1564 ⟶ Ritual Murder Accusation in Brest-Litovsk
Brest-Litovsk: the son of a wealthy Jewish tax collector is ...
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1235
1250
1556
1564
1639
1879
🩸 Emperor Frederick II Investigates Ritual Murder Accusation
The Jews of Fulda, Germany were accused of Ritual murder. To investigate the Blood libel, Emperor Frederick II held a special conference of Jewish converts to Christianity at which the converts were questioned about Jewish ritual practice. Letters inviting prominent individuals to the conference still survive. At the conference, the converts stated unequivocally that Jews do not harm Christian children or require blood for any rituals. In 1236 the Emperor published these findings and in 1247 Pope Innocent IV, the Emperor's enemy, also denounced accusations of the Ritual murder of Christian children by Jews. In 1272, the papal repudiation of the Blood libel was repeated by Pope Gregory X, who also ruled that thereafter any such testimony of a Christian against a Jew could not be accepted unless it is confirmed by another Jew. Unfortunately, these proclamations from the highest sources were not effective in altering the beliefs of the Christian majority and the libels continued.⟶
Medieval PeriodBlood LibelRitual MurderFalse AccusationFrederick IIPope Innocent IVPapal Bull
Germany👶 Ritual Murder Accusation in Saragossa
Saragossa Spain: death of a choirboy Saint Dominguito del Val prompts Ritual murder accusation. His sainthood was revoked in the 20th century but reportedly a chapel dedicated to him still exists in the Cathedral of Saragossa.⟶
Ritual murderBlood libelSaragossaSpainAnti-Jewish sentimentMiddle AgesFalse accusationReligious extremismSaint Dominguito del Val
Spain🔥 Jews Burned at the Stake in Sokhachev for Host Desecration
A rumor is sent around that a poor woman in Sokhachev named Dorothy sold Jews the holy wafer received by her during communion, and that it was stabbed until it bled. The Bishop of Khelm accuses the local Jews, and eventually three Jews along with Dorothy Lazhentzka are arrested, put on the rack, and sentenced to death on charges of Host desecration. They were burned at the stake. Before their death, the martyred Jews made a declaration: "We have never stabbed the host, because we do not believe that the host is the Divine body, knowing that God has no body nor blood. We believe, as did our forefathers, that the Messiah is not God, but His messenger. We also know from experience that there can be no blood in flour."⟶
Ritual murderHost desecrationSokhachevPoland16th CenturyFalse accusationsReligious persecution
Poland🩸 Ritual Murder Accusation in Brest-Litovsk
Brest-Litovsk: the son of a wealthy Jewish tax collector is accused of killing the family's Christian servant for ritual purposes. He is tortured and executed in line with the law. King Sigismund II of Poland forbids future charges of ritual murder, calling them groundless.⟶
Ritual murderBrest-LitovskPoland16th CenturyFalse accusationsKing Sigismund IIAnti-Semitism
BelarusPoland🔪 Łęczyca Jews Accused of Ritual Murder
Jews of Łęczyca are accused of ritual murder after a young child is found dead in the woods. The blame falls on the Jews after a local gentile named Foma confesses to the crime then says he had been coerced into doing it by the Jews. Despite the lack of evidence, two Jewish elders named Meyer and Lazar are arrested and tortured, and eventually quartered publicly.⟶
Blood LibelRitual MurderFalse AccusationPersecutionViolenceTorture17th CenturyPolandJewish Community
Poland
