Thread by @MikeStuchbery_

When you spend a lot of the time reading history, you start to see it echoing everywhere. I was reading about antisemitic comments and graffiti made by French ‘Gilets Jaunes’ during another week of rioting, when I noticed a particularly strong echo… THREAD /1

In many ways, Europe in the 14th century would be completely alien to us. In other ways, we might recognise plenty about the gap between rich and poor, as well as everyday drama and tensions of local ‘politics’ (I’m using the term loosely there). /2

If you found yourself in what is today the Alsace, in France, in the 1330s, you might hear a lot about the Jews as you drank in a local tavern. A community apart, they were restricted to occupations, such as moneylending - one that added to the resentment from the populace. /3

Furthermore, while they were forced to live in their own communities, nonetheless, the Jews of the Alsace seemed to be doing better than most folk. They were literate, somewhat healthier, had a community cohesion greater than their peers. This provoked intense anger. /4

You see, many Christians had spent their lives being told that Jews had murdered Christ, that they had desecrated hosts, that they were ritually slaughtering children. Whether by design, or otherwise, they became the scapegoat for many ills experienced by the community. /5

If you were to ride out into the Alsace countryside in 1336, you might also start hearing of active plots to band together and run the Jews out. You might have heard of the knight, Arnold von Uissigheim, who claimed he was divinely empowered to sweep the land clean of them. /6

That year, Arnold acted on his ‘divine’ command. While he was already treated as an outlaw for his actions as a ‘robber baron’, he attempted to win back support by massacring the Jewish communities in the region. Such was his ferocity, that he was hunted down and executed. /7

Two years later, in 1338,  a relatively affluent innkeeper, ‘John ZImberlin’ decreed himself ‘King Armleder’ - naming himself after the leather cuffs peasants wore around their arms to protect them. The disaffected rural poor flocked to him, adopting the ‘armleder’ as well. /8

Once he had gathered an army of peasants together, ‘King Armleder’ and his band moved through the countryside. At each town the Jewish population were slaughtered, and their possessions taken. Their communities were destroyed, rendered uninhabitable. /9

When they came to large communities like Rouffach and Ensisheim, the Bishop of Strasbourg, attempted to cool their anger by confiscating their stolen goods. In Muelhausen, the Holy Roman Emperor profited by exonerating the murderers in return for 1,000 pounds of gold. /10

It should be noted that in all of these communities, the inhabitants didn’t merely stand back while the ‘Armleder’ did their work. In fact, many joined them, swelling their numbers and making them more powerful. It is thought that 1200 Jews across the Alsace were murdered. /11

Eventually the surviving Jews of the region were surrounded in Colmar, the largest & most well-fortified town in the area. They were besieged there by the army of ‘King Armleder’, until imperial troops arrived - then they ran, melting away, emerging for sneak attacks. /12

It must be noted that while they didn't exactly receive the warmest of welcomes, the Jews were protected in Colmar and their community would persist over the centuries, despite major challenges.

‘King Armleder’ knew that he wouldn’t be able to melt away so easily, so he signed a deal in 1339, promising the ‘Armleder’ wouldn’t attack anybody. Nonetheless, bands still operated outside his control for the next ten years, until the Black Death. He, however, was fine. /14

You may think I’m a bit barmy for seeing echoes of a medieval pogrom in what’s happening now, but hear me out. I think you’d be surprised. /15

First, both now and then we’ve got a population with a growing divide between rich and poor. Additionally we have a ruling class that seems so very remote from the populace that the common folk - quite understandably - look elsewhere for guidance. /16

We’ve also got groups that are being marginalized. Back then it was the Jews. Now, it’s both Muslims and Jews - as evidenced by these recent attacks. The population is fractured, splintering along lines of identity. Groups are turned into scapegoats for the failure of rulers. /17

In both ages we’ve got opportunists using the anger of the disaffected to personally enrich themselves, and turn anger to their benefit. It’s clear that Arnold and ‘King Armleder’ fulfilled this role in 1330s - who might be stoking the fires today? /18

Hell, we’ve even got the distinctive clothing. Back then - leather bracers, now, - hi-vis vests. A symbol of class, turned into something more. Something that lets you take out your anger and frustrations as part of a larger whole, not as an individual. /19

It’s flippant to say nothing ever changes, but it’s true, and especially when we consider how power uses the ‘other’ as a pressure valve for the frustrations caused by its failings or design.

Always look to see who stokes the fires. /20

What can we do about it? We can recognize the signs of a frenzy being whipped up. We can call out opportunists for the charlatans they are. Most of all, we can always stress that hatred and violence towards the 'other' is never the answer - only holding power to account. /FIN