The Formation of a Persecuting Society

Argues that the coincidences in treatment of Jews, heretics, lepers and other groups in the 10th to 13th century cannot be explained independently, but that all are part of a pattern of persecution which appeared for the first time to make Europe become a persecuting society.

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The 10th to the 13th centuries in Europe saw the appearance of popular heresy and the establishment of the inquisition; expropriation and mass murder of Jews; the foundation of leper hospitals in large numbers and the propagation of elaborate measures to segregate lepers from the healthy. These have traditionally been seen as distinct and separate developments, and explained in terms of the problems which their victims presented to medieval society. This book argues that the coincidences in the treatment of these and other minority groups cannot be explained independently, and that all are part of a pattern of persecution which new appeared for the first time to make Europe become, as it has remained, a persecuting society.