Aaron of York

Aaron of York, financier and administrator, was one of the richest persons of his time, certainly the richest member of thirteenth century English Jewish community. He was the son of Josce of Lincoln, had two brothers Benedict and Samuel, and with his wife Hannah he had two sons, Samuel and Elias, and a daughter Auntera.

Aaron was born in Lincoln, but seems to have been living in York in 1210, when he was assessed for the so-called Bristol tallage. Aaron had become one of the leading moneylenders of York, was the head of a family consortium, and had dealings with important people, especially in the north, where he also enjoyed profitable relationships with a number of monastic houses which were expanding both the size of their sheep flocks and the extent of their agricultural property during the 1220s. By the 1230s he had business connections in almost every part of England.

In February 1236 Henry III (1207-1272) appointed him to a position at the Jewish exchequer, and in December of that year he was appointed Presbyter Judaeorum, or chief rabbi of the Jews of England. The latter position him to further extend his business empire, and to increase his lending around the court. He served as Presbyter Judaeorum until 1243, when the king dismissed him from the post in favor of Elias l'Eveske.

Aaron remained the dominant financial figure in the English Jewish community throughout the 1240s, but, between 1241 and 1255, royal taxation and other exactions consumed his entire fortune.