King Edward expels all Jews from England

1290 The expulsion of English Jewry. All the Jews in England had to leave the country by this date under a proclamation of the king.

Edward I of England (1239 - 1307), on his sick-bed, made a vow to God that if he recovered his health, he would undertake another crusade against the 'infidels'. Some of the Jewish people of England had prospered as financiers when the country had squandered its wealth on the invasions of Palestine (the Crusades).

Edward’s proclamation, on August 31, gave all Jews just two months to leave the country, under penalty of death. They were permitted to take with them a small portion of their movable possessions, and only sufficient money to pay their travelling expenses ...

Tagged: england, english-history, britain, judaism, monarchy