David H. Price
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195394214
- eISBN:
- 9780199894734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195394214.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter describes the attempt, which began in 1509, to promote conversion by confiscating Jewish books. Supported by the Franciscan and Dominican Orders as well as the University of Cologne, ...
More
This chapter describes the attempt, which began in 1509, to promote conversion by confiscating Jewish books. Supported by the Franciscan and Dominican Orders as well as the University of Cologne, Johannes Pfefferkorn agitated for universal expulsion of Jews or, that failing, destruction of their “blasphemous” and “heretical” books (with emphasis on the Talmud and liturgical books). The chapter offers extensive analysis of the inflammatory anti-Jewish pamphlets published to support this campaign. In 1509, the anti-Jewish effort scored a major success: Emperor Maximilian issued a mandate authorizing confiscation of Jewish books.Less
This chapter describes the attempt, which began in 1509, to promote conversion by confiscating Jewish books. Supported by the Franciscan and Dominican Orders as well as the University of Cologne, Johannes Pfefferkorn agitated for universal expulsion of Jews or, that failing, destruction of their “blasphemous” and “heretical” books (with emphasis on the Talmud and liturgical books). The chapter offers extensive analysis of the inflammatory anti-Jewish pamphlets published to support this campaign. In 1509, the anti-Jewish effort scored a major success: Emperor Maximilian issued a mandate authorizing confiscation of Jewish books.
David H. Price
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195394214
- eISBN:
- 9780199894734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195394214.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter explains the complex legal maneuvers undertaken to oppose and support the imperial mandates authorizing confiscation. It offers a new reconstruction and interpretation of the actual ...
More
This chapter explains the complex legal maneuvers undertaken to oppose and support the imperial mandates authorizing confiscation. It offers a new reconstruction and interpretation of the actual campaign against Jewish books. While the confiscations were being conducted in the Rhineland with the support of the Archbishop of Mainz, the University of Mainz, and the University of Cologne, the city of Frankfurt and its Jewish community were nonetheless able to negotiate a stay of execution for the mandate. As this occurred, the office of the Papal Inquisition for the province of Teutonia, under Jacob Hoogstraeten, was assuming effective leadership of the campaign and taking steps to resume the empire-wide confiscation. This was the context of Johannes Reuchlin's intervention and the reason the inquisition immediately turned its sights on him and his arguments. The chapter analyzes the evolution of Emperor Maximilian's Jewish policy (including his support of expulsions) and the phenomenon of divided authority over Jewish communities in the empire. It argues that Reuchlin's defense was a conscientious effort to strengthen the eroding legal status of Jewry in the empire. His pamphlet also offered an unprecedented acknowledgment of the theological significance and integrity of the Jewish tradition (including defense of the Talmud).Less
This chapter explains the complex legal maneuvers undertaken to oppose and support the imperial mandates authorizing confiscation. It offers a new reconstruction and interpretation of the actual campaign against Jewish books. While the confiscations were being conducted in the Rhineland with the support of the Archbishop of Mainz, the University of Mainz, and the University of Cologne, the city of Frankfurt and its Jewish community were nonetheless able to negotiate a stay of execution for the mandate. As this occurred, the office of the Papal Inquisition for the province of Teutonia, under Jacob Hoogstraeten, was assuming effective leadership of the campaign and taking steps to resume the empire-wide confiscation. This was the context of Johannes Reuchlin's intervention and the reason the inquisition immediately turned its sights on him and his arguments. The chapter analyzes the evolution of Emperor Maximilian's Jewish policy (including his support of expulsions) and the phenomenon of divided authority over Jewish communities in the empire. It argues that Reuchlin's defense was a conscientious effort to strengthen the eroding legal status of Jewry in the empire. His pamphlet also offered an unprecedented acknowledgment of the theological significance and integrity of the Jewish tradition (including defense of the Talmud).
