this long contest, which began
in 1096 and ended in 1270, was to compel the Saracens or Mohammedans
to give up possession of the Holy Land to the Christians (S186).
Immediately after his coronation, Richard resolved to jion the King of
France and the Emperor of Germany in the Third Crusade. To get money
for the expedition, the King extorted loans from the Jews (S119), who
were the creditors of half England and had almost complete control of
the capital and commerce of every country in Europe.

The English nobles who joined Richard also borrowed largely from the
same source; and then, suddenly turning on the hated lenders, they
tried to extinguish the debt by extinguishing the Jews. A pretext
against the unfortunate race was easily found. Riots broke out in
London, York, and elsewhere, and hundreds of Israelites were brutally
massacred.

Richard's next move to obtain funds was to impose a heavy tax; his
next, to dispose of titles of rank and offices in both Church and
State, to all who wished to buy them. Thus, to the aged and covetous
bishop of Durhap he sold the earldom of Northumberland for life,
saying, as he concluded the bargain, "Out of an old bishop I have made
a new earl."

He sold, also, the office of chief justice to the same prelate for an
additional thousand marks (S161, note 1), while the King of Scotland
purchased freedom from subjection to the English King for ten thousand
marks.

Last of all, Richard sold cities and town, and he also sold charters
to towns. One of his courtiers remonstrated with him for his greed
for gain. The King replied, "I would sell London itself could I find
a purchaser rich enough to buy it."

183. The Rise of the Free Towns.

Of all these devices for raising money, that of selling charters to
towns had the most important results. From the time of the Norman
Conquest the large towns of England, with few exceptions, were
considered part of the King's property; the smaller places generally
belonged to the great barons.

The citizens of these towns were obliged to pay rent and taxes of
various kinds to the King or lord who owned them. These dues were
collected by an officer appointed by the King or lord (usually the
sheriff), who was bound to obtain a certain sum, whatever more he
could get being his own profit. For this reason it was for his
interest to exact from every citizen the uttermost penny. London, as
we have seen, had secured a considerable degree of lib