Les Josiols
Encyclopedia
Les Josiols is a former Jewish quarter
situated north of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
, a French commune
in the southern Drôme
department.
Situated on a hillside, Mirabel has a mild climate. Mirabel, which was first mentioned in 1059, had a flourishing Jewish quarter until 1348. The Jews that inhabited Les Josiols were merchants with flourishing businesses. In 1348, the inhabitants were either expelled or assassinated due to the accusation that they had distributed the pest. In fact, the Black Death
-outbreak of 1348 followed several years of bad harvests and had made numerous victims. It was therefore that the inhabitants of Mirabel felt that somebody had to be punished. Finally the Jews were accused of having poisoned the drinking water wells of Mirabel. It has to be noted that the creek Françonne
served as source of drinking water for the Jews, so they did not suffer from the poison, was the hearsay. Their houses were completely destroyed, those who resisted were murdered, the ones that fled went to Carpentras
.
The Dauphin
of the Dauphiné (later the French department Drôme
) and even the Pope
intervened, but could do little to save the Jews of Mirabel.
(sandstone), olive trees, vineyards and some farms.
Jewish Quarter (diaspora)
In the Jewish Diaspora, a Jewish quarter is the area of a city traditionally inhabited by Jews. Jewish quarters, like the Jewish ghettos in Europe, were often the outgrowths of segregated ghettos instituted by the surrounding Christian authorities. A Yiddish term for a Jewish quarter or...
situated north of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.Perched on top of a hill, Mirabel is renowned for its mild climate and beautiful scenery...
, a French commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the southern Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
department.
Situated on a hillside, Mirabel has a mild climate. Mirabel, which was first mentioned in 1059, had a flourishing Jewish quarter until 1348. The Jews that inhabited Les Josiols were merchants with flourishing businesses. In 1348, the inhabitants were either expelled or assassinated due to the accusation that they had distributed the pest. In fact, the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
-outbreak of 1348 followed several years of bad harvests and had made numerous victims. It was therefore that the inhabitants of Mirabel felt that somebody had to be punished. Finally the Jews were accused of having poisoned the drinking water wells of Mirabel. It has to be noted that the creek Françonne
Françonne
La Françonne is a creek situated north of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies in France, department Drôme, and to the east of the former Jewish quarter called les Josiols. This quarter existed until 1348, when the inhabitants of Les Josiols were assassinated due to rumours that they had caused the outbreak of...
served as source of drinking water for the Jews, so they did not suffer from the poison, was the hearsay. Their houses were completely destroyed, those who resisted were murdered, the ones that fled went to Carpentras
Carpentras
Carpentras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It stands on the banks of the Auzon...
.
The Dauphin
Dauphin de Viennois
The Counts of Albon were minor French nobles in south-eastern France, in the Rhône Alps region.Under Guigues IV, Count of Albon, who was nicknamed le Dauphin or the Dolphin from the dolphin on his coat of arms, they took a new hereditary title, Dauphin of Viennois , named for the region around...
of the Dauphiné (later the French department Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
) and even the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
intervened, but could do little to save the Jews of Mirabel.
Today
Today Les Josiols is just a hillside covered with bare saffreSaffré
Saffré is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-See also:*Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department...
(sandstone), olive trees, vineyards and some farms.