowed to lend money and charge interest on it. This was called "usury" and was against their religious rules. However, Jewish people were allowed to lend money with interest to non-Jewish people. They were not allowed to join many other jobs, like those in workers' groups called guilds.

There were only a few thousand Jewish people in England, while the total population was over a million. Even so, they played a very important part in the economy by lending money. Because they lent money, the king could also tax them very heavily whenever he wanted. This made many people, especially the Church and the general public, dislike Jewish people, seeing them as greedy money-lenders.

What the Statute Said

The Statute of Jewry had thirteen main rules, called articles. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Rule 1: Jewish people could only stay in England if they "served" the king in some way.
• Rule 2: No new synagogues (Jewish places of worship) could be built. Only those that existed during the time of King John (Henry III's father) were allowed to remain.
• Rule 3: Jewish people had to keep their voices down in synagogues so that Christians nearby could not hear them.
• Rule 4: Jewish people were required to pay money to their local Christian church.
• Rule 5: Christian nurses or servants were not allowed to work for Jewish families. Also, Christians were not allowed to eat with Jewish people or live in their homes.
• Rule 6: Jewish people were not allowed to buy or eat meat during Lent, which is a special time of fasting for Christians.
• Rule 7: Jewish people were forbidden from speaking badly about the Christian faith or arguing about it in public.
• Rule 8: It was forbidden for Jewish men and Christian women, or Christian men and Jewish women, to have "secret familiarity," meaning close relationships.
• Rule 9: Every Jewish person had to wear their special badge clearly on their chest.
• Rule 10: Jewish people were banned from entering churches, except if they were just passing through.
• Rule 11: Jewish people were not allowed to stop anyone from converting to Christianity.
• Rule 12: Jewish people needed to get a special permit to live in any town that did not already have an established Jewish community.
• Rule 13: Special "justices of the Jews" were put in charge of making sure these rules were followed very strictly. If Jewish people broke the rules, they could lose their belongings.