JUNE 18

1155:
In Rome, the coronation of Frederick Barbarossa makes him the Holy Roman
Emperor. Compared to other medieval monarchs, Frederick’s treatment of his
Jewish subjects was comparatively benign. Frederick viewed the Jews as “his subjects”
whi…

 JUNE 16

1221: Massacre of the Jews of Erfurt, Germany which at one
time  was commemorated as a Fast Day on
the 25th of Sivan.

1295: Mahmud Ghazan the seventh ruler of the Mongol
Empire’s Ilkhanate division in modern-day Iran converted to I…

 JUNE 4

1039
Conrad II passed away.  Born in 990, he
served Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death. His reign was part of
positive period for the Jews of the Rhineland. The first synagogue was built in
Worms in 1034 and Rabbi Gershom b…

May 24

1218:  The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. The
driving forces behind the crusade were two Popes who broke new ground in the
mistreatment of the Jews – Innocent III and his successor, Honorius III.   One of their most infamou…

May 15

392:
Theodosius I, who had been emperor of the eastern half of the Roman Empire
became the last ruler of the entire Roman Empire (east and west) “A general of
Spanish origin, and the son of another general, was chosen to replace Valens
who had …

May
2

373:
“Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria…aggressive opponent of Arianism and polemicist
against Judaism died today.” 

693:
The Sixteenth Council of Toledo, which had opened on April 25, met for the last
time. Among its other accomplishments,…

April 25

693:
Opening session of the Sixteenth Council of Toledo which, before its close,
would add more regulations that would prove oppressive to the Jews living under
the Visigoths.  This Visigoth
anti-Semitism would provide a major impetus fo…