Rhineland massacres

The German Crusade of 1096 is that part of the First Crusade in which peasant crusaders, mostly from Germany, attacked not Muslims but Jews. Although anti-Semitism had existed in Europe for centuries, this was the first organized pogrom, and is sometimes called "the first Holocaust".

Background

The preaching of the First Crusade inadvertently inspired an outbreak of anti-Semitism. The Christian conquest of Jerusalem and the establishment of a Christian emperor there would supposedly instigate the End Times, during which the Jews were supposed to convert to Christianity. In parts of France and Germany, Jews were perceived as just as much of an enemy as Muslims: they were thought to be responsible for the crucifixion, and they were more immediately visible than the far-away Muslims. Many people wondered why they should travel thousands of miles to fight non-believers when there were already non-believers closer to home. It is also likely that the crusaders were motivated by a need for money, and the Rhineland communities were relatively wealthy, both due to their isolation, and because they were not restricted as Christians were against moneylending.

Folkmar and Gottschalk

In the spring of 1096 a number of small bands of knights and peasants, inspired by the preaching of the Crusade, set off from various parts of France and Germany. The crusade of the priest Folkmar, beginning in Saxony, persecuted Jews in Magdeburg and later in Prague in Bohemia. Folkmar's crusade split up before reaching Hungary. Another priest named Gottschalk led a crusade from the Rhineland and Lorraine into Hungary, occasionally attacking Jews along the way. His force was attacked and destroyed by Hungarian troops after his drunken followers pillaged Hungarian territory.

Emich of Leiningen

The largest of these crusades, and the most involved in attacking Jews, was that led by Count Emich of Leiningen. Setting off in the early summer of 1096, an army of around 10,000 men, women, and children proceeded through the Rhine valley, towards the Main River and then to the Danube. Emich was joined by William the Carpenter and Drogo of Nesle, among others from the Rhineland, eastern France, Lorraine, Flanders, and even England.

Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV ordered the Jews to be protected when he learned of Emich's intent. After some Jews were killed at Metz in May, the Bishop of Speyer, John, gave shelter to the Jewish inhabitants. The Bishop of Worms attempted to do the same, but the crusaders broke in to his episcopal palace and killed the Jews inside on May 18. News of Emich's crusade spread quickly, and he was prevented from entering Mainz on May 25 by Bishop Ruthard. Nevertheless they entered on May 27 and a massacre followed; Ruthard was possibly involved in this, as he took money from Jews who had been killed and then fled the city. On May 29 Emich arrived at Cologne, where most Jews had already left or were hiding in Christian houses. In these cities the Jews were offered the chance to convert, but many preferred death; in at least one case, a Jewish mother killed her children and then herself in order to avoid being killed by the crusaders. The chronicler Albert of Aix realized that it was against canon law to force conversions, but this was apparently not known by Emich and his followers.

In Cologne, other smaller bands of crusaders met Emich, and they left with quite a lot of money taken from the Jews there. Emich continued towards Hungary, soon joined by some Swabians. Coloman of Hungary refused to allow them through Hungary and they were completely defeated at Nis; William the Carpenter and other survivors eventually joined Hugh of Vermandois and the main body of crusader knights.

Later attacks on Jews

Later in 1096, Godfrey of Bouillon also collected tribute from the Jews in Mainz and Cologne, but there was no slaughter in this case. After the success of the First Crusade in the Holy Land, the Jews in Jerusalem were either slaughtered along with the Muslims, or they were expelled and forbidden from living in the city.

The First Crusade ignited a long tradition of organized violence against Jews in European culture. Jewish money was also used in France for financing the Second Crusade; the Jews were also attacked in many instances. In England, the Third Crusade was the pretext for the expulsion of the Jews and the confiscation of their money. The two Shepherds' Crusades in 1251 and 1320 also saw attacks on Jews in France; the second in 1320 also attacked and killed Jews in Aragon.

References

• Albert of Aix, Historia Hierosolymitana
• Robert Chazan, In the Year 1096: The First Crusade and the Jews. Jewish Publication Society, 1996.
• Kenneth Setton, ed., A History of the Crusades. Madison, 1969-1989 (available online).
• see also First Crusade Selected Sources

External links

• Albert of Aix and Ekkehard of Aura: Emico and the Slaughter of the Rhineland Jews.
• Jewish Encyclopedia: The Crusades