Introductory study it could also function as a school. This was then the most important building of the Jewish street or quarter. The community gathered in the synagogue and court proceed- ings took place in its proximity. One of the earliest synagogues preserved is the Old-New Synagogue in Prague, the origin of which is usually placed in 1280 (cf. Nr. 199). Other than Prague, where there certainly were more of them, synagogues are confirmed before 1347 in Znojmo and Brno. Synagogues are also generally mentioned in the privilege of Přemysl Otakar II from 1262 (Nr. 52, 194, cf. Nr. 243). As long as the Jews did not have a purpose-built synagogue, they met in a private house. The Jewish community would also have their own cemetery, called a “Jewish garden", because Jews were not allowed to be buried along with Christians. At first, the deceased were probably gathered in Prague. We later learn of other Jewish gardens in Znojmo and elsewhere (Nr. 139). The earliest evidence of Jewish tombstones comes from Brno, Znojmo and Cheb (Nr. 246�254). The expulsion of Jews from towns in Bohemia and Moravia is not confirmed by evidence for the period up to 1347.6° Most cases in the sources and literature concern- ing capture and ransom of Jews are connected with supposed offences of Jews against Christians. One of the earliest reports, already mentioned above, is documented in the Zbraslav Chronicle (Nr. 80). According to this record, the sovereign Wenceslas II had all the Jews in the kingdom taken captive in 1298 and ordered the confiscation of their property. This occurred in the context of reports from the Empire of desecration of the Host and subsequent pogroms against Jews in imperial towns. After the accession of the Luxembourgs, this element of sovereign’s policy toward the Jews became relatively standard." Starting from the 14th century and from the accession of the Luxembourgs to the Bohemian throne, the relations of the king of Bohemia (and the royal chamber) towards Jews in the adjacent lands of the Bohemian Crown were also becoming part of the Jewish policies of the Bohemian kings. The aim of the Luxembourg rulers was to bind firmly these new territories with the administration of the Czech lands and subordinate the Jews there directly to the royal chamber in Prague. That was clear for instance in Upper Lusatia after 1329 or in the towns of Silesia."2 Unlike their policy in Bohemia, the Luxembourgs did not hesitate to “pledge" the Jews in the adjacent lands to Lusatian or Silesian towns for financial or tax compensation. There are only few preserved reports regarding the internal administration of Jewish communities up to 1347. For the purpose of its reconstruction, we often have to use analogous records from later periods. In their internal affairs, Jews were guided by 60) Reports of the expulsion of Jews from Bohemia in the Middle Ages are listed only by Hájek, for instance Nr. 7 and 8. 61) DOLEŽALOVÁ 2015a, in print. 62) DOLEŽALOVÁ 2015b, in print. LV