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ZAKHORIUM
PTEN

Holy Roman Emperor

Frederick II

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1234

In 1234 he declared the empire's Jews to be servi, 'serfs', of the royal treasury.

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1 statements

As monarchs centralized power, Jews came to depend on royal authority. Frederick I Barbarossa made this explicit in 1157, declaring that the Jews were in the Crown's protective custody 'because they pertain to our chamber'. In 1234 Frederick II declared the empire's Jews to be servi, 'serfs', of the royal treasury.