Swearing Oaths and Affixing Seals: Acts of Citizenship and Belonging Among Jews in the Medieval Holy Roman Empire

Abstract

This study investigates ‘acts of citizenship’ and forms of belonging among Jews within the medieval Holy Roman Empire. Positing that citizenship was not just a matter of official status, it looks at ‘acts of citizenship’, such as oath-taking and sealing practices, showing how these were integral elements in the relationship between an individual and the town in which they lived. I argue that both oath-taking and sealing practices, with their performative elements, are therefore valuable indicators of Jewish belonging in urban settings. Through this investigation, a deeper understanding of the multifaceted and ever-changing roles that Jews had and were able to obtain in the medieval Holy Roman Empire can be gained and, ultimately, also applied to other social groups.