March 20, 2012
I can't sleep. All my family and I have been doing is crying. Tears for our rabbi and his children. This world is cruel and unfair. Jews have endured so much and the past just keeps repeating itself. Why? I have been doing research on my wonderful city of Toulouse. Or so I thought it was wonderful. This city has such a dark past.
Toulouse seems to have a dark history of violence and hatred towards certain populations since the 1300s. In the 1300s, there was an event known as the Shepherd’s Crusade. This crusade started out in Paris and then ended up affecting Toulousians as well. This event occurred because rural workers of low income felt unfair treatment by the royals. However, while they were angry with the royals, most of these workers’ aggressions were turn towards the Jewish population. On June 12, 1320, this crusade reached its way to Toulouse and massacred Jews in Toulouse. Massacres like these are what lays the foundation for continued violence in Toulouse even presently which is almost 700 years later.
Oh I also found out this from earlier in Toulouse's history. In the 13th Century, a medieval inquisition took place in many parts of Europe. Toulouse, France was one of the many sites of this inquisition. In Toulouse, this inquisition took place between 1273 and 1282. During this time, those of the Dominican faith were persecuting those who were of the Cathartic faith. The Dominicans were accusing Cathars and others who were not Dominican of heresy and decided to do something about this. Inquisitors went as far as to murder a papal legate in 1208. This sparked a twenty-year war for the inhabitants of Toulouse. In 1229, the war ended due to a peace treaty. Looks like the pink city is maybe a black hole.
Toulouse seems to have a dark history of violence and hatred towards certain populations since the 1300s. In the 1300s, there was an event known as the Shepherd’s Crusade. This crusade started out in Paris and then ended up affecting Toulousians as well. This event occurred because rural workers of low income felt unfair treatment by the royals. However, while they were angry with the royals, most of these workers’ aggressions were turn towards the Jewish population. On June 12, 1320, this crusade reached its way to Toulouse and massacred Jews in Toulouse. Massacres like these are what lays the foundation for continued violence in Toulouse even presently which is almost 700 years later.
Oh I also found out this from earlier in Toulouse's history. In the 13th Century, a medieval inquisition took place in many parts of Europe. Toulouse, France was one of the many sites of this inquisition. In Toulouse, this inquisition took place between 1273 and 1282. During this time, those of the Dominican faith were persecuting those who were of the Cathartic faith. The Dominicans were accusing Cathars and others who were not Dominican of heresy and decided to do something about this. Inquisitors went as far as to murder a papal legate in 1208. This sparked a twenty-year war for the inhabitants of Toulouse. In 1229, the war ended due to a peace treaty. Looks like the pink city is maybe a black hole.