▁dist in ctions ▁between ▁the ▁citizens hip ▁rights ▁of ▁Jews ▁and ▁Christians ▁under ▁the ▁stat utes ▁of ▁Marse illes . ▁Jews ▁were ▁officially ▁given ▁the ▁same ▁citizens hip ▁rights ▁in ▁Saint - R emy - de - Pro v ence ▁in ▁ 1 3 4 5 ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 4 6 7 ▁in ▁Tar as con . ▁Com tat ▁V ena iss in ▁and ▁Av ignon , ▁both ▁being ▁pap al ▁principal ities , ▁witness ed ▁an ▁era ▁of ▁peace ▁for ▁Jewish ▁communities ▁who ▁were ▁established ▁there ▁without ▁exp uls ions ▁being ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁lives . ▁The ▁Jews ▁of ▁Prov ence ▁received ▁official ▁protection ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁because ▁of ▁Jewish ▁useful ness ▁for ▁the ▁royal ty . ▁This ▁did ▁not , ▁however , ▁pre clude ▁anti - J ew ish ▁inc id ences ▁which ▁precip itated ▁volunt ary ▁Jewish ▁depart ures . ▁Once ▁Prov ence ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 4 8 1 , ▁the ▁fl our ishing ▁Jewish ▁residents ▁found ▁themselves ▁exp elled ▁by ▁ 1 4 9 8 . ▁ ▁En light en ment ▁According ▁to ▁most ▁sch ol ars , ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁ended ▁around ▁ 1 5 0 0 – 1 5 5 0 , ▁giving ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁Early ▁Modern ▁Era , ▁c . ▁ 1 5 5 0 – 1 7 8 9 . ▁The ▁En light en ment ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Early ▁Modern ▁Era , ▁and ▁was ▁character ized ▁by ▁a ▁set