45 interesting facts about Middle Ages. What you did not know about the Middle Ages Medieval City Interesting Facts

In the Middle Ages, many states and empires were born, which subsequently became the forerunners of modern countries. But the Middle Ages was a dangerous time - only the strongest, alive and adapted was survived in this raging boiler. The development of sciences and, as a result, technology has brought new times, more civilized, but maybe devoid of parts of that romance, now forever lost.

Facts about Middle Ages

  • Ear sulfur in those distant times were actively used in the farm. So, the dressmakers gave her the tips of the threads so that they were not rapidly, and the scribes were allocated from her the pigments necessary to them for drawing illustrations in books.
  • In the Middle Ages, it was not accepted in Europe, and neither in the poor shacks, nor in luxury palaces. The custom washed home brought Crusaders who grabbed him from Arabs.
  • The real problem in the Middle Ages was a plague, which was spacing whole cities. Then the plasma doctors appeared widely known now, easily recognizable on their mask with the beak. Medieval doctors believed that the infection spreads along with smells, and fragrant herbs were placed on this beak on the mask so that Dr. breathe through this peculiar respirator.
  • In the medieval castles, dogs are usually not expelled with noble peters. From them and the benefit was - they eaten the union, which they threw them right on the floor, and lied dishes, facilitating the task of dishwashers.
  • What is interesting, even the palaces in the Middle Ages usually did not work not that bathrooms, but even toilets. Guests and inhabitants handled the need right on the stairs, or at all where they have. So, in the famous Louvre toilets exactly zero.
  • In one of the French museums, the letter of King Heinrich IV is kept, in which he writes the awaiting spouse that she may not wash it before his arrival, as he will come soon, in just 4 weeks.
  • It is the Middle Ages who presented to humanity such a barbaric invention as a steel belt of loyalty. These things often have become the cause of serious health problems.
  • Upper clothes from expensive and dense tissues in the Middle Ages were usually not washed, bypassed dry cleaning.
  • Since the need to purify water before using anyone in the Middle Ages was not known, people often replaced its alcohol. The connection between dirty water and the patient of the stomach was already known, but it was nowhere to take clean water, and that the boiling was cleansed, then did not think. Therefore, instead of water, medieval people have usually drank wine, and those that are victory - braga or beer.
  • Marriages in the Middle Ages were sometimes at 12-14 years.
  • Contrary to common myth, the average life expectancy in that era was low only statistically. Mortality was much higher, this is a fact, but people with normal health have had every chance to live to old age.
  • At the beginning of the middle ages, the buttons were used only as a decorative element of clothing. It began to use them for staging later, about the 13th century.
  • The doctors of the medieval era did not have the habit of washing their hands before viewing the patient.
  • To increase the storage period, food in those years was usually arranged. It helped, but the taste of food, of course, suffered. Spices also helped, but they were as expensive.
  • In the Middle Ages it was believed that a beautiful female forehead should be high - this feature was linked to aristocratic origin. Therefore, some secular ladies even pluck their hair over her forehead so that it seemed above. Such a fashion.

Sometimes the Middle Ages is called dark eyelids, as if antifue to the enlightened antiquity and the era of the enlightenment, which were shludred before and after the Middle Ages. For some reason, after this relatively short era, which continued one millennium and was executed wars and epidemics, democracy began to dominate, technical progress and there was such a concept as human rights.

Change

Interesting facts about the Middle Ages are important changes. The Middle Ages were characterized as the time of the approval of Christianity. It was with the help of religion a lot of changes occurred in the minds of people, which was displayed in the changes in society as a whole.

Women were fully equalized with men. Moreover, a woman in the ideals of the knighthood became the highest being, not achieved for understanding and real inspiration for a man.

Antiquity was executed by such a close relationship with nature that it was actually deified and at the same time were afraid. Antique gods in their characteristics answered natural areas and elements (sacred groves, forests, volcanoes, storms, zippers, and the like. Antiquity, despite some technical progress, was characterized by a small number of scientific achievements. That is, the basis of scientific knowledge was laid, but in general Discoveries were little and rarely arose. In the Middle Ages, a person stopped deification nature and natural phenomena. From Judaism, the doctrine has come to Christianity that nature is created for a person, and should serve it. This has become the basis of technical progress.

Despite close cooperation, religion and the state in the Middle Ages began separated from one another, which was the basis of secular state and violence. It came out of the principle of "God - God, and Cesar - Cesarean."

In the Middle Ages, the basics of human rights protection were laid. As not strange, a model of justice was the court of Inquisition, where the accused was given the opportunity to defend himself, interviewed witnesses, they tried to get information as much as possible without appling torture. Torture was used only due to the fact that they were part of the Roman law on which medieval justice was based. As a rule, most of the information about the cruelty of the Inquisition is nothing more than ordinary fiction.

Features of society

Sometimes you can hear that the medieval church restrained the development of culture and education. This information is not true, because it was the monasteries that had large collections of books, schools opened at the monasters, a medieval culture was concentrated here, since the monks studied the ancient authors. In addition, the Church figures were able to write at a time when many kings instead of signature put a cross.

In the medieval Western European temples, special holes for lepers and other patients were made in the walls, which could not be contacted with other parishioners. Through these windows, people could see the altar. It was done to completely not discard patients from society and so that they had access to Lituria and church sacraments.

Books in the libraries were chained to shelves with chains. This is due to the great value and cash value of books. Books, whose pages were made from calf skins - parchment and rewritten manually. The covers of such editions were decorated with noble metals and precious stones.

When Christianity received a convincing victory in Rome, all pre-Christian sculptures were destroyed. The only bronze sculpture, which was not touched - the equestrian monument Mark Aureliya. This monument was preserved due to the fact that he was mistakenly considered the sculpture of Emperor Konstantin.

In the ancient time, buttons, as a rule, were used as decorations, and clothing fastened with fibulas (clasps, which are similar to English pins, only large sizes). In the medieval time (about the XII century), the buttons began to be fastened in the loop, their functional value was approached by the present. However, for wealthy citizens, buttons were delivered exquisite, often using noble metals, and they could be laid on clothes in large quantities. Moreover, the number of buttons is directly proportionally depended on the status of the owner of the clothing - on one of the King of France France, Francis I had more than 13 thousand buttons.

Interesting was a female fashion - girls and women wore sharp conical hats with a height of one meter. It was very entertained by guys who tried to throw something to knock off the hat. Ladies also wore long loops on the dresses, the length depended on consistency. There were laws that limited the length of this decorative part of clothing. Having broken the sword cut off the excess part of the loop.

In men, the level of wealth could be determined by boots - the longer the boots, the richer was a man. The length of the shoe socks could reach one meter. Since then, the proverb "live on a wide leg".

Beer in medieval Europe used not only men, but also women. In England, each resident consumed almost one liter a day (on average), which is three times more from today and twice as much, rather than in modern beer record holder - Czech Republic. The reason was not universal drunkenness, but the fact that the water quality was low, and a small amount of alcohol, which was in beer, killed bacteria and drinking became safe. Beer was popular mainly in the Northern and Eastern European countries. In the south, traditionally from Roman times saw wine - children and women diluted, and men could sometimes afford to drink undivided.

In the winter in the villages, animals were scored and prepared meat for the winter. The traditional method of the workpiece was Solving, however, this meat was not tasty and tried to deliver eastern spices. Levance (East-integrated) trade was monopolized by Omman Turks, so spices were very expensive. It encouraged the development of navigation and search for new, ocean sea routes to India and other Asian countries, in which spices were grown and they were very cheap there. A massive demand in Europe supported high prices - the pepper was literally on the weight of gold.

In the castles, screw staircases were twisted clockwise in order for those that were from above, had an advantage in battle. Defenders could strike on the right left, attacing this blow was inaccessible. It happened that in the family of men were predominantly left-handers, then castles built, in which the staircase was tightened against a clockwise arrow - for example, the German Valentistein Castle or Scottish Ferrichrst Castle.

Whose clothing was sewn more than 10,000 buttons?

Buttons appeared long before our era, but were used only as decoration. In about 12-13 century, the buttons were again recognized in Europe, but now they also have the functional value of the stroke in the loop, and not only decorative. In the Middle Ages, the buttons became so popular accessory that in their number on clothes it was possible to judge the status of the owner. For example, on one of the outfits of the French king Francis I, I had 13,600 buttons.

Where was the gallows, which could serve 50 people?

In the 13th century, near Paris, a giant giant gangster monophocon was built, not preserved to this day. Monfocon was divided into cells by vertical pillars and horizontal beams and could serve as a place of execution for 50 people at the same time. According to the creator of the construction of De Marigny, the Counselor of the King, the form of many decomposing bodies on Monfocone was to warn the rest of the subjects from crimes. In the end, de Marigny himself was hanged there.

Which era of beer was the most massive drink in Europe?

In medieval Europe, especially the northern and eastern parts, the beer was truly a massive drink - they used people of all classes and ages. For example, in England, beer consumption per capita reached up to 300 liters per year, although now this indicator is about 100 liters, and even in the leading Czech Republic leading on this parameter - a little more than 150 liters. The main reason for this was the low water quality, which was eliminated during the fermentation process.

What expression on useless do medieval monks literally performed?

The expression "crowd water in a step", which means a useless business, has a very ancient origin - it was still used antique authors, for example, Lucian. And in medieval monasteries it was literal in nature: the defeated monks were forced to make the water as a punishment.

Why do MONY Lisa shave hair on the forehead and eyebrows hidden?

In Western Europe, in the 15th century, there was such a woman's ideal: S-shaped silhouette, curved back, a round pale face with a high pure forehead. To fit the ideal, women shaved their hair on her forehead and pluck their eyebrows - just like Mona Lisa in the famous Picture of Leonardo.

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

In the Middle Ages there were cases of church vessels over animals in all rules - with prosecutors, lawyers and witnesses. The accused could be any animals from large home-to-locust and May beetles. Pets, as a rule, were tried for witchcraft and sentenced to death, and wild for fence could overcome from the church or prescribe to leave the country. The last similar sentence of Cow was carried out in 1740.

What cruel scenes were removed from folk fairy tales Charles Perra and Brothers Grimm?

Most fairy tales known to us under the authorship of Charles Perro, brothers Grimm and other fairy tales, arose in the people of the Middle Ages, and their original scenes are sometimes distinguished by the cruelty and naturalness of household scenes. For example, in a fairy tale about Sleeping Beauty, a foreign king does not kiss it, but rapes. The wolf eats not only the grandmother, but also to the Polerevni, and the red hat then lures it into a pit with a boiling resin. In a fairy tale about Cinderella, the shoe still managed to try on the shoe, for which one of them cuts off his finger, the other - the heel, but then they are exposed to their singing of pigeons.

Why in the Middle Ages spices in Europe was valued very expensive?

In medieval Europe on the eve of winter, massive slaughter of cattle and meat harvesting began. If the meat is simply salted, it loses its original taste. It is possible to preserve it almost in priority form, the spices, which brought mainly from Asia. But since the Turks monopolized almost all the trafficking in the spices, their price was processed. This factor was one of the motives of the rapid development of the navigation and the beginning of the era of great geographical discoveries. And in Russia, due to the harsh winters, there was no sharp necessity in the spices.

Why is only one bronze pre-Christian statue preserved in Rome?

When the Romans accepted Christianity, they massively steal the pre-Christian statues. The only bronze statue survived by the Middle Ages is the equestrian statue of Mark Aureliya, and only because the Romans took it for the first Christian emperor Konstantin.

Who is in the Middle Ages, failing to conquer the castle, bought it?

In 1456, the Teutonic Order successfully defended the Fortress Marienburg, withsting the siege of Polyakov. However, the Order ended the money, and therefore it became nothing to pay with the Bohemian soldiers-mercenaries. As a salary, mercenaries handed over this fortress, and they sold Marienburg to those Poles.

What functions were assigned to samurai women?

The samurai estate in medieval Japan consisted not only of men. It also included women warriors ("Onna-Bugay"). Usually they did not participate in battles, but had armaments to protect the house. They also had a jigai ritual - an analogue of a seppuk in men - only women instead of opening the belly cut their throat. Such a ritual could be made and just wives of the dead warriors who are not part of samurai, with the consent of their parents.

When books in libraries were chained to shelves with chains?

In public libraries of medieval Europe, the books were faced with chain shelves. Such chains were sufficiently long in order to remove the book from the shelf and read, but did not let out the book beyond the library. This practice was spread up to the 18th century, which was due to the great value of each instance of the book.

What was needed to make the Czech settlement to get the city status?

In the medieval Czech Republic, the settlement in order to get the status of the city should have been independently the court, to have a custom and brewery.

Why did the medieval ladies wear fur from Cunits and Gornostayev?

Medieval ladies wore on her hand or on the neck a piece of fur from cunits, ferrets and mountainous, as well as living lascom to protect against fleas.

Where did women endure her husbands from the cast fortress on their shoulders?

When winning Weinsberg in 1140, King Germany Conrad III allowed to leave the destroyed city to women and carry in their hands what they wish. Women brought their husbands on their shoulders.

Watch 2011.

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Why did the boys dressed in the dresses before?

In the period from 17 to the middle of the 18th century, the rod of the boys in the dress was the norm. And the solution to the question of what to wear is: dress and sharp or breeches and a furout, depended on the age of the child. Why?
It turns out that the clothes of past times did not depend on the floor of the child, as now, but symbolized the degree of dependence of young offspring from adults. And if the boy dressed in the maiden clothes, this meant that he was still not independent to go to the world of men, and he still need to be a matter. As we grow, the elements of worn clothes on the boys replaced or completely disappeared from their wardrobe. So, it was originally allowed to remove the caps and open their hair, to shoot a dress and put on Bridges in 6-7 years. However, if the boys allowed any prank, then they were punished back into the dresses. Therefore, interest to stay in the men's world took the top over their cants, and the boys tried to behave well.

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Sunday has become a day off due to the decree of the emperor.

Sunday has become a day off due to the decree of the Roman emperor Konstantin I Great. Further, everything is in detail: 1691 worst worst worshi in 321 should be in 321. This is the intrinsic efficiency of the initial of the Roman Extractor of the Kanstantine I here, which traveled a spherical ukat, to the worship of the outlook.

And the reasons for the reaction, as well as the preservatives of the tenmen, there was a dream. The Pymsky Introducer has been lacking in the worst of the battle of the Battle of the Battle of the Battle on the Soul, and there is a certain name, gluable, so with this knowing it is like a drink. So and changed. In the worst, Kanststantin, who has become a vrachi, and the email has been indirect. Increased by the visionary and coordinant successor, the self-consistent authority of the physician spent in the worship of the days and brought the one's way.

With the TEM, the worst is a wonderful day, and the living people make it easy to communicate with Begin and taitrifying the ceiling seams. One-way in a rather, and that in strings, the State Religion is the Islamic, in the worst male, people are on well, and there are dwarf days.

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How are dentistry and an electric chair, what a holiday dedicated to the teeth are celebrated annually in China and for what medieval dentists used frogs?

Ancient Japanese dentists removed their teeth with bare hands.

And here are some tips from the harsh medieval dentists: to strengthen the discharged teeth, bring a frog to the jaw, and to alleviate the pain in the gums, let them in the teeth of a person who deceived the violent death. The wonderful thing as an electric chair was also invented by a dentist. Almost 130 years ago, he was invented by Dentist Albert Southwick from the city of Buffalo, New York. Initially, he thought electricity could be used in his medical practice as an anesthetic.
Before in the 19th century, the technology of making artificial ceramic teeth was invented, teeth soldiers who fell on the battlefield were used as a material for dentures. After the Civil War in the United States, British dentists received whole barrels of such goods.
Not so long ago, dentures were a popular wedding gift in Britain. Apparently, the British decided that they would still rather soon lose their teeth, so they began to accelerate the process with the removal of teeth in a relatively young age. Mao Jedun, like many modern Chinese him, refused to clean his teeth. Instead, he rinsed the mouth of tea and chewed tea leaves. "Why clean? Is the tiger someday brushing his teeth? "He said. Isaac Newton's tooth was sold in 1816 for 730 pounds sterling (approximately $ 1048 today), after which it was inserted into the ring that bought his aristocrat.
All chewing muscles can develop strength in 390 - 400 kg, the force of chewing muscles on one side is 195 kg. If you are right, then most of the food you are chewing on the right side of the jaw, and on the contrary, if you are left-hand, then on the left. If you One of the same tooth twins is missing any tooth, as a rule, there is also no such tooth from another twin. The American dentists use about 13 tons of gold per year for the manufacture of crowns, bridges, tabs and dentures. To increase interest in preserving healthy teeth. And the gums among the twelve-millionth population, a national holiday was installed in China, the name of which can be translated as "the day of love for their teeth" and which takes place every year on September 20th.

By the way, according to the legend of Mao Jedun, like many modern Chinese him, refused to brush his teeth. Instead, he rinsed the mouth of tea and chewed tea leaves. "Why clean? Is the tiger someday brushing his teeth? "He said.

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Fact about five-fingered coins.

Interesting the story of five-phrank coins, which in 1804 Napoleon I released into appeal. These coins were large and had a fair weight. The population of France did not take them from banks. To correct the created position, Napoleon came up with a witty way. A check of 5 million francs was invested in one of five-franc coins by his order, which gives the right to receive this almost fantastic amount from the State Bank.
In the near future, the entire release of five-phrank coins was in circulation. The excalist searches of the treasure coin began. There was no more oriforn lottery in history.
But still a check on 5 million francs, signed by Napoleon personally, was not brought to the bank. Is there such a coin? This question is answered: "Napoleon should be trusted." Also known. At the beginning of our century, the French government confirmed the fact of the release of the coin with the check, but guaranteed only 5 million francs and interest paid for payment for more than a hundred years. Where is this coin? The mystery is never revealed.

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Why in ancient Russian man wore a bell with him?

In the old days, the Russian man always wore a personal bell tape. It was the same needed accessory as in our time a mobile phone. And on this, our ancestors were their reasons.

The bell greatly facilitated the search for a person if he got lost in the forest. In addition, the ringing of the Bubenz, by reference, scared the wild animals and poisonous reptiles.

Stake's time was believed that the trill of the bell distilts evil spirits. And they were in the past times at all no less than now.

The horse hung on the neck of the horse, set up an animal to a certain rhythm, to knock off the wolf or other troubles that could not suddenly appeared on the path.


With the help of the bell treated a lot of pigeons, for example, migraine and melancholy. In addition, it was believed that the ringing of the bell perfectly awakens a person after a sleepless night and stems after abuse of hard drinks.

The bell used when making important life solutions. To do this, it was necessary to continuously ring over his ear in a few minutes. The first idea that arose after Trell was worshiped true.

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The shortest war in the world.

This frequent war lasted only 45 minutes and entered the Guinness Book of Records.

At the end of the XIX century Zanzibar was under the rule of Britain. In 1896, the new Sultan Zanzibara Khalid Ibn Bargash tried to get out of control, looking for support from Germany. He collected a small army of two and a half thousand soldiers and pulled out an old gun of the XVI century from the basements. The British in response put forward an ultimatum, which expired at 9:00 am on August 27, according to which Zanzibars must have to capitulate.
In response, those watered the gun on their only ship - the Yacht "Glasgow" and fearlessly reached the sea, towards five English frigates. Exactly in an ultimatum designated time, the imperial fleet opened fire on the shore. Five minutes later, "Glasgow" replied and immediately hesitated with a cross-fire with two ships. The Zanzibarskaya ship continued to shoot all the time until disappeared under water. After half a temper, only masts "Glasgow" were visible from under the water, and the coastal structures were practically destroyed. However, the Zanzibarsky flag continued to wave on the palace flagpole. The fleet resumed shooting. Fifteen minutes later, the shore was completely buried, none of the gun responded. The top of the flagpole was destroyed and the flag was not visible anywhere. Sultan ordered the soldiers to leave the battlefield, and asked asylum himself in the German consulate. The shelling lasted 38 minutes, about 570 people died from the Zanzibar side, and he entered the story as the shortest war in the world.
After the war, the former Sultan lived in Dar-Es-Salama until 1916, when the British grabbed him. He died in 1927 in Mombasa.

2. In the 19th century it was not accepted when a man invited the same lady to the dance more than 2 times. By tradition, after 2 dance, the cavalier had to make an offer.

3. Gloves, as it turned out, was a strictly homely element of clothing, even despite the fact that there were a lot of them (ballroom, for hunting). In crowded places, worn gloves was indecent.

4. It is difficult to believe, but in the 20s of the last century in the schools of the USSR it was not decent to write correctly. For excessive literacy, letters per person could even convey.

5. In England, still ugly knit in places of crowd of people. But, nevertheless, conversations about it became popular, especially among the male part of the population. It was the third theme discussed in the bars immediately after football and politicians.

6. For a long time for guests and residents of Bulgaria, it was ugly when a man drank less than 1.5 liters of beer per day. The fact is that in this country such a alcohol is quite small, and too moderate drinking could consider non-sensibleness.

7. During the tea ceremony in Japan's homes, the posture sitting at the table is playing a very big role. The pose, when a man sits, crossed his legs in front of him, and sitting, stretched to the side. Most often, the Japanese drink tea by pouring his legs.

8. In Russia, in 19-20VV, it was ugly to take the land under the cottage, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich was less than 12 acres.

9. Following the rules of good tone, in the Boyar estates during the conversation did not follow to the interlocutor of the invention. If someone came into the living room, it was unknown to inspect him from head to feet. So it was possible to put a modest person, and especially a woman, in a very awkward position.

10. The inhabitants of Thailand are not accepted when talking to touch the head or pat on the shoulder when talking with another person. This refers to the manifestation of tenderness, which in this country is indecent to show in humans.

In the Middle Ages, the "moment" was understood as a completely specific unit of time - 90 seconds, no more and no less. And now in our time the concept of "moment" has become somewhat more vague. For the first time, the term "moment" used John Treviz in the 1398th year, writing that one hour consists of 40 points. But nowadays, under this word, a very short period of time is understood, and no one remembers his initial meaning.

Which only facts about Middle Ages We were not afraid when we prepared this material. Sometimes the eyebrow was lifted and curved in surprise so much that he himself Jack Nicholson I would have envied. We are no longer talking about the fact that the phrases "yes Laaaaaadno!", "What kind of" PIIIIIZAN tower "was there?" and "ooooo, unexpectedly!" They sounded literally every 5-10 minutes. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the small part of the facts about Middle Ageswho interested us most.

Brothers Grimm - The authors of the favorite fairy tales from our childhood. But few knows that we read already recycled and adapted texts. In the original brothers Grimm engaged in harvesting folklore. And he often did not remind a fairy tale at all, where everything is riddling and beautiful, and at the end all marry and having fun. For example, in the original fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" Prince does not kiss the main character, but rapes. And in the "Cinderella" sisters managed to try on the "shill". That's just for this one had to cut off my fingers on the legs, and the other heel. And the beautiful prince would marry on one of them, but the pigeons were prevented by this, who noticed that the "shoe" was filled with blood ...

Beauty standard in 15-16 centuries can be represented as follows: High forehead, even very high forehead, many women even shaved, pluck their hair to come closer to the ideal of beauty. Also in a decent woman on the face should not have been and eyebrows, they most often turned off. "Mona Lisa" complied with all these requirements.

The custom of changing the glasses takes its beginning in the era of the Middle Ages. On the feasts it was possible to simply plug into a glass of enemies or a competitor poison. When you hit the vessels about each other, the drink was poured from one glass to another. So the poisoner himself could suffer from his own poison. There is a demonstration of the fact that there is no poison of drink.

Plague doctors - These are not invented characters from horror films. They existed in reality, they were specifically hired to treat people during the epidemic of the plague. They were difficult not to notice, because their clothes consisted of a leather raincoat, gloves, shoes, hats and an unusual mask with a "beak", which was not aesthetic, and the practical nature of the action - in the "beak" laid special fees from dried flowers, herbs, Spices, other substances that had a strong smell - soaked fabric camphor or vinegar. It was believed that this not only interrupts the terrible smell, which was in the villages, where the places were rampant, but also the people had revealed from infection with this disease.

In the Middle Ages there were cases and extremely strange church trials. And they were held over ... animals. Everything was held according to the rules: the prosecutors, lawyers and witnesses were attended. And the accused could be like any pets, be it rabbit, chicken or kotor, and even insects - locust or dragonfly. The homemade cattle was most often accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death, and wild - for fertilization, they could be separated from the church or to "make" the country's territory.

In the Middle Ages, "adult life" began pretty early. Already from 12 years old, the girls were considered quite matured for marriage. For the boy, this age began with 14 years. Almost always a decision on marriage of their Chad received parents or guardians, since, first of all, the marriage at that time contributed to the unification of land, the conclusion of political unions or simply contributed to the material improvement, strengthening. Frequently often in wealthy families, the son or daughter was engaged from early infancy. In addition, no one worried a big difference between the ages of marriage (regardless of who was older - the bride or the bridegroom).

In the castle towers, the screw staircases were built so that the lifting on them was clockwise. This was done so that in the case of the siege, the defenders of the tower had an advantage during a hand-to-hand fight (a strong right hand can only be applied to the right to left, which cannot do the stairs).

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Modern books and films about Middle Ages do not always truthfully talk about the everyday life of ordinary people at that time.

In fact, many aspects of life of that time are not entirely looking, and the approach to the life of medieval citizens alien to people of the XXI century.

1. Desecration of graves


In medieval Europe, 40 percent of burials were defiled. Previously, only cemetery robbing and randoms of graves were accused. However, recently discovered two cemeteries showed that, perhaps, ordinary residents of settlements were made like this. The Austrian cemetery of Brunn am-Gebirge contained 42 graves of the time of the Langobard, the German tribe of the VI century.

All of them, besides one, were repaired, and the skull from the graves was removed, or on the contrary - added "extra". Most bones were withdrawn from the graves with a tool. The motive of this is unclear, but the tribe may have tried to prevent the appearance of undead. It is also possible that Langobards wanted to "acquire" the memory of their lost loved ones. This may be the reason that more than a third of the skulls are missing.

In the English cemetery "Winnall II" (VII - VIII century), skeletons were associated, beheaded, or they had joint joints. It was originally believed that it was some strange funeral rite. However, more and more evidence appears that such manipulations occur much later funerals, perhaps because the locals believed that the undead could appear.

2. Proof of marriage

Get married in medieval England was easier than cooking soup. All that was needed is a man, a woman, and their oral consent to marriage. If the girl was less than 12 years old, and the boy was less than 14 years old, then their families did not give consent. But at the same time, no church or a priest was required for the marriage.

People often concluded marriage right where they reached the agreement, whether it was a local pub or bed (sexual relationships automatically led to marriage). But one complexity was connected with this. If something went wrong, and the marriage was aunt-a-tete, but in fact it was impossible to prove it.

For this reason, married oaths gradually began to bring in the presence of a priest. Divorce could occur only if the Union was not legal. The main reasons were the presence of a marriage with the previous partner, related links (even distant ancestors) or a marriage with non-Christian.

3. Men treated from infertility

In the ancient world, in common with a childless marriage, the wife was usually vinyl. It was assumed that this was also in medieval England. But the researchers found the facts proving the opposite. From the XIII century, men also began to be considered guilty of the absence of children, and the medical books of that time discussed male reproductive problems and infertility.

The books also contain several strange tips to determine which partner is infertile, and what treatment should be used: both needed to reck on separate pots, full of bran, seal them for nine days, and then check the presence of worms in them. If a husband needed in treatment, then he was recommended to accept the dried eggs of pigs with wine for three days. At the same time, everyone wanted to divorce her husband if he was an impotent.

4. Problem students

In Northern Europe, the parents had a habit of sending adolescents from the house, giving them to the apprenticeship, which lasted ten years. So the family got rid of the "mouth, which was necessary to feed," and the owner received cheap labor. The preserved letters written by adolescents show that such experience was often traumatic for them.

Some historians believe that young people were sent out of the house, because they were naughty, and their parents believed that training would have a positive effect. Perhaps the masters knew about such difficulties, since many of them signed a contract, according to which teenagers taken for training should have behaved "fit."

Nevertheless, the disciples got bad fame. Being away from their families, they were outraged by their lives, and the connection with other problem teenagers soon led to the appearance of gangs. Teenagers often played gambling and visited the brothels. In Germany, France and Switzerland, they accelerate the carnavals, caused mass riots and once even forced the city to pay redemption.

On the streets of London, the stormy battles between various guilds were constantly occurring, and in 1517, the gang of students plundered the city. It is likely that disappointment led to hooliganism. Despite all the years of grave education, many understood that this is not a guarantee of future work.

5. Old Times Middle Ages

In the early medieval England, a person was considered an elderly aged 50 years. British scientists considered this era of the "golden age" for people of old age. It was believed that society honors them for wisdom and experience. It was not quite so. Apparently, there was not even such a thing: to allow someone to enjoy retirement.

Older people had to prove their value. In exchange for respect, the society expected the Elderly Members to continue to contribute to life, especially warriors, priests and leaders. The soldiers still fought, and workers still worked. Medieval authors ambiguously wrote about aging.

Some agreed that the elderly people are spiritually higher, and others humiliated them, calling "centenary children." The old age itself was called the "anticipation of hell." Another confusion is that in old age everyone was weak and died, without reaching old age. Some people still lived well and in 80-90 years.

6. Death every day

In the Middle Ages, not all died of ubiquitous violence and wars. People also dressed from violence in families, accidents and too abundant jeads. In 2015, researchers viewed the records of medieval coronors Warwickshire, London and Bedfordshire. The results provided a unique look at everyday life and danger in these counties.

For example, the real was death from ... pigs. In 1322, the two-month Johanna de Ireland died in his crib after the sowed to bite her. Another pig killed a man in 1394. Cows were also responsible for the death of several people. According to the coroners, the greatest number of random deaths occurred due to drowning. People drowned in gangs, wells and rivers. We were often murders on household soil.

7. This brutal London

As for bloodshed, no one wanted to transport a family to London. It was the most cruel place in England. Archaeologists checked 399 skulls dating from 1050 - 1550, from six London cemeteries for people of all classes. Almost seven percent of them showed signs of suspicious physical injuries. Among them, most were people aged from 26 to 35 years.

The level of violence in London was twice as much as in any other country, and cemeteries showed that the working class men constantly faced aggression. The records of the coroners have shown that unnaturally a large number of murders occurred on Sunday evening, when most of the low-class people spent their time in taverns. It is likely that drunken disputes with fatal results often happened.

8. Preferences in reading

In the XV-XVI centuries, religion penetrated into all spheres of people's lives. Prayer books were especially popular. Using a technique that determines the shades on the surface of the paper, art historians understood that the dirtier there was a page, the more readers attracted its content. Understand what were preferences in reading helped prayer books.

In one manuscript, a prayer dedicated to St. Sebastian, which, as they say, was able to defeat the plague. Other personal salvation prayers also received more attention than those that were intended to save another person. These prayer books read daily.

9. Freshness of cats

In 2017, the study showed that the feline fur industry also spread to Spain. This medieval practice was widespread and used for it both home and wild cats. El Warldo was the farmers community 1000 years ago.

In this place there were many medieval finds, among which were pits for the storage of the crop. But in some of these pits, they found the bones of animals, and about 900 of them belonged to cats. All feline bones were fell into one pit. All animals were from nine to twenty months, which is the best age in order to get a big, impeccable skin.

10. Death Striped Clothing

Clothes in a striped becomes fashionable every few years, but in those days an elegant suit could lead to the death of a person. In 1310, the French shoemaker decided to wear striped clothes during the day. He was sentenced to the death penalty for his decision. This man was part of the clergy of the city, which found that the strips belong to the devil. Pious citizens also had to avoid wearing striped clothes at all costs.

The documentation of the XII and XIII centuries shows that the authorities strictly adhered to this position. It was considered the robe of rogues of society, prostitutes, executioners, lepers, heretics and, for some reasons, clowns. It is inexplicable hatred of strips still remains a mystery, and there is not even a single theory that could adequately explain it. Whatever the reason, by the XVIII century, a strange disgust was riveted in the fly.

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