Editing Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (section)

==Background==
{{further|History of the Jews in England (1066–1290)}}
Allegations of ritual child murder had become increasingly common following the circulation of ''[[The Life and Miracles of St William of Norwich]]'' by [[Thomas of Monmouth]], the hagiography of [[William of Norwich]], a child-saint said to have been crucified by Jews in 1144. Other accusations followed, such as that of [[Harold of Gloucester]] (1168) and [[Robert of Bury]] (1181). The story of William and similar rumours influenced the myth that developed around Hugh. The accusations may have been promoted by church officials hoping to establish local cults to attract pilgrims and donations.

During the years running up to the accusation, [[Henry III of England|King Henry III]] taxed [[English Jew]]s heavily. This in turn forced [[Loans and interest in Judaism|Jewish moneylender]]s to ensure their debts were paid, with no flexibility, or to sell their debt bonds to Christians. The King's relatives and courtiers in particular would buy debt bonds, with the intention to seize the debtors' property as [[Collateral (finance)|collateral]]. These policies of King Henry would later provoke the [[Second Barons' War]].

Church restrictions against Jews also built up in the period. Pronouncements were made by the [[Holy See|Vatican]] ordering that Jews live separate from Christians, that Christians were not to work for Jews, especially in their homes, and that Jews were to wear [[Yellow badge#Medieval and early modern Europe|yellow badges]] to identify themselves. Church pronouncements in particular led to a number of English towns expelling their Jewish communities. Henry III codified most of the Church's demands and put them into enforceable law in his 1253 [[Statute of Jewry]].{{efn|Wearing of a badge had been law for some time, but had been used as a means to gain revenue in 'fines' for non-compliance}}

At the time of the Hugh of Lincoln murder accusations, Henry III had sold his rights to tax English Jews to his brother, [[Richard, Earl of Cornwall]]. The King decreed that if any Jew were convicted of a crime, his money and property would then be [[Asset forfeiture|forfeit]] to the Crown.

A number of Jews from across England had gathered in Lincoln to attend a wedding at the time of the child's death.<ref name="Huscroft 2006 102"/>