The Impact of the Crusades 109
he probably drew on Alexander II’s letters for guidance.33 A similar reissue of the
same letter of protection issued by Eugenius III after anti-Jewish upheavals con-
nected with the Second Crusade has also not survived.34 Clement III’s re-issue was
in the same month as his general crusading letter ‘Quam gravis et’ (1188) exhorting
the faithful to take part in the Third Crusade.35 As we have noted, these re-issues
show that, despite the election of new popes, papal protection continued and that
pontiffs, well aware of a history of crusader violence against Jews, believed it neces-
sary to signal particular protection on the eve of each fresh crusade.36
So although the ‘Constituito pro Iudaeis’ made no specific reference to cru-
sading, its five re-issues between 1199 and 1250, as its previous issues in the twelfth
century, were often linked with papal calls for crusades and in response to conse-
quent appeals by Jewish communities.37 In September 1199, Innocent III re-issued
it soon after his accession—despite the fact that his immediate predecessor
Celestine III may well have issued it near the end of his pontificate—and shortly
before despatching his general crusading letters ‘graves orientalis terrae’ and ‘Nisi
nobis dictum’ calling for the Fourth Crusade—and again at the request of Jews
who presumably anticipated violence.38
Yet despite Innocent’s re-issue of the ‘Constitutio pro Iudaeis’ at the end of his
pontificate, his successor Honorius III re-issued it again on his election in 1217,
probably as part of his planning for the Fifth Crusade.39 gregory IX then issued it
in 1235 in connection with preparations for the ‘Barons’ Crusade’ of Thibaut of
Champagne and richard of Cornwall in 1236; this time it followed papal calls the
previous year for action against Muslims in the Holy Land.40 According to the
English chronicler Matthew paris the re-issue was in response to the petitioning of
Jews in France, frightened that they would be mistreated and imprisoned by nobles
aiming to exact money:
33 Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.76; robert Chazan, God, Humanity and History: the Hebrew First Crusade
Narratives (Berkeley, 2000), p.3; Jeremy Cohen, ‘The Hebrew Crusade Chronicles in their Christian
Cultural Context’, in Juden und Christen zur Zeit der Kreuzzüge, Vorträge und Forschungen 47,
Konstanzer Arbeitskreis für mittelalterliche Geschichte, ed. A. Haverkamp (Sigmaringen, 1999), pp.17–18;
robert Hiestand, ‘Juden und Christen in der Kreuzzugspropaganda und bei den Kreuzzugspredigern’,
in Juden und Christen zur Zeit der Kreuzzüge, Vorträge und Forschungen 47, Konstanzer Arbeitskreis für
mittelalterliche Geschichte, ed. Haverkamp, p.190.
34 Eugenius III, ‘Sicut Iudaeis’ (1145–1153), Simonsohn, p.47. See Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.76.
35 Clement III, ‘Sicut Iudaeis’ (10 May 1188), Simonsohn, pp.66–7; ‘Quam gravis et’ (27 May
1188), in Acta pontificum Romanorum inedita, Vol. 3: Urkunden der Päpste vom Jahre c.590 bis zum
Jahre c.1197, ed. J. von pflugk-Harttung (Stuttgart, 1888), pp.363–4.
36 Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.9; p.76; robert Stacey, ‘Crusades, Martyrdom and the Jews of Norman
England 1096–1190’ in Juden und Christien zur Zeit der Kreuzzüge, Vorträge und Forschungen 47,
Konstanzer Arbeitskreis für mittelalterliche Geschichte, ed. Haverkamp, pp.234–5.
37 Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.76.
38 Innocent III, ‘Licet perfidia Judeorum’ (15 September 1199), Grayzel, Vol. 1, pp.92–4;
Simonsohn, pp.74–5; ‘graves orientalis terrae’ (31 december 1199), Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.98; Simonsohn,
p.78; ‘Nisi nobis dictum’ (4 January 1200), Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.98; Simonsohn, pp.78–9. See Grayzel,
Vol. 1, p.76, footnote 3.
39 Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.76, footnote 3.
40 gregory IX, ‘Sicut Iudaeis’ (3 May 1235), Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.218; Simonsohn, pp.154–5; ‘rachel
suum videns’ (17 November 1234), Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.216; Simonsohn, pp.152–3; ‘pravorum molestiis
eum’ (13 April 1235), Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.218; Simonsohn, pp.153–4. See Grayzel, Vol. 1, p.76, footnote 3.