Why did Edward I expel Jews from England in 1290?

Edward I expelled the Jews from England in 1290 primarily due to a combination of economic decline and social hostility. By the late 13th century, the Jewish community had been largely restricted to money lending, an occupation that generated significant animosity among borrowers.1

Over time, royal exploitation had severely impoverished the Jewish population, rendering them less useful as a source of capital for the crown. As their economic utility to the king diminished, Edward I found it politically advantageous to order their expulsion in exchange for a tax grant from Parliament. This decision was further fueled by a broader climate of antisemitism, which included the spread of harmful stereotypes such as the blood libel and increasing religious pressure from the church to marginalize non-Christians.123

It is important to recognize that this expulsion was an act of systemic persecution, reflecting the discriminatory policies of a society that increasingly defined itself through the exclusion and exploitation of minority groups.13