Jews and banking in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, the progressive exclusion of Jews from many guilds and professions, combined with the prohibition imposed on Christians against lending at interest by canon law, led a portion of them to specialize in credit activities. This orientation, largely imposed by legal and social constraints, varied according to region and period. In certain states, Jews were considered to be directly subject to the sovereign, who profited from their financial activities while being able at any moment to tax or expel them. This specialization fed lasting stereotypes associating Jews with money and usury. It frequently served as a pretext for persecutions, debt cancellations, and expulsions, such as those from England in 1290 or from France on several occasions.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan
• Jewish Virtual Library ↗