Louis IX’s 1269 Decree Mandating the Jewish Badge

On June 19, 1269, King Louis IX of France issued a decree requiring all Jews to wear a yellow badge (rouelle) in public, under penalty of a fine of ten livres of silver if found without it. This mandate was part of a broader pattern of anti-Jewish policies enacted under Louis IX’s reign.

Context of the Yellow Badge Requirement

• The decree followed earlier papal directives, particularly Pope Innocent III’s Fourth Lateran Council (1215), which had urged Christian rulers to enforce distinctive clothing for Jews and Muslims.
• In France, previous regulations on Jewish dress had been inconsistently enforced, but Louis IX’s decree made it compulsory, imposing a steep fine for noncompliance.
• The yellow badge, known as the rouelle, was meant to visibly mark Jewish identity, reinforcing social and legal segregation between Jews and Christians.

Louis IX’s Broader Anti-Jewish Policies

Louis IX was known for strict religious policies, aligning his rule with Catholic orthodoxy:

• He had already ordered the burning of the Talmud in Paris (1243) at the urging of Pope Gregory IX.
• He attempted to convert Jews through forced sermons delivered by Dominican preachers.
• His policies restricted Jewish economic activity, particularly in moneylending, which had long been a target of Christian hostility.

Consequences and Long-Term Impact

• The yellow badge decree further marginalized French Jews, limiting their ability to integrate into society.
• Many Jews sought refuge in regions where such laws were not yet enforced, such as parts of Provence and the Holy Roman Empire.
• This law set a precedent for future Jewish identification laws in medieval and early modern Europe, influencing later anti-Jewish policies, including those of 14th-century France and beyond.

While Louis IX was later canonized as a saint, his reign was marked by intensifying restrictions on Jewish life, reinforcing social and economic exclusion that would culminate in the final expulsion of Jews from France in 1394.