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Nine year-old \u2018Little Hugh\u2019 went missing in Lincoln on 31st July, 1255. A popular narrative emerged that local Jews (in fact gathering for a wedding) had kidnapped, tortured, and crucified him, perhaps even eating his blood; an antisemitic myth that persisted for centuries, only called out by the Church of England in 1955.\nA local Jewish man called Copin confessed to the crime (after being tortured), claiming to\xa0 annually sacrifice Christian children. He was executed and over ninety other Jews were arrested. However, behind-the-scenes negotiations, possibly involving friars and the king\u2019s brother Richard of Cornwall, saw most Jews quietly released by May 1256, suggesting an awareness of the falsehoods fueling the hysteria.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why it was often in the population\u2019s financial interest to perpetuate the \u2018blood libel\u2019; consider how the legacy of \u2018Little Hugh\u2019 has morphed into modern conspiracy theories like QAnon; and reveal how one enterprising Lincoln resident tried to cash in on Little Hugh tourism in the 1920s\u2026\nFurther Reading:\n\n\u2018Religion: The Legend of Little Hugh\u2019 (TIME, 1959) https://time.com/archive/6827883/religion-the-legend-of-little-hugh/\n\n\n\u2018Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln revisited | Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks\u2019 (Times Of Israel, 2016): https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/little-saint-hugh-of-lincoln-revisited/\n\n\n\u2018780. Little Sir Hugh (Child 155) - (Traditional)\u2019 (Raymond Crooke, 2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXUL3h5Q5lY\n\n\n\nLove the show? Support us!\xa0\nJoin\xa0 \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY\u2026\xa0\n\n\u2026 Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.\xa0\nJoin now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show \u2764\ufe0f\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices