We know that women in the Middle Ages wanted to have control over their ability to conceive, and medical texts from these centuries show that while women wanted to know how they could avoid getting pregnant, many were also concerned about infertility. After all, bearing children was considered the central function of women in this […]
The Trotula Test for Medieval Infertility Read More »
This week we are looking at Medieval birth control. This terrifying object, known as a “chastity belt,” was once thought to have been developed by men during the Middle Ages to lock up their wives or daughters’ genitalia, thereby controlling not just women’s reproduction, but their sexuality. The good news — they were probably mostly
The Fake Creation of Chastity Belts Read More »
You are looking at a page out of the Voynich manuscript, an as-yet untranslated text from the first half of the 15th-century. Shown is an illustration of what may be a type of sage plant. Many types of common herbs were likely taken as a means of birth control in the Middle Ages, but knowledge
Sage as a Contraceptive and Abortificant Read More »
On our third crossover post in “fashion statements that made history” with myself and Katie McGowan, I am featuring Joan of Arc and her male attire for battle.Jeanne d’Arc, aka “the Maid of Orleans,” was highly conscientious about the way gender played into her self-perception as the military leader chosen by God to lead the
Joan of Arc – “The Maid of Orleans” Read More »
In the final crossover post this week in “fashion decisions that made history,” by Katie McGowan and myself, I am featuring the fabulously intricate imperial robes called _caftans_ worn by the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire.In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Ottoman Dynasty governed an area around Anatolia (modern Turkey and environs), controlling some
Extravagance of Sultan Caftans of the Ottoman Empire Read More »
It’s almost Halloween, dear readers, so you’ll be able to suss out my theme for this week without a hitch. On that note, I cannot believe that I have not yet done a post on Elizabeth Bathory, aka “the Blood Countess”.So here’s her story: born into an aristocratic Hungarian family in 1560, Elizabeth Bathory was
Elizabeth Bathory – “The Blood Countess” Read More »
And what would a week’s worth of Eastern European Vampire posts be without a story on Vlad “the Impaler” Dracula? I should especially include Vlad because Boston College, where I got my Ph.D., had not one but *two* Dracula specialists when I was studying there.In American pop culture, the Vampire repertoire takes its cue from
Vald “The Impaler” Tepes and His Minor Inspiration of Dracula Read More »
Medieval violent bunnies onstage for this post, which makes me laugh no matter what.We do not expect these furry (mostly) vegetarian creatures to be shown inciting bloodshed, or picking on poor unarmored monks (slide two), or mauling naked men when they are sleeping (slide three), or viciously destroying King Arthur’s entourage (the Rabbit of Caerbannog,
Medieval Violent Bunnies and Knighthood Read More »
Medieval warfare less often squared equivalent armies on the ground against each other, and more often entailed raiding and sieges. In a pre-gunpowder arena, a castle’s walls and well armed keep could withstand months of an invader’s armies. The offensive side used a variety of tactics to get their opponents to surrender, including throwing stones
The Medieval Siege of Rochester Castle Read More »
Third in my series of chroniclers who regaled their readers with narratives of the horrific deaths of rulers is the story of the demise of King Edward II of England. Edward, who had earned the enmity of powerful aristocrats as well as his wife, had been forced to abdicate his throne and was imprisoned when
The Rumored Gruesome Death of King Edward II of England Read More »
My topic for the turn of the year is the history of naming ceremonies. Such traditions have been important parts of human culture at least as long as recorded history, and this makes sense: naming children marks them as part of their communities, and much about a society can be understood from how folks went
Aztec Goddess Cihuacoatl and Naming Ceremonies Read More »
Killing in the name of God has been an unfortunate part of the legacy of Abrahamic religions, and we might wonder how people across the millennia have rationalized this. No need for much Biblical exegesis here, because I am hopeful that readers would all fall into the “no sh*t, Sherlock” camp at the mere suggestion
The Fourth Western European Crusade Read More »
This barber’s pole may look like a quaint form of advertisement, reminiscent of a candy cane. However, it’s got a pretty sick story behind it.You probably know that medicine in the Middle Ages was not informed by the scientific method, and that hygiene, anatomy, and physiology weren’t understood. A good reason for cutting open a
The Barber Pole and Medieval Times Read More »
Whenever a new leader assumes power, the transition sparks anxiety typical of human nature’s concern about the liminal, of boundaries and unpredictablity. One of the ways people have dealt with this unease is through the observance of rituals. Repeated ceremonies bring continuity, and are laden with symbolism that gives meaning to the authority of the
Byzantine Rituals During Transitions of Power Read More »
What can anal fistula teach us about Medieval life? A great deal, tuns out.The first image you see here is a 15th-century illustration of one of the most important medical treatises of the Middle Ages, the “Practica of fistula in ano.” It is all about how to cure diseases of the colon and rectum, including
John of Arderne and Medieval Anal Fistulas Read More »
Yesterday I wrote about a certain physician, John of Arderne, who wrote an amazingly forward-thinking text about how to perform a surgery on anal fistula. Unique for his time in the 1300s, he emphasized the importance of hygiene and correct methods to prevent blood loss during the painful operation. Lest you think that anyone, even
The Zodiac Man and Medieval Surgery Read More »
To me, this is a comical picture showing a bunch of men climbing up a ladder while devils try to grab them or shoot them down — kind of like a *very* old-school Donkey Kong. To the 12th-century Byzantine artist who painted this icon, known as “the Ladder of Divine Ascent,” it was a true-to-life
Byzantine Painting “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” Read More »
You’re looking at a 700+ year-old heart, recovered from a Medieval autopsy of Saint Clare of Montefalco, and considered a miraculous relic demonstrating Clare’s special relationship to God. Also did I mention that this is an actual heart?When super holy people — I mean “athletes for God” holy– died, Ancient and Medieval Christians thought they
Saint Clare’s Medieval Heart Read More »
Whenever I think about Byzantine eunuchs (*as one does*), there’s just always so much to say. So here is a picture of the famed general Narses (d. 537), known as “the Hammer of the Goths” which was not a stage name but a moniker for this eunuch’s effectiveness at crushing the enemies of the Byzantine
Eunuch Narses, “The Hammer of the Goths” Read More »
Is it always the case that women who disguise their female sex are transgender? When we study the past, we need to think about how people doing the same actions in days of yore might have thought about their identities differently than us moderns. The transgendered monks of Byzantium are a case in point.There are
Transgendered Monks of Byzantium Read More »
