William of Norwich
Boy whose murder was falsely blamed on the Jews of Norwich · Lived 1132 to 1144 · aged 12
William of Norwich is read about 143 times a day, in 15 languages.
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Something wrong?William of Norwich was an apprentice who lived in the English city of Norwich, and who was murdered during Easter 1144. The city's French-speaking Jewish community was blamed by some for his death, but the crime was never solved. William's case is the first known example of a medieval blood libel.
Also in Deutsch
Photos 8
Map based a map of medieval Norwich (published in 1896). The Jewry is shown in red, positioned close to the 'Castel-land'.
A page from Thomas of Monmouth's Vita (Cambridge University Library (Add MS 3037))
Norwich Castle
Three engravings of William of Norwich (left to right): from rood screens at Eye, Suffolk and Loddon, Norfolk, and a panel formerly in Saint John the Baptist, Maddermarket, Norwich (Wellcome Collection)
John Kirkpatrick, A Plan of ye Churchyard and Precint of ye Chappel of St William in ye Wood near Norwch (c. 1720)
An illustration from the Textus Roffensis depicting the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 (British Library)About this person
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1132 to 1144 · aged 12
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