The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom, 1000-1500

Cambridge Medieval Textbooks

by Robert Chazan

Between the years AD 1000 and 1500, western Christendom absorbed by conquest and attracted through immigration a growing number of Jews. This community was to make a valuable contribution to rapidly developing European civilisation but was also to suffer some terrible setbacks, culminating in a series of expulsions from the more advanced westerly areas of Europe. At the same time, vigorous new branches of world Jewry emerged and a rich new Jewish cultural legacy was created. In this important historical synthesis, Robert Chazan discusses the Jewish experience over a 500 year period across the entire continent of Europe. As well as being the story of medieval Jewry, the book simultaneously illuminates important aspects of majority life in Europe during this period. This book is essential reading for all students of medieval Jewish history and an important reference for any scholar of medieval Europe.

Genres: History, Judaica, Religion

362 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2006

About the author

Robert Chazan is Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting, but repetitive after a while... a good does of pithy would help this book go down!

[Nina Littel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative but a lot of needless repetition of facts.