Persecutions and Expulsions
of Jewish communities in Europe

Under Roman rule:

135-8 CE     Jews banned from Holy Land, ban revoke after death of emperor Hadrian

212 CE         Roman citizenship extended to all free inhabitants of Roman empire, incl. Jews

249 -             persecutions against Christians under emperors Decius, Valerius

303-          persecution against Christians under Diocletain

313 CE     Christianity becomes tolerated under emperor Constantine (Edict of Milano)

Under Christian rule: 391 CE Christianity become official religion of the Roman Empire

4th c.: conversion to Judaism and intermarriage with Christians is prohibited.

439 CE: government posts closed to Jews; Jews forbidden to build new synagogues

c. 600 CE: official papal policy (Gregory the Great): no forceful conversion of Jews; Jews in their dispersed condition a "living testimony" to the truth of scripture.

612 CE Visigothic Spain introduces anti-Jewish legislation; Jews expelled from Spain in 694.

873-4 CE Forceful conversion of Jews of Byzantine Southern Italy under emperor Basil I.

943 CE Revival of conversion decree of Basil I under emperor Lecapenus.

1095: Pope Urban II's call for 1st crusade, leads to massacre of Rhineland Jews by "Crusaders".

1144: First Blood Libel in Norwich, England (accusation of Jews requiring blood for ritual)

1182-98: Expulsion from the royal domain in France.

1190: Massacre at York.

1202-04: Fourth Crusade, turns against Orthodox Christianity (Constantinople); desecration of Hagia Sophia

1208: Beginning of Crusade against Albingensians; founding of the Inquisition.

1215: Fourth Lateran Council: Limit on occupations for Jews; interaction with Christians forbidden; introduction of distinctive badge and clothing for Jews.

1290: Expulsion from England.

1306-15: Expulsion from and recall to France.

1320-21: Massacres in France / 1336-39: Massacres in Germany.

1348-49: "Black Death" massacres.

1391: Massacres in Castile and Aragon, Spain.

1394: Final Expulsion from France.

1421: Persecution in Austria.

1424: Expulsion from Cologne.

1439: Expulsion from Augsburg.

1450-1500: Expulsion from different parts of Germany.

1462: Establishment of the Frankfurt ghetto.

1473-74: Massacre of Conversos in Cordova.

1480 Beginning of Spanish Inquisition, focus on Conversos. (lasts until 1820!)

1492: Expulsion from Spain /1497: Coercion into baptism/Expulsion from Portugal.