Elias of London
Encyclopedia
Elias of London also known as Elijah ben Moses or Elias le Evesque, was Presbyter Judaeorum
in thirteenth-century England
. He succeeded Aaron of York
, represented London
at the so-called "Jewish Parliament" at Worcester
in 1240, and in 1249 was allowed to have Abraham fil Aaron as his assistant. Henry III of England
exacted from him no less a sum than £10,000, besides £100 a year for a period of four years.
Elias headed the deputation which asked the king's permission to leave the country in 1253. In 1255 he was imprisoned as a surety for the tallage
of the Jews, and two years later he was deposed from office, being succeeded by his brother Hagin
(Hayyim). In 1259, according to Matthew Paris
, he was said to have been converted, and confessed to having prepared poison
for certain of the English nobles; but in 1266 he was again treated as a Jew, and compensation to the amount of £50 was granted him for losses he had incurred during the Barons' war. He still remained one of the most important Jews of London in 1277, being one of the few who were granted permission to trade as merchants though they were not members of the Gild Merchant. He appears to have been a physician
of some note, for his aid was invoked by Jean d'Avesnes, Count of Hainault, in 1280, and he obtained permission to visit the count in that year ("R. E. J." xviii. 256 et seq.).
At Elias' death an inquest made upon his estate declared him to be possessed of personal property to the value of 400 marks, and of houses of the yearly rental of 100 shillings. These his widow, Fluria, was permitted to retain on payment to the king of 400 marks. One of his houses appears to have been located on Sporier Street, near the Tower of London
, and at the expulsion in 1290 was granted to the prior of Chicksands
.
Elias was an expert in Jewish law, being summoned before the king to decide questions ("Select Pleas," etc., p. 86). A responsum of his is quoted in one of the manuscripts of the "Mordekai
" (see A. Berliner, "Hebräische Poesien Meïrs aus Norwich," p. 3, London, 1887).
Presbyter Judaeorum
The Presbyter Judaeorum or Presbyter Judæorum was the chief official of the Jews of England prior to the Edict of Expulsion. The office appears to have been for life, though in two or three instances the incumbent either resigned or was dismissed. Prynne, in his "Demurrer" The Presbyter Judaeorum...
in thirteenth-century England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He succeeded Aaron of York
Aaron of York
Aaron of York or Aaron fil Josce was a Jewish financier and chief rabbi of England. He was born in York before 1190 and died after 1253. He was probably the son of Josce of York, the leading figure in the York massacre of 1190.-Chief Rabbi:...
, represented London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the so-called "Jewish Parliament" at Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
in 1240, and in 1249 was allowed to have Abraham fil Aaron as his assistant. Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
exacted from him no less a sum than £10,000, besides £100 a year for a period of four years.
Elias headed the deputation which asked the king's permission to leave the country in 1253. In 1255 he was imprisoned as a surety for the tallage
Tallage
Tallage or talliage may have signified at first any tax, but became in England and France a land use or land tenure tax. Later in England it was further limited to assessments by the crown upon cities, boroughs, and royal domains...
of the Jews, and two years later he was deposed from office, being succeeded by his brother Hagin
Hagin ben Moses
Hagin ben Moses or Hagin filus Mossy was Presbyter Judaeorum or chief rabbi of the Jews of England and agent of Richard of Cornwall. He appears to have been the chirographer of the Jews of London, and obtained great wealth, but he lost it under Edward I...
(Hayyim). In 1259, according to Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
, he was said to have been converted, and confessed to having prepared poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
for certain of the English nobles; but in 1266 he was again treated as a Jew, and compensation to the amount of £50 was granted him for losses he had incurred during the Barons' war. He still remained one of the most important Jews of London in 1277, being one of the few who were granted permission to trade as merchants though they were not members of the Gild Merchant. He appears to have been a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
of some note, for his aid was invoked by Jean d'Avesnes, Count of Hainault, in 1280, and he obtained permission to visit the count in that year ("R. E. J." xviii. 256 et seq.).
At Elias' death an inquest made upon his estate declared him to be possessed of personal property to the value of 400 marks, and of houses of the yearly rental of 100 shillings. These his widow, Fluria, was permitted to retain on payment to the king of 400 marks. One of his houses appears to have been located on Sporier Street, near the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, and at the expulsion in 1290 was granted to the prior of Chicksands
Chicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
.
Elias was an expert in Jewish law, being summoned before the king to decide questions ("Select Pleas," etc., p. 86). A responsum of his is quoted in one of the manuscripts of the "Mordekai
Mordecai ben Hillel
Mordechai ben Hillel HaKohen , also known as The Mordechai, was a 13th century German rabbi and posek. His chief legal commentary on the Talmud, referred to as the Mordechai, is one of the sources of the Shulchan Aruch. He died a martyr's death at Nuremberg.-Biography:Little is known of the...
" (see A. Berliner, "Hebräische Poesien Meïrs aus Norwich," p. 3, London, 1887).