It seemed as though everywhere they went they were unwanted or taken advantage of and then exiled. Jews were isolated yet again, when they were unable to own Christian slaves, demonstrating that even slaves were higher in rank in comparison to the Jews. They were also excluded from Christian oaths, which meant marginalization from the feudal and manorial systems. Feudalism was the dominant social system in medieval Europe, which guaranteed protection to vassals, or landowners, who offered their allegiance in return. The manorial system was a political, economic and social structure that organized the holdings of aristocracy. The exclusion of the Jewish people from these systems made it almost impossible for the Jews to thrive. They were left with no protection and no opportunity at obtaining wealth. .
Violence and strong indictments were other tactics used by the Church to alienate the Jews and cause havoc among them. The First Crusade of 1095 marked the outbreak of the pogroms against the Jews initiated by French crusaders. The Jews suffered from the massacres, which ultimately led to the deterioration of their economic and social position. Hostility intensified as Jews participating in the blood libel was an example of how they were discriminated against. The blood libel was an allegation that Jewish people used the blood of Christians, particularly Christian children, in religious rituals, especially in preparation for Passover. This claim was perpetrated throughout the Middle Ages until the 20th century, but the idea of a blood libel had developed dating back to the Hellenistic times, when it was directed towards Christians as well as Jews by the pagans. Leaders of the Church would deliver sermons glorifying hatred towards the Jews. St. Bernard of Clairvaux for example confirmed St. Augustine's clerical Jewish policy dating back to the fifth century. It stated that, "the Jews were to be segregated and prevented from prospering but they were not to suffer or forced to convert.
