Massacres of the Jews of Metz during the First Crusade. Auguste Migette
The Crusades were a series of Christian efforts to wrest Jerusalem from the Muslims. On their way, the frenzied mobs wreaked havoc on numerous Jewish communities in medieval Western Europe. Read on for 11 facts about this horrific era of history, which set the precedent for countless Antisemitic acts carried out since then in the name of religion.
1. The Crusades Were “Holy” Wars
The Crusades were a series of “holy” wars carried out by European Christians primarily in the 11th-13th centuries. Their stated goal was to free Jerusalem from the Muslims, whom they viewed as infidels, and establish a Christian kingdom there.
On their way to the Holy Land, the zealous mobs pounced on the opportunity to rid themselves of the “infidels” in their midst—the Jews, viciously decimating many Jewish communities.
2. They Were Initiated by Popes
Far from being a grassroots movement, the Crusades were called for and directed by the Popes themselves. Although they did not openly advocate for the murder of Jews, many church leaders were quick to turn a blind eye when these atrocities did occur.
3. The Crusaders’ Motives Were Far From Sacred
Politics played a large role in the papal decision to launch a crusade. For centuries, the Church had been at odds with the monarchs of Western Europe, each side jockeying for power. What greater strategy to undermine royal authority than to call for a religious war, uniting the masses under the Pope’s banner? As for the soldiers, they joined the Crusades as an easy way to get rich off plunder—and to obtain the Church’s promise of eternal salvation and automatic forgiveness for all their sins.
4. Soldiers Were Joined by Mobs of Peasants
Initially, the plan was for the Crusades to consist of armies of professional soldiers on an organized expedition to the Holy Land. But as religious hysteria spread throughout Europe, more and more peasants and commonfolk joined the Crusaders’ ranks. With tens of thousands of people joining the cause, any sense of order and discipline had now disappeared, and the masses, spurred by religious zeal and natural greed, felt free to act as they wished. In many cases, these mobs overwhelmed the forces of local rulers who attempted to protect their Jewish subjects.
5. The First Was the Worst
Jews were pillaged and murdered during each of the first three Crusades. In terms of casualties and mass destruction, the First Crusade surpassed the others. Initiated in 1096 by Pope Urban II, the victims of this crusade included Jewish communities in France, Germany, and Jerusalem.
6. The Rhineland Was Hit Hard
After wreaking havoc on various communities in France, the armies of the First Crusade made their way to Germany. What followed was a bloodbath in the three great Jewish communities of the Rhineland: Speyer, Worms, and Mainz.
Throngs of Crusaders entered Speyer on Shabbat, 8 Iyar, where they proceeded to murder 10 Jews for refusing to embrace Christianity. The rest of the community was saved thanks to the intervention of the local ruler.
The Jews of Worms and Mainz did not fare as well. When news of the onslaught reached the community of Worms, many Jews barricaded themselves in the ruler’s castle for protection. The mob arrived there on 23 Iyar, finding easy prey in the Jews who had remained in their homes. Seven days later, the Crusaders penetrated the fortress and murdered the Jews inside. By the time they had left, the bulk of the community—800 souls in all—had been ruthlessly slaughtered, with the rest forcibly baptized.
The Jews of Mainz similarly sought safety in the ruler’s castle, only to have the Crusaders storm the walls on 3 Sivan, resulting in the deaths of the 1,300 Jews hiding inside.
These cities were the first of many in Germany attacked by the frenzied mobs, who murdered the Jewish inhabitants, ransacked their homes, and desecrated their Torah scrolls.
