Today In History logo TIH
The badge came first. The fine came second. King Louis IX — Saint Louis, the man
1269 Event

June 19

Louis IX Orders Jews to Wear Yellow Badges in Public

The badge came first. The fine came second. King Louis IX — Saint Louis, the man the Church would later canonize — signed the order in 1269 requiring every Jew in France to wear a yellow badge or pay ten livres of silver. Not a suggestion. A humiliation with a price tag. The idea had roots in the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, but Louis made it teeth. And the man history remembers as a model Christian king built that reputation partly on policies like this one.

June 19, 1269

757 years ago

Key Figures & Places

What Else Happened on June 19

Talk to History

Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.

Start Talking