The Middle Ages is full of mysteries. And the further it goes, the more it becomes overgrown with fiction. How to figure it out, understand where the truth is and where the lies are? Let's lift the veil of mysterious centuries and dwell on interesting facts about the Middle Ages.

What period is this?

What is the Middle Ages? This spans the time period from 500 to 1500, although the exact dates have not yet been established. What interesting facts do modern historians report about the Middle Ages in Europe? It is noteworthy that at that time there was no central authority or government. It was an intermediate time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. Asceticism became the official ideology during the early Middle Ages. A person had to prepare himself for the afterlife and spend time in prayer and repentance. The influence of the church on public life weakened slightly from 800 to 900.

Early Middle Ages. Interesting Facts

The Early Middle Ages is the period from the 6th to the 10th centuries. The second name of this stage is “late antiquity,” indicating a connection with the era of antiquity. That time later became known simply as the “Dark Ages.”

Interesting fact: the Middle Ages was marked by the arrival of Germanic tribes in Western Europe, primarily the Goths and Vandals, who did not know cities, European culture. Many of them were pagan tribes. The cities fell into decay, many were plundered, and local residents fled. Trade began to decline: transporting goods and trading became dangerous. At this time, the expansion of the Frankish state began, reaching its greatest strength under Charlemagne (768-814). Charlemagne planned to create a new Roman Empire.

Interesting fact: Charlemagne's empire did not have a capital. He and his court traveled from one estate to another. Feudal relations began to develop in the state. Free people were forcibly turned into slaves. The power of large feudal lords who lived in their castles increased, they became the absolute masters of their lands. And after the fall of the Carolingian Empire, the lands were completely divided between lords and princes, which further strengthened the power of the feudal lords.

Locks

In the 12th-16th centuries, any European state consisted of cities and fiefs. Large feudal lords lived in large castles, surrounded by a moat and a wall that could protect against enemies. After all, at that time it was necessary to defend not only from an external enemy, but also from the attacks of a neighbor who laid claim to fertile lands. The outer wall went several meters into the ground so that it was impossible to dig under it. The thickness of the walls reached 3 meters, the height - up to 6 meters. Holes and loopholes were made on the walls at the top so that bows and crossbows could be fired. Stone towers were built into the walls, from which observation was carried out.

There had to be a well inside the courtyard, the construction of which was very expensive. But the feudal lords spared no expense on the water source: it is unknown how long the siege of the fortress could last. Some wells were up to 140 meters deep, as feudal castles were built on hills.

Next to the castle there was always a church and a tower - the highest part of the fortress. From here the surrounding area was monitored, and women and children hid here in the event of a break in the siege.

The weakest part of the walls was the wooden gate. To strengthen them, they were protected with forged iron bars. Some castles had double gates, which meant the enemy could be trapped between them.

Interesting facts about medieval castles:

1. The castles were well adapted to protect the population, but they were very uncomfortable to live in: there was often dampness inside, twilight because the sun's rays could not enter through the small windows, and poor air circulation.
2. The most important domestic animals in the fortress were cats and dogs. They saved the premises from attacks by rats.
3. In almost every castle, secret passages were created to move unnoticed from one room to another.
4. The siege of a castle sometimes lasted several months: the besieged sometimes surrendered only when famine began.
5. A bridge with a lifting structure passed through the ditch; in the event of a siege, the bridge was raised, and the wide ditch prevented the enemy from coming close to the walls.
6. Windsor Castle is one of the famous medieval castles in the world. After William the Conqueror became king of England, he built Windsor. Today the castle is still used by the Queen of England.

Age of Chivalry

The history of medieval knights dates back to the ancient world, but the real phenomenon became popular in the middle and late medieval times. Chivalry dates back to the Catholic order of chivalry. The first knights appeared among the Visigoths, who lived in Italy and Spain. And by the end of the 12th century, almost all nobles were knighted. Next, interesting facts about the knights of the Middle Ages will be presented.

Knighting ceremony

Remarkable fact: it turns out that being a knight was very expensive. It was necessary to buy armor, a horse, a servant. These were prerequisites. The ruler had to provide all this to the knights. He gave them plots of land that could be rented out and with that money they could buy everything they needed.

Another interesting fact about life in the Middle Ages: knighting took place after turning 20 or 21 years old in the presence of a ruler or lord, whom the young man was obliged to serve. The initiation rite was borrowed from the ancient Romans. The lord approached the future knight, who knelt before him, and struck the shoulder with the flat of his sword several times. The young man swore an oath of allegiance to God and his lord. Afterwards the horse was brought to the knight.

This ritual was preceded by years of preparation for knighthood: starting from the age of eight, boys of noble origin were trained in sword, bow, horse riding, and social manners. Often they were sent to be trained by a lord's family, where the boys played the role of servants and at the same time learned various martial arts.

Knights - the elite of the state

Ideally, a knight should have been distinguished not only by his noble origin. They were supposed to be Christians, defenders of the church, models of courage and courage, bearers of honor and dignity. The knights acted in their master’s campaign against another feudal lord, and participated in the crusades as preachers of Christianity. In their free time from the war, tournaments were organized, in which the knights considered it an honor to participate. After all, this was an opportunity to demonstrate their military prowess.

And yet, many of the knights were considered outright scoundrels who robbed ordinary people, whom they treated with contempt. In France, under King Charles VI, the elite of the state. Basically, these were the same aristocrats who appeared in public or at tournaments, surrounded by an entire escort. But there were also poor “one-shield” knights who stood at the lowest level of the hierarchy. Each knight, except the king, obeyed his lord.

A remarkable fact: if in the 10th and 11th centuries anyone could become a knight, then already in the 12th century restrictions appeared. Under King Louis VI, people from the lower classes were publicly deprived of this noble title, their spurs were beaten off on a dung heap.

Crusades

In just two centuries, eight crusades were launched. Their goal was to protect the Christian world from enemies - Muslims, but in fact it all ended in robbery and robbery. In gratitude for their participation in campaigns, the knights received material rewards from the church, public respect and forgiveness for all sins. The most memorable was the Third Crusade, led by Emperor Frederick I of Germany, King Philip II of France and King Richard the Lionheart of England.

During the Crusades, Richard the Lionheart established himself as a great military leader and a worthy knight. He led the third crusade and proved himself a brave warrior.

Another famous medieval knight was El Cid, a Spanish nobleman who fought bravely against the Moors in Spain in the 11th century. People called him a winner, and after his death he was turned into a folk hero.

Military orders

Military orders played the role of a standing army necessary to maintain order in the conquered lands. The most famous knightly orders: Teutonic, Templar Order, Hospitaller Order.

An interesting fact about the knights of the Middle Ages: the warriors of the Teutonic Order fought with the Russian army led by Alexander Nevsky on Lake Peipsi and were defeated.

Secular knighthood

After the end of the Crusades, religion lost its influence on chivalry. During this period, knights took part in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Palace knighthood

Subsequently, the knights were palace servants and played a purely secular role: they took part in knightly tournaments, arranged fights over beautiful lady, practiced social manners at balls.

Epidemics in the Middle Ages

People were powerless before them. The reasons for their spread were unsanitary conditions, dirt, poor food, hunger, and high population density in cities. One of the most terrible epidemics is the plague. Let's look at some interesting facts about the plague:

• In the Middle Ages, namely in 1348, the “Black Death” claimed the lives of almost 50 million people, i.e. a third of the population of Europe. And in populous cities, the disease killed more than half of the residents. The streets were empty, the wars stopped.
• Doctors were powerless against this disease; they did not know how to treat it or who was carrying it. They blamed people, cats, dogs. And the disease was most often spread by rats.
• Not knowing the causes of the infection, people began to go to church, pray to God, and donate their last money. Others, more superstitious, turned to magicians and sorcerers.

Such epidemics were repeated several times and completely changed the appearance of medieval cities. To prevent the disease, streets began to be washed, waste drains appeared, and residents were provided with clean water.

Interesting facts about the culture of the Middle Ages

This is interesting to know:

• When did the first universities appear: in the 12th century - Paris, in the 13th century - like Oxford and Cambridge in England, and then 63 more higher educational institutions.
• Another interesting fact about the Middle Ages: during this period, the free-thinking and cheerful poetry of vagantes (goliards) developed - wandering singers and musicians praising a carefree free life. They took poetic rhymes from Latin literature: “Life in the world is good if the soul is free, and a free soul is pleasing to the Lord!”
• Monuments of the heroic epic, which were previously transmitted only orally, are being recorded.
• It was in the Middle Ages that the cult of the beautiful lady arose. And it is connected with the development of courtly poetry and the creativity of troubadour poets.
• The first chivalric novels appear. Among the first courtly novels is the story of Tristan and Isolde.
• A new style appears in architecture - Gothic. The main buildings in this style were cathedrals - large-scale structures of enormous height. They were distinguished by light and slender columns, carved walls decorated with sculpture, large windows with stained glass windows made of multi-colored mosaics. The cathedral became one of the brightest Gothic monuments Notre Dame of Paris in France.

• The era of the Late Middle Ages was marked by great geographical discoveries. The Genoese Christopher Columbus made 4 voyages to the shores of South and Central America. But the territories he discovered were named after Amerigo Vespucci, who described new lands and proved that these were separate continents. Another achievement of this time was the discovery sea ​​route to India. The Portuguese, under the leadership of Vasco da Gama, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and reached the shores of India. And the Portuguese nobleman Ferdinand Magellan made the first trip around the world in 1519-1521.

The role of the church in the Middle Ages

The Church acquired great economic and political influence during the Middle Ages. Huge tracts of land were concentrated in her hands, monetary wealth. All this gave her the opportunity to influence state power, to subjugate culture, science, spiritual life. Interesting Facts about the church in the Middle Ages:

• History includes the most sensational enterprises led by the church: the Crusades, witch hunts, and the Inquisition.
• In 1054 the church split into two branches: Orthodox and Roman Catholic. The gap between them gradually widened.

Whose clothes had more than 10,000 buttons sewn on them?

Buttons appeared long before our era, but were used only as decoration. Around the 12th-13th century, buttons became known again in Europe, but now they also had a functional meaning for fastening into loops, and not just a decorative one. In the Middle Ages, buttons became such a popular accessory that the status of the owner could be judged by their number on clothing. For example, on one of the outfits of the French king Francis I, there were 13,600 buttons.

Where was the gallows that could serve 50 people at a time?

In the 13th century, near Paris, a gigantic Montfaucon gallows was built, which has not survived to this day. Montfaucon was divided into cells by vertical pillars and horizontal beams and could serve as a place of execution for 50 people at a time. According to the creator of the structure, de Marigny, the king’s adviser, the sight of many decaying bodies on Montfaucon was supposed to warn other subjects from crimes. In the end, de Marigny himself was hanged there.

In what era was beer the most popular drink in Europe?

In medieval Europe, especially its northern and eastern parts, beer was truly a mass drink - it was consumed by people of all classes and ages. For example, in England, beer consumption per capita reached 300 liters per year, although now this figure is about 100 liters, and even in the Czech Republic, the leader in this parameter, a little more than 150 liters. The main reason This was due to poor water quality, which was eliminated during the fermentation process.

What expression about a futile task was literally carried out by medieval monks?

The expression “pounding water in a mortar,” which means engaging in a useless task, has a very ancient origin- it was used by ancient authors, for example, Lucian. And in medieval monasteries it had a literal character: guilty monks were forced to pound water as punishment.

Why does Mona Lisa have her forehead hair shaved and her eyebrows plucked?

IN Western Europe In the 15th century, there was such an ideal woman: an S-shaped silhouette, a curved back, a round pale face with a high, clean forehead. To meet the ideal, women shaved the hair on their foreheads and plucked their eyebrows - just like the Mona Lisa in the famous painting by Leonardo.

When in courts could not only people, but also animals become accused?

In the Middle Ages, there were frequent cases of church trials of animals according to all the rules - with prosecutors, lawyers and witnesses. The accused could be any animal from large domestic animals to locusts and chafers. Domestic animals, as a rule, were tried for witchcraft and sentenced to death, while wild animals could be excommunicated from the church or ordered to leave the country for sabotage. The last such sentence against a cow was passed in 1740.

What cruel scenes were removed from folk tales by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm?

Most of the fairy tales known to us by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm and other storytellers arose among the people in the Middle Ages, and their original plots are sometimes distinguished by cruelty and naturalness of everyday scenes. For example, in the tale of Sleeping Beauty, the foreign king does not kiss her, but rapes her. The wolf eats not only the grandmother, but half the village into the bargain, and Little Red Riding Hood then lures him into a pit of boiling tar. In the fairy tale about Cinderella, the sisters still manage to try on the shoe, for which one of them cuts off her toe, the other her heel, but then they are exposed by the singing of pigeons.

Why were spices so expensive in Europe in the Middle Ages?

In medieval Europe, on the eve of winter, mass slaughter of livestock and meat procurement began. If meat is simply salted, it loses its original taste. Spices, which were brought mainly from Asia, help preserve it almost in its original form. But since the Turks monopolized almost the entire spice trade, their price was prohibitive. This factor was one of the motives for the rapid development of navigation and the beginning of the era of great geographical discoveries. But in Rus', due to the harsh winters, there was no urgent need for spices.

Why did only one bronze pre-Christian statue survive in Rome?

When the Romans adopted Christianity, they began to destroy pre-Christian statues en masse. The only bronze statue to survive the Middle Ages was the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, and only because the Romans mistook him for the first Christian emperor, Constantine.

Who in the Middle Ages, having failed to conquer the castle, bought it?

In 1456, the Teutonic Order successfully defended the Marienburg fortress, withstanding a Polish siege. However, the Order ran out of money and had nothing to pay the Bohemian mercenary soldiers. This fortress was given to the mercenaries as a salary, and they sold Marienburg to those same Poles.

What functions were assigned to female samurai?

The samurai class in medieval Japan consisted not only of men. It also included female warriors (“onna-bugeisha”). They usually did not participate in battles, but had weapons for home defense. They also had a jigai ritual - an analogue of seppuku for men - only women cut their own throats instead of opening their bellies. Such a ritual could also be performed by simply the wives of dead warriors who were not members of the samurai class, with the consent of their parents.

When were books in libraries chained to shelves?

In public libraries in medieval Europe, books were chained to the shelves. Such chains were long enough to remove a book from the shelf and read, but did not allow the book to be taken out of the library. This practice was widespread until the 18th century, due to the great value of each copy of the book.

What did the Czech village need to do to receive city status?

In the medieval Czech Republic, in order to receive the status of a city, a settlement had to independently administer its own court, have a customs office and a brewery.

Why did medieval ladies wear marten and ermine furs?

Medieval ladies wore a piece of fur from martens, ferrets and stoats, as well as live weasels, on their arm or neck to protect against fleas.

Where did women carry their husbands out of the given fortress on their shoulders?

During the conquest of Weinsberg in 1140, King Conrad III of Germany allowed women to leave the destroyed city and carry in their hands what they wished. The women carried their husbands on their shoulders.

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Why did boys used to dress in dresses?

In the period from the 17th to the mid-18th century, dressing boys in dresses was the norm. And the decision on what to wear: a dress and cap or breeches and a frock coat depended on the age of the child. Why?
It turns out that the clothes of past times did not depend on the gender of the child, as they do now, but symbolized the degree of dependence of young offspring on adults. And if a boy was dressed in girl’s clothes, it meant that he was not yet independent enough to move into the world of men, and he still needed to grow up. As they grew older, the elements of clothing worn by boys changed or completely disappeared from their wardrobe. So, initially it was allowed to take off the caps and reveal one’s hair, and at the age of 6-7, take off the dress and put on breeches. However, if the boys committed any mischief, they were put back in their dresses as punishment. Therefore, their interest in remaining in a man's world took precedence over their pranks, and the boys tried to behave well.

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Sunday became a day off thanks to the emperor's decree.

Sunday became a day off thanks to the decree of the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great. Further, everything is in detail: In March, the 1691st birthday of Sunday was celebrated, which became a day of rest in 321. This historical event took place on the initiative of the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great, who issued a special decree that declared Sunday a day off.

And the reason for this decision, as often happened with the rulers of those times, was a prophetic dream. On the eve of the upcoming battle on Sunday, the Roman emperor saw in a dream a cross in the sun, and next to it an inscription that said that with this sign he would win. And so it happened. In the Sunday battle, Constantine the Great defeated his enemies, and his victory was unconditional. Impressed by the vision and his military success, the emperor, by a special decree, prohibited physical labor on Sundays and ordered to dedicate this day to the Lord.

Since then, Sunday has been a day off, and believers dedicate this day to running and traditionally, whole families attend churches. However, in Israel, as well as in countries where the main religion is Islam, people go to work on Sunday, and other days are days off.

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What is the connection between dentistry and the electric chair, what dental holiday is celebrated annually in China, and why did medieval dentists use frogs?

Ancient Japanese dentists removed teeth with their bare hands.

Here are some tips from harsh medieval dentists: to strengthen loose teeth, tie a frog to your jaw, and to relieve pain in your gums, rub them with the tooth of a person who died a violent death. Such a wonderful thing as the electric chair was also invented by a dentist. Almost 130 years ago, it was invented by dentist Albert Southwick from Buffalo, New York. He initially thought that electricity could be used in his medical practice as a pain reliever.
Before the technology for making artificial ceramic teeth was invented in the 19th century, the teeth of soldiers who died on the battlefield were used as the material for dentures. After civil war in the USA, English dentists received whole barrels of such cargo.
Not long ago, dentures were a popular wedding gift in Britain. Apparently, the British decided that they would lose their teeth pretty soon anyway, so they began to speed up the process by removing teeth at a relatively young age. Mao Zedong, like many Chinese of his time, refused to brush his teeth. Instead, he rinsed his mouth with tea and chewed tea leaves. “Why clean? Does a tiger ever brush his teeth?” he said. Isaac Newton's tooth was sold in 1816 for £730 (about $1,048 today), after which it was set into a ring for the aristocrat who bought it.
The entire chewing muscles can develop a force of 390 - 400 kg, the strength of the chewing muscles on one side is 195 kg. If you are right-handed, then you chew most of the food on right side jaw, and vice versa, if you are left-handed, then on the left. If one of the identical twins is missing a tooth, as a rule, the same tooth is missing in the other twin. American dentists use about 13 tons of gold per year to make crowns , bridges, inlays and dentures. To increase interest in maintaining healthy teeth and gums among the twelve million population, China established a national holiday, the name of which can be translated as “Love Your Teeth Day,” and which takes place every year on September 20th.

By the way, according to legend, Mao Zedong, like many Chinese of his time, refused to brush his teeth. Instead, he rinsed his mouth with tea and chewed tea leaves. “Why clean? Does a tiger ever brush his teeth?” he said.

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Fact about five franc coins.

The history of five-franc coins, which Napoleon I put into circulation in 1804, is interesting. These coins were big size and had a fair amount of weight. The French population did not take them from banks. To remedy the situation, Napoleon came up with an ingenious way. On his orders, a check for 5 million francs was inserted into one of the five-franc coins, giving the right to receive this almost fantastic amount from the state bank.
In the near future, the entire issue of five-franc coins was in circulation. The most exciting search for the treasure coin began. There has never been a more original lottery in history.
But until now, a check for 5 million francs, signed personally by Napoleon, has not been presented to the bank. Does such a coin exist? The answer to this question is: “Napoleon should be believed.” Another thing is known. At the beginning of this century, the French government confirmed the issue of a coin with a check, but guaranteed payment upon presentation of only 5 million francs and interest accumulated over more than a hundred years. Where is this coin? Her secret has never been revealed.

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Why did Russian people in the old days carry a bell with them?

In the old days, a Russian person always carried a personal bell with him. It was the same necessary accessory as in our time mobile phone. And our ancestor had his own reasons for this.

The bell made it much easier to find a person if he got lost in the forest. In addition, the ringing of the bell, according to legend, scared away wild animals and poisonous reptiles.

From time immemorial it was believed that the trill of a bell drives away evil spirits. And there were no fewer of them in past times than there are now.

A bell hung on a horse's neck set the animal to a certain rhythm, which could not be disturbed by wolves or other troubles that suddenly appeared on the way.


The bell was used to treat many ailments, such as migraine and melancholy. In addition, it was believed that the ringing of a bell perfectly awakens a person after a sleepless night and sobers up after the abuse of strong drinks.

The bell was used when making important life decisions. To do this, you had to continuously ring over your ear for several minutes. The very first thought that arose after the trill was considered correct.

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The shortest war in the world.

This fleeting war lasted only 45 minutes and was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

IN late XIX century Zanzibar was under British rule. In 1896, the new Sultan of Zanzibar, Khalid ibn Barghash, tried to break away from control by seeking support from Germany. He gathered a small army of two and a half thousand soldiers and retrieved an ancient 16th-century cannon from the basements. The British responded by issuing an ultimatum, which expired at 9:00 am on August 27, requiring the Zanzibaris to capitulate.
In response, they mounted a cannon on their only ship, the yacht Glasgow, and fearlessly went out to sea to meet five English frigates. Exactly at the time appointed by the ultimatum Imperial Navy opened fire on the shore. Five minutes later, the Glasgow responded and was immediately sunk by crossfire from the two ships. The Zanzibar ship continued to shoot all the time until it disappeared under water. After half an hour of bombing, only the masts of the Glasgow were visible from under the water, and the coastal structures were practically destroyed. However, the Zanzibar flag continued to fly on the palace flagpole. The fleet resumed firing. Fifteen minutes later the coast was completely scorched, not a single gun responded. The top of the flagpole was destroyed and the flag was nowhere to be seen. The Sultan ordered the soldiers to leave the battlefield, and he himself asked for refuge in the German consulate. The shelling lasted 38 minutes, killing about 570 people on the Zanzibar side, and it went down in history as the shortest war in the world.
After the war, the former Sultan lived in Dar es Salaam until 1916, when he was captured by the British. He died in 1927 in Mombasa.

2. In the 19th century, it was not customary for a man to invite the same lady to dance more than 2 times. According to tradition, after the 2nd dance the gentleman had to propose.

3. Gloves, as it turned out, were strictly a household item of clothing, even despite the fact that there were a lot of them (for ballroom, for hunting). It was indecent to wear gloves in public places.

4. It’s hard to believe, but in the 20s of the last century in USSR schools it was not polite to write correctly. A person could even be reported for being too literate.

5. In England it is still unsightly to knit in crowded places. But, nevertheless, conversations about this have become popular, especially among the male part of the population. It became the third topic discussed in bars, right after football and politics.

6. For a long time, it was unsightly for guests and residents of Bulgaria when a man drank less than 1.5 liters of beer a day. The fact is that in this country there is such alcoholic drink It costs quite little, and drinking too moderately could be considered inhospitable.

7. During the tea ceremony in Japanese homes, the posture of the person sitting at the table plays a very important role. The position when a person sits with his legs crossed in front of him, and when he sits with his legs stretched to the side, is also considered indecent. Most often, the Japanese drink tea with their legs tucked under them.

8. In Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries, it was unsightly to take land for a dacha whose area was less than 12 acres.

9. Following the rules of good manners, in boyar estates during a conversation one should not turn halfway to the interlocutor. If someone entered the living room, it was uncivil to examine him from head to toe. This could put a modest person, and especially a woman, in a very awkward position.

10. It is not customary for Thai people to touch their head or pat on the shoulder when talking to another person. This refers to displays of affection, which in this country are rude to show in public.

In the Middle Ages, a “moment” was understood as a very specific unit of time - 90 seconds, no more and no less. And in our time, the concept of “moment” has become somewhat more vague. The term “moment” was first used by John Trevisa in 1398, when he wrote that one hour consists of 40 moments. But these days this word means a very short period of time, and no one remembers its original meaning.

Popular paintings of the Middle Ages rarely delve deeply into the details of life ordinary people. However, it is these often overlooked moments that can be extraordinary. It seems that modern scholars are beginning to understand that when it comes to the inhabitants of the cities of the Middle Ages, nothing can be taken for granted.

Having long ago given up primitive rural life, people during the Middle Ages had their own rituals and customs and were distinguished by rather complex relationships. It is possible that it is the small everyday details that are most capable of capturing the imagination. modern man. Simple things could drive society into a deadly frenzy, and the approach to marriage and raising children had little in common with what we have now.

10. Disturbed graves

About 40 percent of burials in medieval Europe show signs of significant damage. Previously, this was blamed on unscrupulous robbers, but recent excavations at two cemeteries showed that it could also be the work of respectable residents. The Austrian cemetery of Brunn am Gebirge contained 42 graves of the Lombards, a sixth-century Germanic tribe. All but one of the graves were damaged, and the nature of the damage was the same everywhere.

Most of the graves were missing skulls. At the same time, in two graves it was noted that the deceased had two skulls. Many bones were mixed using some kind of tool. The motive for these actions is not clear, but it is possible that the residents were trying to prevent the revival of the undead in this way. In addition, there is a version that the Lombards, relatives of the deceased, kept the skulls as a reminder of their loved ones.

In the English cemetery of Winnall II (seventh and eighth centuries), skeletons were bound and decapitated, their legs bent or twisted; in addition, the graves contained “extra” human bones. Initially it was believed that this was part of some unusual funeral rite, but much evidence has been revealed that all the manipulations were carried out much later than the funeral. It is likely that they were carried out for the same purpose - to calm down the restless dead.

9. Marriage was difficult to prove

Getting married in medieval England was easier than tripping over a log. All that was required for marriage was the presence of a man, a woman and their verbal consent to enter into a union. If the girl was already 12 years old and the boy was 14, then no consent from the family was required. And not a single church and not a single priest participated in this process.

People often married anywhere, be it in the local pub or in bed. (Introduction to sexual relations was automatically considered a marriage.) The Church warned against the dangers of such a hasty marriage. She warned young men that they should not abuse the trust of girls in order to have sex with them. As a rule, if it came to court proceedings related to marital relations, it was necessary to prove that the wedding actually took place.

If the couple had no witnesses, it was difficult to prove the union was voluntary, which is why the presence of a priest was encouraged. The divorce could take place, first of all, for the reason that the union was never legal. In addition, the reason for divorce could be the discovery that one of the spouses was already married, that the spouses turned out to be relatives (distant family ties were often simply invented), or that one of the spouses was not a Christian.

8. Men were treated for infertility

IN ancient world If there were no children in the family, the wife was usually blamed. It was assumed that this was the case in medieval England, but researchers have found evidence to the contrary. Starting from the 13th century, it was believed that men could also be the culprits of infertility; the problems of male reproduction were discussed in medical books of that time.

The pages of the books contain very unique recommendations for identifying an infertile partner and methods of treating him. Specifically, both spouses were required to urinate in separate containers of bran, seal them for nine days, and then test them for worms. If it turned out that the husband needed treatment, then several options were proposed for curing him from the “inappropriate seed.” For example, one of the recipes suggested drying pig testicles in the ground, after which three days consume them with wine.

Although doctors were sympathetic to infertility in men, medieval courts were less lenient. A wife could divorce her husband if he was impotent.

7. The teenagers who were apprenticed caused a lot of trouble.

IN Northern Europe It was the custom of parents to send their grown-up children as apprentices, usually the training lasted for ten years. Thus, the family got rid of an extra mouth, and the master received cheap labor.

Letters from students of those times that have survived to this day show that their life was quite harsh. Some historians believe that the most disobedient were sent as students, as parents hoped that the training would have a positive effect. It is possible that the masters knew about this, so many of them signed a contract on how the student should behave. However, journeymen have become notorious. Being away from their families, they resented their working life and, having contacted the same dissatisfied people, formed youth gangs.

Most often they gambled and visited brothels. In Germany, France and Switzerland, they became rowdy at holidays, disrupted order, and once even staged a city-wide pogrom. Entire battles took place on the streets of London between various guilds, and in 1517 they sacked the city. It is likely that all this happened out of disappointment. Many realized that, despite many years of study, they had no guarantee of future work.

6. Real life old people in the Middle Ages

In England at the beginning of the Middle Ages, a person aged 50 was already considered old. British scientists described this era as the “golden age” of old people. It was believed that society revered them for their wisdom and experience. In reality, this was not entirely true. Clearly there was no concept of allowing someone to retire in peace, older people had to prove their worth. Society expected them to continue to contribute to older members in return for respect, especially warriors, pious men, and recognized authorities. The soldiers continued to fight and the workers continued to work.

Medieval authors express conflicting opinions about old age. Some agree that older people were spiritual leaders, while others call them "hundred-year-old children." Actually, old age does not deserve good poetry. The texts characterize it as “a foretaste of hell.” Another misconception is that everyone died before reaching old age. Some people continued to live normally even into their eighties or nineties.

5. Daily mortality

In the Middle Ages, not everyone died from violence in society and constant wars. People also died from domestic violence, accidents and too much "active leisure". In 2015, medieval coroner's records for Warwickshire, London and Bedfordshire were examined. The results allowed us to take a completely new look at daily life in these areas.

There have been real deaths from pig teeth. In 1322, two-month-old Johanna de Irlande died in her crib after a pig bit her on the head. Another pig killed a man in 1394. Several people died due to the fault of cows. But according to coroner records, drowning predominated among accidental deaths. People drowned in ditches, wells and rivers.

There were also murders. One story details how, in 1276, Joana Clarice cut her husband's throat and literally gutted his brains out. Several people died during fights, but just as many people died as a result of falls. People have fallen from trees, rooftops, and just off their feet when they got too drunk. One woman fell from the chair she had stood on while trying to reach a candle. In 1366, John Cook decided to jokingly wrestle his friend, but died the next day from his injuries.

4. London was considered one of the worst places

Speaking of violence, suffice it to say that no one wanted to move their families to London. It was the most violent city in England. Archaeologists have pondered over the 399 skulls, dating from 1050 to 1550. They belonged to representatives of different social classes and were collected from six different London cemeteries. Almost seven percent of them had suspicious physical injuries. Most of them belonged to people aged 26 to 35 from the poorest strata of society. The cemeteries revealed that there was twice as much violence as in any other region, with working-class men often being the victims of the most extreme form of aggression.

The coroners' notes also gave some insight into the life of that time. Unreal a large number of the killings occurred on Sunday evenings, when most of the poorer classes were in taverns. It is likely that drunken arguments often had fatal results. In addition, only the upper classes could afford lawyers or participate in fights where both sides had the opportunity to defend themselves. The rest had to settle differences or take revenge through informal methods.

3. Predilections of medieval readers

In the 15th-16th centuries, religion permeated all spheres of people’s lives. Prayer books were especially popular. Using a technique that calculates the number of impressions on the surface of pages, art historians realized that the dirtier a page, the more readers were attracted to its content.

To understand what the preferences of the time were, as well as the possible reasons for this, several prayer books were reviewed. The most polluted pages showed that medieval Europeans were not so different from each other. One manuscript contained a prayer dedicated to Saint Sebastian, which was said to save from the plague. This prayer was reread many times - apparently by those who feared illness. Much attention was also paid to various prayers for personal salvation - much more than prayers for the salvation of others.

These prayer books were kept in many homes and read daily. However, there is one funny detail. Only the first pages of all the books turned out to be the most worn. Apparently, reading them was enough to make people sleepy.

2. In the Middle Ages, cats were skinned

A 2017 study found that tanning cat skins was quite common in Spain. This applied to both wild and domestic cats.

1000 years ago El Bordelle was a peasant village. Among its many medieval finds are pits believed to have been used for storing crops. But some of them contained animal bones, and a surprisingly large number of them, about 900 skeletons, belonged to cats. They were all in the same pit. Analysis of the bones showed that they belonged to individuals between nine and twenty months old - this best age to obtain a large and intact skin. Another evidence of the skinning of cats were marks on the bones. They are characteristic of the tools with which skins were usually skinned.

This may make pet lovers cringe, but cats were also killed in Northern Europe to make clothing from their skins. However, researchers believe that in El Bordell cats could also be killed as part of religious ritual. A horse skull, a chicken egg and a goat horn were also found in the pit with cat skeletons. All these items were often used in magical medieval rituals.

1. Striped clothes could get you killed

Stripes come back into fashion every few years, but at the time, such a smart suit could lead to death. In 1310, a French shoemaker decided to wear striped clothes during the day and was sentenced to death for this decision. The man didn't quite understand that the stripes signified being part of the devil, and he became a victim of the city's clergy.

Respectable citizens were to avoid stripes at all costs. The evidence base in documents of the 12th and 13th centuries shows that the authorities strictly adhered to this position. Striped clothing was to be worn by the most degraded prostitutes, executioners, lepers, heretics and, for certain reasons, jesters. Even the disabled, illegitimate children, Jews and Africans were exempt from wearing stripes.

Where this hatred of stripes came from remains a mystery. Why not spots or cage? No theory can adequately explain the connection between Satan and the stripes. One rather far-fetched explanation refers to the line from the Bible: “You will not wear an article of clothing that is made up of two.” It's possible that someone's medieval brain interpreted this passage as a reference to the stripes. But whatever the reason, XVIII century this intolerance has passed.

Whose clothes had more than 10,000 buttons sewn on them?
Buttons appeared long before our era, but were used only as decoration. Around the 12th-13th century, buttons became known again in Europe, but now they also had a functional meaning for fastening into loops, and not just a decorative one. In the Middle Ages, buttons became such a popular accessory that the status of the owner could be judged by their number on clothing. For example, on one of the outfits of the French king Francis I, there were 13,600 buttons.

Where was the gallows that could serve 50 people at a time?
In the 13th century, near Paris, a gigantic Montfaucon gallows was built, which has not survived to this day. Montfaucon was divided into cells by vertical pillars and horizontal beams and could serve as a place of execution for 50 people at a time. According to the creator of the structure, de Marigny, the king’s adviser, the sight of many decaying bodies on Montfaucon was supposed to warn other subjects from crimes. In the end, de Marigny himself was hanged there.

In what era was beer the most popular drink in Europe?
In medieval Europe, especially its northern and eastern parts, beer was truly a mass drink - it was consumed by people of all classes and ages. For example, in England, beer consumption per capita reached 300 liters per year, although now this figure is about 100 liters, and even in the leading Czech Republic in this parameter - a little more than 150 liters. The main reason for this was the poor quality of water, which was eliminated during the fermentation process.

What expression about a futile task was literally carried out by medieval monks?
The expression “pounding water in a mortar,” which means doing a useless task, has a very ancient origin - it was used by ancient authors, for example, Lucian. And in medieval monasteries it had a literal character: guilty monks were forced to pound water as punishment.

Which Indian prophet is unofficially canonized by the church through a character in a parable?
In medieval Europe, the parable of Barlaam and Joseph was popular. The plot was that the young Indian prince Joseph met Saint Barlaam and converted to Christianity. This story was nothing more than an adaptation of the life of Buddha. It can be said that Buddha is unofficially canonized, since Josaph is included in the Orthodox liturgical calendar (August 26) and the list of martyrs of the Catholic Church (November 27).

Why does Mona Lisa have her forehead hair shaved and her eyebrows plucked?
In Western Europe in the 15th century, there was the following ideal of a woman: an S-shaped silhouette, an arched back, a round pale face with a high, clean forehead. To meet the ideal, women shaved the hair on their foreheads and plucked their eyebrows - just like the Mona Lisa in the famous painting by Leonardo.

When in courts could not only people, but also animals become accused?
In the Middle Ages, there were frequent cases of church trials of animals according to all the rules - with accusers, lawyers and witnesses. The accused could be any animal from large domestic animals to locusts and chafers. Domestic animals, as a rule, were tried for witchcraft and sentenced to death, while wild animals could be excommunicated from the church or ordered to leave the country for sabotage. The last such sentence against a cow was passed in 1740.

What cruel scenes were removed from folk tales by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm?
Most of the fairy tales known to us by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm and other storytellers arose among the people in the Middle Ages, and their original plots are sometimes distinguished by cruelty and naturalness of everyday scenes. For example, in the tale of Sleeping Beauty, the foreign king does not kiss her, but rapes her. The wolf eats not only the grandmother, but half the village into the bargain, and Little Red Riding Hood then lures him into a pit of boiling tar. In the fairy tale about Cinderella, the sisters still manage to try on the shoe, for which one of them cuts off her toe, the other her heel, but then they are exposed by the singing of pigeons.

Why were spices so expensive in Europe in the Middle Ages?
In medieval Europe, on the eve of winter, mass slaughter of livestock and meat procurement began. If meat is simply salted, it loses its original taste. Spices, which were brought mainly from Asia, help preserve it almost in its original form. But since the Turks monopolized almost the entire spice trade, their price was prohibitive. This factor was one of the motives for the rapid development of navigation and the beginning of the era of great geographical discoveries. But in Rus', due to the harsh winters, there was no urgent need for spices.

Why did only one bronze pre-Christian statue survive in Rome?
When the Romans adopted Christianity, they began to destroy pre-Christian statues en masse. The only bronze statue to survive the Middle Ages is the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, and only because the Romans mistook him for the first Christian emperor, Constantine.

Who in the Middle Ages, having failed to conquer the castle, bought it?
In 1456, the Teutonic Order successfully defended the Marienburg fortress, withstanding a Polish siege. However, the Order ran out of money and had nothing to pay the Bohemian mercenary soldiers. This fortress was given to the mercenaries as a salary, and they sold Marienburg to those same Poles.

What functions were assigned to female samurai?
The samurai class in medieval Japan consisted not only of men. It also included female warriors (“onna-bugeisha”). They usually did not participate in battles, but had weapons for home defense. They also had a jigai ritual - an analogue of seppuku for men - only women, instead of opening their bellies, cut their own throats. Such a ritual could also be performed by simply the wives of dead warriors who were not members of the samurai class, with the consent of their parents.

When were books in libraries chained to shelves?
In public libraries in medieval Europe, books were chained to the shelves. Such chains were long enough to remove a book from the shelf and read, but did not allow the book to be taken out of the library. This practice was widespread until the 18th century, due to the great value of each copy of the book.

What reason led to Giordano Bruno being burned at the stake?
Giordano Bruno was burned Catholic Church not for scientific ones (namely support for the Copernican heliocentric theory), but for anti-Christian and anti-church views (for example, the assertion that Christ performed imaginary miracles and was a magician).

How many years did the Hundred Years' War last?
The Hundred Years' War lasted 116 years, from 1337 to 1453.

Why did medieval ladies wear marten and ermine furs?
Medieval ladies wore a piece of fur from martens, ferrets and stoats, as well as live weasels, on their arm or neck to protect against fleas.

How could many samurai be forced to kill themselves at the same time?
According to bushido - the samurai's code of honor - his life belonged entirely to his master. In medieval wars, it was enough to kill the master for all his samurai to commit “following suicide” (“junshi”).

Where did women carry their husbands out of the given fortress on their shoulders?
During the conquest of Weinsberg in 1140, King Conrad III of Germany allowed women to leave the destroyed city and carry in their hands what they wished. The women carried their husbands on their shoulders.

Why are there stairs in towers? medieval castles were they twisted clockwise?
Spiral staircases in the towers of medieval castles were built in such a way that they were climbed clockwise. This was done so that in the event of a siege of the castle, the defenders of the tower would have an advantage during hand-to-hand combat, since the most swipe right hand can only be applied from right to left, which was inaccessible to attackers. There is only one castle with a reverse twist - the fortress of the Counts Wallenstein, since most of the men of this kind were left-handed.

Why were large holes made in the walls of many medieval churches?

Medieval churches in Western Europe were equipped with hagioscopes - special holes in the walls through which one could listen to what was happening inside and see the altar. This was done so that lepers and other sick people, as well as those excommunicated from the church, could see the service and not be deprived of spiritual consolation.

Whose clothes had more than 10,000 buttons sewn on them?

Buttons appeared long before our era, but were used only as decoration. Around the 12th-13th century, buttons became known again in Europe, but now they also had a functional meaning for fastening into loops, and not just a decorative one. In the Middle Ages, buttons became such a popular accessory that the status of the owner could be judged by their number on clothing. For example, on one of the outfits of the French king Francis I, there were 13,600 buttons.

Where was the gallows that could serve 50 people at a time?

In the 13th century, near Paris, a gigantic Montfaucon gallows was built, which has not survived to this day. Montfaucon was divided into cells by vertical pillars and horizontal beams and could serve as a place of execution for 50 people at a time. According to the creator of the structure, de Marigny, the king’s adviser, the sight of many decaying bodies on Montfaucon was supposed to warn other subjects from crimes. In the end, de Marigny himself was hanged there.

In what era was beer the most popular drink in Europe?

In medieval Europe, especially its northern and eastern parts, beer was truly a mass drink - it was consumed by people of all classes and ages. For example, in England, beer consumption per capita reached 300 liters per year, although now this figure is about 100 liters, and even in the leading Czech Republic in this parameter - a little more than 150 liters. The main reason for this was the poor quality of water, which was eliminated during the fermentation process.

What expression about a futile task was literally carried out by medieval monks?

The expression “pounding water in a mortar,” which means doing a useless task, has a very ancient origin - it was used by ancient authors, for example, Lucian. And in medieval monasteries it had a literal character: guilty monks were forced to pound water as punishment.

Why does Mona Lisa have her forehead hair shaved and her eyebrows plucked?

In Western Europe in the 15th century, there was the following ideal of a woman: an S-shaped silhouette, an arched back, a round pale face with a high, clean forehead. To meet the ideal, women shaved the hair on their foreheads and plucked their eyebrows - just like the Mona Lisa in the famous painting by Leonardo.

Why were spices so expensive in Europe in the Middle Ages?

In medieval Europe, on the eve of winter, mass slaughter of livestock and meat procurement began. If meat is simply salted, it loses its original taste. Spices, which were brought mainly from Asia, help preserve it almost in its original form. But since the Turks monopolized almost the entire spice trade, their price was prohibitive. This factor was one of the motives for the rapid development of navigation and the beginning of the era of great geographical discoveries. But in Rus', due to the harsh winters, there was no urgent need for spices.

Who in the Middle Ages, having failed to conquer the castle, bought it?

In 1456, the Teutonic Order successfully defended the Marienburg fortress, withstanding a Polish siege. However, the Order ran out of money and had nothing to pay the Bohemian mercenary soldiers. This fortress was given to the mercenaries as a salary, and they sold Marienburg to those same Poles.

When were books in libraries chained to shelves?

In public libraries in medieval Europe, books were chained to the shelves. Such chains were long enough to remove a book from the shelf and read, but did not allow the book to be taken out of the library. This practice was widespread until the 18th century, due to the great value of each copy of the book.

Why did medieval ladies wear marten and ermine furs?

Medieval ladies of high society in Europe wore fur-trimmed clothing or entire stuffed ermines, sables and martens over their dresses to attract fleas. Another way to combat these insects was special boxes with slots - flea traps. A piece of cloth soaked in resin, blood or honey was placed in a twisted box, and the fleas crawling inside stuck to such bait.

Why were the stairs in the towers of medieval castles twisted clockwise?

Spiral staircases in the towers of medieval castles were built in such a way that they were climbed clockwise. This was done so that in the event of a siege of the castle, the defenders of the tower would have an advantage during hand-to-hand combat, since the most powerful blow with the right hand can only be delivered from right to left, which was inaccessible to the attackers. However, if the majority of men in the family were left-handed, then they built castles with a reverse twist - for example, the fortress of the Counts Wallenstein in Germany or Fernyhurst Castle in Scotland.