# Rhineland Massacres (1096)

URL: https://germany-history.com/timeline/1096-rhineland-massacres
Location: Speyer, Worms, Mainz
Categories: main-event

In spring 1096 bands of crusaders on their way to the Holy Land attacked the Jewish communities of Speyer, Worms, Mainz and Cologne. Thousands were killed or chose death rather than forced baptism. It was the first large-scale anti-Jewish violence in German lands.

## Why it matters
It began a tradition of persecution that shaped Jewish life in Germany for centuries.

Ruler at the time: [Henry IV](https://germany-history.com/rulers/henry-iv)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia – Rhineland massacres](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhineland_massacres)