The Jews of Medieval France

This book studies the Jewish community of Champagne from the fifth century to the expulsion of 1306. It documents the growth and decline of the community, examines its interrelationships with the larger Christian culture, and presents a model for the study of other communities. The economic and political consolidation of the county, coupled with the development of Jewish self-government and a system of education in Talmudic law, were important factors in the growth of Champagne's Jewish community. The subsequent decline of the community in the mid-13th century was also attributable to economic and political factors, as well as a growing church influence. The Jews of Medieval France: The Community of Champagne also offers an in-depth analysis of women's place in the Jewish and gentile worlds of medieval France. Details and comparisons of women's status within the family and in business, and examples of attitudes toward women in literature and law are all thoroughly integrated into the text.

Emily Taitz

Acknowledgments Introduction: An Overview Beginnings: Jewish Settlement in Champagne from the Fifth to the Ninth Century The Developing County and the Jews' Place in It: The Tenth Century The Growth and Expansion of Community: Jews in Champagne in the Eleventh Century From Strength to Strength: Communal Development in the Twelfth Century Believers and Infidels: Jews in the Christian World of Twelfth-Century Champagne The Jews of Champagne and Thirteenth-Century Politics: France and Champagne Become One The Process of Decline: The Changing Social and Economic Status of the Jews of Champagne during the Thirteenth Century Conclusion Notes Glossary Selected Bibliography Index