Abraham of Bristol and the Price of Being Jewish in Medieval England

The story of Abraham of Bristol is one of the most harrowing possible glimpses into what life was like for medieval England’s Jewish community, living precariously at the pleasure of the king’s “protection” which might well be extorted at need.

In 1210, King John exacted a huge ransom of 66,000 marks (£44,000) from England’s Jewish community, throwing the wealthy Jews of Bristol into the castle until payment in full. One Bristol merchant, identified by later chroniclers as Abraham of Bristol, refused to pay his share of 10,000 marks. The king’s response to Roger of Wendover was to have one of Abraham’s molar teeth removed each day until he came to terms with the royal demand, a deliberately horrifying ordeal that lasted a full week. On the eighth day, with teeth still hurting, Abraham paid up.

This was not an example of especially vicious behavior on the part of one nasty king. Jewish communities in medieval England paid substantial taxes directly to the crown for the protection of the king, who was their only official authority over their ability to live, trade and prosper. As moneylenders charging interest, one of the few professions genuinely available to them and a source of substantial income, they were a tempting source of funds for any king in need. Richard I had already extracted a huge contribution to fund his own ransom, and John was merely following in his father’s footsteps, though with more violent methods. It’s a genuinely uncomfortable insight into medieval England’s fiscal practices, but one that highlights the usefulness to the crown of a disadvantaged minority group, and its willingness to use coercive measures to extract that usefulness at need.

Browse all historical mystery titles by M. J. Westerbone at westerbone.com/books.