July 8

1099: In a
move reminiscent of Joshua at Jericho, during the First Crusade 15,000 starving
Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as the Muslim
defenders look on. This seemingly desperate move is part of the preparati…

July 6

1189: Henry
II, King of England, passed away. 
Compared to those who followed him to the throne, Henry’s treatment of
his Jewish subjects was comparatively benign. (The emphasis is on
“comparatively.”)  Henry levied two
special taxes …

 July 5

1247: Pope
Innocent IV, semi-retired by Emperor Frederick II, issued a Bull refuting blood
libels and sent it throughout Germany and France.

1247: Today, Innocent IV
dispatched a bull from Lyons to the Church dignitaries of France and G…

July 4

925: Moslems
raided Oria as part of their attacks on Italy. Ten rabbinical leaders were
killed and many others were taken into captivity, including 12-year-old
Shabbetai Donnolo, who later achieved fame as a physician

1187: Guy de
Lusignan (Ki…

JUNE 30

713
CE: In Spain, Visigoth nobility which had held out against the invading Moslem
forces, throughout the winter of 712 finally surrendered to the Arabs. A
majority of the remaining Goths and Hispano-Roman people who lived in the newly
acquire…