While reading about the history of the Jews in Medieval Europe, it seems that very often, kings, nobles, and high-ranking clergymen would defend jewish communities legally and denounce anti-jewish acts. Why, then, were common Europeans still so universally brutal to their Jewish neighbors?

by Droungarios
[deleted]

The kings and noble were nice when they needed the good will of the money lenders. When they couldn't pay their debts, they switched to being enthusiastic about ejection. It's just that commoners and peasants found themselves or ones they loved in debt they couldn't get out of more frequently.

Also, because of their status as market dominant minorities in financial fields, they did well in times where the average person was suffering, including after WWI during the times that made Adolf Hitler so angry at them. The nobility was insulated and wealthy even in famine years so there was no way for those sorts of circumstances to breed hate in their ranks in the same way

jethroq

Because they tended to be more educated and not believe in the same superstisions about Jews. Common superstisions included the blood libel, the claim that Jewish people would steal christian babies and drink their blood.

Of course, thi isn't even true all thetime, there were many anti-Semitic royals, as evidenced by inquisitions and expulsions of Jewish people from many countries. Similarly, there were probably plenty of tolerant populations.

Also, if I may editorialize, the whole money lender narrative suggested in this thread always irks me. Like I'm pretty sure there have always also been poor jews.