The Pope and the Jews

The relationship between the various popes and the Jews of the empire did not follow a clear line. On the one hand, popes promoted the geographical and social separation of Christians and Jews. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council under Pope Innocent III (died 1216) introduced a number of anti-Jewish measures such as the differentiation of Jews and Christians by their dress. Yet at the same time, popes sought treatment from Jewish doctors.

Despite anti-Jewish measures, also supported by other popes, there were a number of efforts to prohibit attacks on Jews. This document is one such example. In this bull, Pope Martin V (died 1431) reprimanded the Christians: he forbade the bishops and members of religious orders from claiming that the Jews poisoned the wells and baked their Osterbrot (Easter bread) – this refers to the Passover matzo – with human blood.

This is the vidimus of a 1422 bull from Pope Martin V. Vidimus means "we have seen", and refers to an attested copy of another document. In 1469, Johanns, abbot of the Scots Abbey of St. Jacob of Regensburg, confirmed that the Regensburg Jews Ysaac Pewrl and Menndel had submitted a paper copy of a Latin document and that said copy corresponded to the original document. Part of the document was also translated into German.

The 15th century was increasingly seeing reprisals against the Regensburg Jews, as for example in 1476, when the City accused the Jews of committing ritual murder. In the face of restrictions and accusations, the Jews may have seen the need to have this important document confirmed again nearly fifty years after it was originally issued.