Why Did Some Crusaders Attack Jewish Communities Before Leaving for the Holy Land?

💡 The Answer

• In 1096, during the First Crusade, mobs massacred Jews in the Rhineland cities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz.
• Anti-Semitic rhetoric portrayed Jews as enemies of Christ, inciting violence to fund crusader campaigns.
• Many believed that killing non-Christians, including Jews, was a legitimate way to purify the faith.
• Church leaders condemned these attacks, but local lords often failed to protect Jewish communities.
• This pattern of violence recurred in subsequent crusades, deepening the schism between Jews and Christians.