(1) How were the Jews treated by the English and their government in the Middle ages?
(8 marks)
When the Jews came to England in the Middle ages, originally, they were treated well by the English
Kings, as they were invited by William of Normandy because they were educated and could look
after taxes, also because they could lend him money. The Jews tended to be quite literate when
many English could not. They were employed to do the king’s accounts and to ensure he got all the
taxes that he was due. But Jewish money was being spent by Kings to build castles and cathedrals.
On the other hand, Jews were thought to be behind the murders of Christian children which had
taken place, for example, ‘Little Saint Hugh’ in Lincoln 1255. Growing public dislike of the Jewish
community unfortunately meant the fact that kings now began to remove their protection from the
Jews. Kings found other people to borrow from and even felt embarrassed they had borrowed so
much from Jews that the debt could not be repaid.
(2) Why did the Flemings come to Britain in the Middle Ages? (8 marks).
The Flemings came to Britain in the Middle ages from Flanders in modern day Belgium. The major
push factors were that some were political refugees from warfare as medieval Flanders saw much
fighting. However, there were also a great series of storms in Flanders in 1106 and much low-lying
land was covered by the sea, so they wanted to leave a place that was regularly being flooded.
The pull factor for the Flemings was solely economic. The Flemings were famous for its craftsmen,
especially as weavers of cloth from wool and in the middle ages woollen cloth which was very
valuable and could end up making you rich. The skilled Flemings were welcomed by King Henry I of
England in the early 13th century. A second wave came from the 1330s as King Edward III decided to
encourage cloth being made in England rather than exporting raw wool to Europe where it was then
woven into cloth. This would result in greater profits and therefore more taxes. However, there
were not enough weavers in England to cope and so Flemish weavers were invited to England.
(8 marks)
When the Jews came to England in the Middle ages, originally, they were treated well by the English
Kings, as they were invited by William of Normandy because they were educated and could look
after taxes, also because they could lend him money. The Jews tended to be quite literate when
many English could not. They were employed to do the king’s accounts and to ensure he got all the
taxes that he was due. But Jewish money was being spent by Kings to build castles and cathedrals.
On the other hand, Jews were thought to be behind the murders of Christian children which had
taken place, for example, ‘Little Saint Hugh’ in Lincoln 1255. Growing public dislike of the Jewish
community unfortunately meant the fact that kings now began to remove their protection from the
Jews. Kings found other people to borrow from and even felt embarrassed they had borrowed so
much from Jews that the debt could not be repaid.
(2) Why did the Flemings come to Britain in the Middle Ages? (8 marks).
The Flemings came to Britain in the Middle ages from Flanders in modern day Belgium. The major
push factors were that some were political refugees from warfare as medieval Flanders saw much
fighting. However, there were also a great series of storms in Flanders in 1106 and much low-lying
land was covered by the sea, so they wanted to leave a place that was regularly being flooded.
The pull factor for the Flemings was solely economic. The Flemings were famous for its craftsmen,
especially as weavers of cloth from wool and in the middle ages woollen cloth which was very
valuable and could end up making you rich. The skilled Flemings were welcomed by King Henry I of
England in the early 13th century. A second wave came from the 1330s as King Edward III decided to
encourage cloth being made in England rather than exporting raw wool to Europe where it was then
woven into cloth. This would result in greater profits and therefore more taxes. However, there
were not enough weavers in England to cope and so Flemish weavers were invited to England.
