Armentarius
was a moneylender who operated in the late 6th century. As a man of the Jewish
religion, he was able to work around the medieval Christian stigma against
usury, and could lend money, buy government bonds, and charge interest on his
loans. Yet, his benefit of being able to receive interest payments came at
great risk, especially as Armentarius’ clients could often be at the top of
society, with leading nobles and their assistants making up much of his
business. If he pushed too hard for his
loan payoff, or if his clients became distressed because of debts, Armentarius
could easily find himself in peril. Armentarius had to manage these touchy
relationships himself, for the kings and courts of public opinion in medieval
Europe were becoming more and more tainted with antisemitism, allowing for
angry debtors to fight back against moneylenders by stoking bias, bigotry and
the us-versus-them mentality. Despite the dangers, Armentarius continued
lending money and the governing nobles and officials continued to be his
targeted audience.
In
584, Armentarius arrived in Tours, hoping to collect money that he was owed by
Count Eunomius and Vice-Count Injuriosus. The moneylender knew that his mission
was potentially dangerous, so he brought two Christian protectors along with
him to Tours, and a fellow Jewish friend also joined the party. Armentarius and his three companions, upon
entering Tours, had a meeting with Count Eunomius and Vice-Count Injuriosus, in
which the moneylender was assured that his loans would be reimbursed with
interest. After the meeting concluded, Injuriosus invited Armentarius and his
associates to his nearby estate in Tours, where they could further discuss
payment options over dinner. Injuriosus also promised to provide his guests
with lodgings on or near his own property.
Injuriosus,
keeping his word, held a feast for the moneylender’s party and, when night
began to fall, the vice-count had his servants lead the guests toward their
promised lodgings. Yet, all was not as it seemed. Injuriosus had ulterior
motives for luring Armentarius onto his estate, and the servants that he had
leading the guests were not simple butlers. According to Gregory of Tours, the
bishop of the city at the time of these events, “the Jews and the two
Christians were killed by the servants of Injuriosus and their bodies were
thrown into a well which was near the house” (History of the Franks,
VII.23).
The
murder of Armentarius and his companions did not go unnoticed, but it was
outside influence that finally prompted an investigation and trial. Family and
friends of Armentarius became concerned when their loved one disappeared. They retraced
his steps to Tours and scoured the city for news of what happened. After some
admirable sleuthing, they successfully found the well near Vice-Count
Injuriosus’ house and recovered the remains of the four people that had been
thrown down into the depths. Citing local hearsay, the suspicious location of
the body dumping site, and the large debts that the vice-count owed
Armentarius, the family and friends of the moneylender brought their case before
the local justice system. Injuriosus, however, had friends and clout in the
court, and he assumed a simple defense of swearing that he had not been
involved in the murders. Bishop and historian Gregory of Tours reported on this
lackluster trial, writing, “He was prosecuted: but, as I have said, he denied
his guilt vehemently, and the plaintiffs had no evidence on which he could be
convicted. He was sentenced to clear himself by oath” (History of the Franks,
VII.23). After this disappointing result, Armentarius’ family reportedly
followed up by bringing their case directly to King Childebert II of the Franks
(r. 575-595). The king and his court ignored the case, however, and no further
trials of Vice-Count Injuriosus were held concerning the murder of Armentarius
and his associates.
Written
by C. Keith Hansley
Picture
Attribution: (Scene from Frankish History of Duke Guntram Boso being ambushed
on the road, painted by Lawrence Alma-Tadema
(1836–1912), [Public Domain] via Creative Commons).
Sources:
- The History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours, translated by Lewis Thorpe. New York: Penguin Classics, 1971.
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