Moneylending Before Court – Jewish Moneylending and (Christian) Courts in Late Medieval Austria

Abstract Jewish men and women appeared before various courts in medieval Austria. Many of the trials dealt with disputes arising from their activities as moneylenders and pawnbrokers. Jews defended their claims before municipal and manorial courts, especially for forfeited pledges, and sued their debtors for their rights, or found themselves as defendants accused, for example, of defaulting on levy or rent payments. The Christian courts made no distinction in their treatment of Jewish and Christian parties. As direct subjects of the ruler, however, Jewish moneylenders were also able to appeal to the ducal court. In addition to providing insights into the everyday practice of moneylending and pawnbroking and the problems associated with it, the court documents also reveal the knowledge that Jews had of the complex structures of medieval court systems.