Benedict of York

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Benedict of York (died 1189) was a moneylender and a leading member of the 12th-century Jewish community in York, England. [1] Benedict was considered the second-greatest moneylender in York after Josce of York. [2] Benedict acquired several lands as a result of his activities, and debts to him were still being honoured a decade after his death.

[2]

Benedict attended the coronation of King Richard I along with Josce of York and was forcibly baptised as "William" during the subsequent attacks on the Jewry of London at Richard's coronation. [1] Benedict was severely wounded in the attack and accepted a Christian baptism from a monk from York, Prior William of St. Mary's Abbey. [1] [2] Benedict recanted his Christian faith the next day when summoned before King Richard. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Baldwin of Forde, said of Benedict's recantation that "...if he will not be a Christian, let him be the devil's man". [2] Benedict later appealed to King Richard to allow him to return to his Jewish faith, though this was against canon law. [1]

He died in Northampton soon after his forced baptism. [1] The chronicler Roger of Hoveden said that Benedict was buried in neither the Jewish nor Christian cemetery in Northampton following his death as a result of his recantation. [2] Benedict's house at Spen Lane was described by William of Newbury as like "unto a royal palace in size and strength". Benedict's children and his widow were burned alive in his house during the Easter York riot in 1190. [1] [3] [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Benedict of York". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Richard Barrie Dobson (2010). The Jewish Communities of Medieval England: The Collected Essays of R.B. Dobson. Borthwick Publications. pp. 8–. ISBN   978-1-904497-48-6.
  3. Robin R. Mundill (9 August 2010). The King's Jews: Money, Massacre and Exodus in Medieval England. Continuum. pp. 79–. ISBN   978-1-84725-186-2.
  4. "BBC - Religions - Judaism: York pogrom, 1190" . Retrieved 4 March 2016.