The Middle Ages is one of the most misunderstood periods in history due to the large number of hoaxes and legends that spread about it. But, perhaps precisely for this reason, it is much more interesting to delve into this period and rescue his authentic personality.
Interesting curiosities about the Middle Ages and medieval society
How did they beautify themselves? What were bathhouses and what was done in them? When was the Inquisition founded? Did the right of stay really exist? Who was Christine de Pizan?
We leave you 15 curious anecdotes about the medieval period that will not leave you indifferent.
1. The myth of bad hygiene
Far from what is commonly believed, The Middle Ages were a period in which hygiene and personal care were the order of the day In the wealthy classes, ladies used countless beauty treatises to achieve what was the feminine ideal of the time: a pale, blonde woman with perfect white teeth.
For this purpose, ladies’ dressing tables were filled with oils and ointments, soap and perfumes. The most appreciated smells were the aroma of lavender, roses and orange blossom. Likewise, the ladies also had small hair removal tweezers, which they used especially to remove facial hair. This gave rise to curious fashions, such as the one that was especially in vogue in the 14th and 15th centuries: plucking the entire eyebrows.
2. Go to bathhouses… to flirt
Bath houses were common in the Middle Ages. Those who did not have bathtubs at home could go for a small fee to the numerous establishments found in the cities. There, the client washed, ate and chatted with his acquaintances, just as the Romans did in the baths.
A curious fact about these medieval bathhouses is that men and women shared the facilities and, often, the bathtubs. In the building there were also booths with beds, where those interested could have a good time in pleasant company.
3. Full color
Contrary to popular belief, medieval men and women adored color. In the Middle Ages, this It was the reliable manifestation of God, while the color was nothing more than light, the divine emanation
This love for colors was manifested in various ways: from the wonderful and colorful altarpieces to the stained glass windows of the cathedrals, passing, of course, through clothing. Often, this obsession with bright colors led them to combine impossible tones: it was not at all strange for a gentleman to wear one red legging and the other blue, or for a lady to cover her purple dress with a crimson shawl and her head. with a yellow veil.
4. The very tall chapines
If we believe that platform sandals are a modern invention, nothing could be further from the truth During the medieval centuries, the so-called chapines became fashionable, a type of footwear that women wore when going out. These shoes, with cork soles and covered in velvet, could reach a height of up to… 50 cm!
5. The Pope and the Emperor get along badly
Yes, in the Middle Ages faith permeated everything. This is so. But what is not true is that the Church could do and undo as it pleased. Starting with the Gregorian reform (11th century), the popes tried to impose their supremacy over temporal power, and the result was the beginning of a dispute between papacy and empire that lasted for centuries
Relations between the popes and the emperors of the Holy Empire were not always good. In fact, Emperor Henry IV dared to question the power of the papacy, and for this he was excommunicated twice. For his part, his successor, Frederick II, achieved the not inconsiderable number of three excommunications.
6. Monasteries… duplicitous
Precisely until the Gregorian reform Duplex monasteries (that is, where monks and nuns lived together) were quite common The facilities were separated by the church from the monastery, but men and women shared common spaces such as the scriptorium. Well-known is the case of the nun Ende, considered one of the first female artists whose name is preserved, who illuminated the Blessed of Girona along with his companion, the monk Emeterio.
7. Women also go to the Crusades
Obviously, not as warriors, but they did physically travel to the Holy Land, following husbands and relatives. The myth of the maiden who stays in the castle, patiently awaiting the return of the crusader is nothing more than that, a myth. Yes, there were women who preferred to stay on their land (where, by the way, they took the reins in the absence of their husband), but there are other cases in which women embarked on an adventure with their husbands. Famous are the cases of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who accompanied King Louis VII of France on his trip to the holy places, and that of his successor, Queen Margaret of Provence, wife of Louis IX of France.
8. The tragic story of Abelard and Heloise
Long before the legend of Romeo and Juliet was born, there was a couple of lovers of whom we do have absolute evidence. They lived in the 12th century, in the midst of the rise of universities, and were characterized by their education and culture. We are talking about Pedro Abelardo and Heloísa de Argenteuil.
She was his student, and during the lessons they fell deeply in love. Heloise’s uncle was opposed to the romance and, despite the fact that the young people married and that Heloise had had a son, they finally had to separate and enter separate convents.
9. In the Middle Ages people also laughed
While it is true that the Church did not always view laughter favorably, In the Middle Ages there was no shortage of works and festivals that incited general laughter For example, the well-known book Cipriano’s dinner (Coena Cypriani), an authentic parody of several characters from the Holy Scriptures. Although the writing ultimately has a moralizing objective, it turns out to be one of the satirical and burlesque monuments of the medieval era.
10. A Viking princess in Castile
In the 13th century, the Scandinavian kingdoms were opening their diplomatic sights towards Europe. With the aim of establishing a political alliance, the king of Norway agreed to the marriage of his daughter Christina with Philip of Castile, who was also a candidate for the throne of the Holy Empire at that time. Thus, the young Norwegian woman set out on her journey in the summer of 1257.
Cristina and Felipe married a year later, and settled in Seville. Legend has it that the princess languished from homesickness and that she did not adapt to the Hispanic lands. Whether it was due to melancholy or illness, the truth is that Christina died in 1262, at the age of twenty-eight.
11. The beguinages or beguinaries
It is possible to find old beguinages, especially in the Flanders region. Its origin is in the so-called Beguines, women who lived in community without professing vows in any religious order and who dedicated their lives to prayer, contemplation and works of charity. They financed themselves by selling the fruit of their work, such as garden products or crafts.
During the Middle Ages, enclosures where women who desired were secluded became popular. They only had to take a vow of chastity, and they could abandon it whenever they wanted to get married. These houses represented a true refuge for widows and helpless women who, otherwise, might have fallen into the pit of prostitution.
12. Precursor of modern feminism
In the 13th century the Roman de la Rose, a novel that is about love. Some of the parts of it, especially those added later by Jean de Meung, were eminently misogynistic, in line with prevailing ideas about supposed female inferiority.
Christine de Pizan was a young woman of Venetian origin who had been forced to write to earn a living, since at only twenty-five years old she had become a widow with two children in her care. Strongly impressed by Meung’s misogynistic words, and fed up with the continuous harassment she received from her, she wrote the The city of Ladiesan allegorical text inspired by The city of God of San Agustín where the writer defends women as equal to men The work, as well as its author, have been considered precedents of modern feminism.
13. Laws for brothels
The Middle Ages exhibited an astonishing tolerance for prostitution, which they considered a “necessary evil.” , especially during the last centuries of the period. The authorities therefore established a series of laws that sought to control prostitution in the cities as much as possible.
For example, in 13th century Montpellier the activity was allowed only on one of the city streets, but not outside, but inside the “official” brothels. These premises were often marked with elements of the façade; This is the case of the brothels of Barcelona, with the famous “carasses”, the faces that adorn their corners.
14. The Inquisition is founded
Another erroneous fact about the Middle Ages is that the Inquisition was present throughout the period. Again, nothing could be further from the truth.
The Holy Office was not established until 1184, on the occasion of the Albigensian crusade or crusade against the Cathars, a heresy of eastern origin that had taken strong roots in the south of what is now France. Heresy was dangerous insofar as it questioned the foundations of medieval society; For this reason, the papacy exhorted the lords of France to a crusade against the Albigensians, which resulted in the total extermination of the doctrine and the annexation of Languedoc to the kingdom of France.
15. The table was “set”
Maybe you have ever wondered where the expression “set the table” comes from In the Middle Ages, very little furniture was fixed in place; most were portable and moved as needed. Most tables were nothing more than a wooden board and several trestles, depending on the diners who sat down to eat. Thus, it was only set up when it was time to eat, and when it was finished, the table was “cleared.”
16. The mythical “right of stay”
Especially famous thanks to films and novels, the medieval right of stay or ius primae noctis (use of the first night) is just that, a fable. At least, historians have not found reliable documentation that such a right existed
It is reasonable to think that, if pernada were a legal right, written documents would have remained, especially considering that the medievals transcribed absolutely everything. The confusion may come from the servant’s obligation to ask his master’s permission to marry, and to provide a financial tribute for this purpose.
