Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1239-1559 · 320 years · show in timeline

Burnings of the Talmud 1239 to 1559: On papal orders Dominicans, Franciscans and the Inquisition seized Jewish books and burned them in public

In 1239 Pope Gregory IX ordered the Dominicans and Franciscans to seize all copies of the Talmud and destroy them if the charges of a baptised Jew proved true. In Paris the Jews had to surrender their books under threat of death; a commission condemned the Talmud to the flames in 1240. According to Graetz twenty-four cartloads were burned in 1242; according to the Jewish Encyclopedia the burning followed in 1244 at the urging of Pope Innocent IV. In 1553 the Roman Inquisition, with the approval of Pope Julius III, had the copies of the Talmud in Rome seized and burned on the Jewish New Year; throughout Italy books went up in flames by the hundreds of thousands. Under Paul IV not a copy was left in the Papal States.

Period
1239-1559 (320 years)
Country
France, Italy
Institutions
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Julius III
Pope Paul IV
Dominicans
Franciscans
Roman Inquisition
Category
Anti-Judaism, Censorship
Level of evidence
B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. The burnings spread across Italy: in the Romagna, Ferrara, Mantua, Venice, Padua and on Crete books were burned by the hundreds of thousands. According to Graetz the inquisitors no longer distinguished between the Talmud and other Hebrew writings and even seized Bibles. A single scholar in Venice, Judah Lerma, by his own account lost 1,500 volumes. In 1554 the Talmud appeared in the Index of Prohibited Books for the first time.
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „Copies were burnt by hundreds of thousands throughout the whole Romagna“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „they even seized copies of the Holy Scriptures“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Action of the Inquisition
    „Judah Lerma has narrated that he alone lost 1,500 volumes“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Action of the Inquisition. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Action of the Inquisition
    „the "Talmuth" appeared in the list for the first time“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Action of the Inquisition. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. In Paris the Jews were forced to surrender their books under threat of death. After a three-day disputation in June 1240 in which Rabbi Jehiel of Paris defended the Talmud, the commission condemned it to be burned on the ground that Jehiel and Judah of Melun had been compelled to admit some of the charges.
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Confiscation in France
    „The Jews were forced, under threat of death, to surrender their books“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Confiscation in France. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894, Kap. XVII, S. 578
    „(25th-27th June, 1240)“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 3, Kap. XVII, S. 578. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894, Kap. XVII, S. 578
    „condemned it to be burnt, on the ground that Yechiel and Judah of Melun had been compelled to admit the truth of several of the charges“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 3, Kap. XVII, S. 578. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. The sources differ on the date and extent of the burning. According to Graetz King Louis IX had the books taken by force; 24 cartloads were burned in Paris in 1242. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia the sentence was carried out three years after 1240 at the urging of Pope Innocent IV: on one day fourteen cartloads were brought into Paris, later six more, and all were publicly burned on 17 June 1244. According to Graetz pious Jews in France kept the anniversary as a fast.
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894, Kap. XVII, S. 578 f.
    „Four-and-twenty cartloads“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 3, Kap. XVII, S. 578 f.. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894, Kap. XVII, S. 579
    „and committed to the flames“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 3, Kap. XVII, S. 579. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Confiscation in France
    „Three years later the decree was carried out, under urging from the new pope, Innocent IV.“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Confiscation in France. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Confiscation in France
    „on one day fourteen wagon-loads were brought into Paris. Later, six more wagon-loads were added, and all the books were publicly burned on June 17. 1244.“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Confiscation in France. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894, Kap. XVII, S. 579
    „kept the anniversary“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 3, Kap. XVII, S. 579. Original
  2. With the bull of 29 May 1554 Julius III allowed the Jews to keep other Hebrew books but forced them, under pain of corporal punishment, to surrender all copies of the Talmud. Under Paul IV, the former inquisitor general Carafa, according to Graetz not a copy was left in the Papal States and most of Italy. In 1559 in Cremona, after calls to murder the Jews and at the instigation of two Dominicans, ten to twelve thousand books were burned.
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „Julius III agreed to this latter request, and issued a bull (May 29th, 1554)“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „under pain of corporal punishment, to give up all copies of the Talmud“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 582
    „of which not a copy was left in the Papal States or throughout the greater part of Italy“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 582. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 582
    „Inflammatory papers were distributed in Cremona calling upon the people to kill the Jews“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 582. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 582 f.
    „governor was urged by two Dominicans“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 582 f.. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 583
    „Ten or twelve thousand books were burnt on this occasion.“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 583. Original

Background

Course of events

  1. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia almost every one of these attacks followed the same course: a baptised Jew brought charges against the Talmud, the pope ordered its confiscation, the Inquisition carried it out, the rabbis were allowed to defend it in a disputation, and in the end the Talmud was condemned and publicly burned.
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Absatz 3
    „the bringing of charges against the Talmud by a converted Jew; the issuing by the pope of a decree for its confiscation; the carrying out of the decree by the Inquisition“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Absatz 3. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Absatz 3
    „finally, the condemnation and public destruction of the Talmud by burning“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Absatz 3. Original
  2. Further confiscations and burnings followed under the papal legate Odo in Paris, under Pope Clement IV in Barcelona and Tarragona, in 1319 in Toulouse under the inquisitor Bernard Gui; in 1320 Pope John XXII ordered the Archbishop of Bourges to confiscate all copies of the Talmud in his city.
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century
    „again in Paris, four years later, under the cardinal-legate Odo; in Barcelona and Tarragona under Pope Clement IV.“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century
    „in Toulouse, under the inquisitor Bernard Gui, aided by officials of King Louis in 1319“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century
    „In 1320 the Archbishop of Bourges received orders from Pope John XXII. to confiscate all copies of the Talmud in his city.“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century. Original

Response of the Church

  1. In 1239 the baptised Jew Nicholas Donin charged that the Talmud insulted Christianity. Pope Gregory IX then sent an order to the temporal and ecclesiastical rulers in France, England, Castile, Aragon and Portugal: Dominicans and Franciscans were to seize all copies of the Talmud and have them destroyed should the charges prove true.
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Confiscation in France
    „In 1239 the baptized Jew Nicholas (Donin) brought the charge against the Talmud that it insulted Christianity, and Pope Gregory IX. sent a general order on the subject to the temporal and ecclesiastical rulers in France, England, Castile, Aragon, and Portugal.“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Confiscation in France. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Confiscation in France
    „confiscate all copies of the Talmud, submit them to the heads of the two orders for examination, and, should the charges prove to be true, cause them to be destroyed“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Confiscation in France. Original
  2. In 1553 three converts again brought the charges. On 12 August 1553 Pope Julius III signed the decree of the inquisitor general Carafa. Servants of the Inquisition forced their way into the synagogues and homes of the Roman Jews, seized the copies of the Talmud and, according to Graetz, burned them on the Jewish New Year on the Campo de’ Fiori.
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Action of the Inquisition
    „The question was reopened in Italy in 1553 by Cardinal Caraffa, leader of the Italian Inquisition“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Action of the Inquisition. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Action of the Inquisition
    „forced their way into synagogues and homes, and returned laden with booty to their superiors“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Action of the Inquisition. Original
    Evidence: Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Action of the Inquisition
    „On an appointed day all the copies of the Talmud were carried to the Campo di Fiori“
    Confiscation of Hebrew Books, Action of the Inquisition. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „the inquisitor general (August 12th, 1553)“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „confiscated the copies of the Talmud and compilations made from it“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original
    Evidence: Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891, Kap. XVI, S. 565
    „Jewish New Year’s Day“
    History of the Jews, Bd. 4, Kap. XVI, S. 565. Original

See also

Scholarly literature and reference works

  1. Reference work
    Richard Gottheil und William Popper, Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906): Confiscation of Hebrew Books, 1 January 1903. Original (retrieved 11 Oct 2026)
  2. Scholarly literature
    Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1894: History of the Jews, Bd. 3, 1 January 1894. Original (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
  3. Scholarly literature
    Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891: History of the Jews, Bd. 4, 1 January 1891. Original (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
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