David's Wives

When David of Oxford declared that he was divorced from his wife, Muriel, little did he know the furor it would cause. In Jewish law, a wife must consent to a divorce, which Muriel did not do. She reached out to relatives, who contacted the beth din (rabbinical court) in France, who authorized an ad hoc beth din in England. That group of three told David he was still married. David turned to an authority he was certain would help: the king.King Henry III benefitted from David's vast wealth and ability to organize special taxes from Jews, so was inclined to keep David happy. Henry forbade anyone from interfering with David's choice of wife. So David had his freedom. This was taking place in 1242. David settled Muriel in a house he owned around the corner from St. Aldate's, and went looking for another wife. He found one in Licoricia of Winchester. (The illustration shows Muriel's post-divorce house in the red box.)Licoricia had been married before. Her first husband, Abraham son of…