The Anti-Jewish Persecutions in France Under Robert II ("the Pious") (1007–1009)

Between 1007 and 1009, a wave of violent persecution against Jews swept across France, instigated by King Robert II ("the Pious"). This period marked the first large-scale anti-Jewish violence in medieval France, characterized by forced conversions, massacres, and state-sponsored oppression.

Robert II’s Role in the Persecutions

• Robert, known for his rigid religious orthodoxy and intolerance, is credited with ordering forced conversionsof Jews within his realm.
• According to a Hebrew pamphlet from the period, Robert conspired with his vassals to eliminate all Jews who refused baptism, resulting in widespread deaths, including executions and mass suicides.
• The learned Rabbi Senior is listed among the martyrs who perished during these persecutions.
• Jewish communities in major urban centers, including Orléans, Rouen, and Sens, likely faced mob violenceand expulsions.

Context and Religious Intolerance

• Robert II was well known for his harsh stance against heretics, reinstating the Roman imperial custom of burning heretics at the stake.
• His religious fervor extended beyond anti-Jewish persecution; he promoted Church reform and strengthened royal authority over ecclesiastical matters, often in conflict with the papacy.
• His intolerance set a precedent for later Capetian policies, foreshadowing future waves of anti-Jewish violence in medieval France.

Legacy and Consequences

• The persecutions of 1007–1009 were among the earliest known incidents of systematic anti-Jewish violence in medieval Europe, preceding the massacres of the First Crusade (1096).
• They deepened Jewish-Christian tensions, pushing Jewish communities to seek protection from local feudal lords or the Holy Roman Empire, where imperial policies toward Jews were often more pragmatic.
• Robert II’s religious policies reinforced his reputation as an enforcer of Christian orthodoxy, though at the cost of further alienating religious minorities.

While the Capetian monarchy would later temper its treatment of Jewish communities for economic and political reasons, Robert II’s actions marked a dark chapter in the history of medieval France, illustrating the intersection of royal authority, religious zeal, and intolerance.