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The Murder of William of Norwich - The Origins of the Blood Libel in Medieval Europe (Hardcover)
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The Murder of William of Norwich - The Origins of the Blood Libel in Medieval Europe (Hardcover)
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In 1144, the mutilated body of William of Norwich, a young
apprentice leatherworker, was found abandoned outside the city's
walls. The boy bore disturbing signs of torture, and a story soon
spread that it was a ritual murder, performed by Jews in imitation
of the Crucifixion as a mockery of Christianity. The outline of
William's tale swiftly gained currency far beyond Norwich, and the
idea that Jews engaged in ritual murder became firmly rooted in the
European imagination. E.M Rose's engaging book delves into the
story of William's murder and the notorious trial that followed to
uncover the origin of the ritual murder accusation-known as the
"blood libel"-in western Europe in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the
specific historical context-the 12th-century reform of the Church,
the position of Jews in England, and the Second Crusade-and
suspensefully unraveling the facts of the case, Rose makes a
powerful argument for why the Norwich Jews (and particularly one
Jewish banker) were accused of killing the youth, and how the
malevolent blood libel accusation managed to take hold. She also
considers four "copycat" cases, in which Jews were similarly blamed
for the death of young Christians, and traces the adaptations of
the story over time. In the centuries after its appearance, the
ritual murder accusation provoked instances of torture, death and
expulsion of thousands of Jews and the extermination of hundreds of
communities. Although no charge of ritual murder has withstood
historical scrutiny, the concept of the blood libel is so
emotionally charged and deeply rooted in cultural memory that it
endures even today. Rose's groundbreaking work, driven by
fascinating characters, a gripping narrative, and impressive
scholarship, provides clear answers as to why the blood libel
emerged when it did and how it was able to gain such widespread
acceptance, laying the foundations for enduring anti-Semitic myths
that continue to the present.
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