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Post by Feologild Oakes on Feb 14, 2020 13:59:07 GMT
Medieval myths
People have some very wrong ideas about the Middle Ages. Here is a list of fifteen of the strangest misconceptions about the medieval period – they often portray the people as being ignorant, cruel and unsophisticated. 1. That medieval people thought the earth was flat
Virtually every medieval scholar believed the world was round. However, in the 19th century it was widely reported that people in the Middle Ages thought the earth was flat, because it made for a good example of how backward the period was believed to be. 2. That Primae Noctis actually happened
In 19th century France, it became a popular belief that lords had several long-standing ‘rights’ over their peasants, including the right to sleep with any bride the ‘first night’ after her wedding. There are no recorded instances of this happening in the Middle Ages. 3. That Vikings wore Horned Helmets
Vikings and other medieval warriors never wore horned helmets – they would not be very useful in battle. In the 19th century Scandinavian artists began adding the imagery to their depictions of the Vikings. 4.That there were elaborate torture devices in the Middle Ages
There are many different gruesome torture devices – for example the Iron Maiden, the Pear of Anguish, and the Breast Ripper. However, while many are said to be ‘medieval torture devices’, they were actually invented centuries later. 5. That medieval thinkers argued over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin
In more modern times, scholars who ridiculed medieval theology would say that they argued over silly notions, such as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” However, there is no example of a medieval scholar actually writing about this subject. 6. That Chastity Belts were used to prevent women from having sex
The story goes that when medieval lords went on crusade, they would make sure their wives would not have sex by enclosing their waists in a locked belt. The truth is that chastity belts were never used in the Middle Ages, and that they first became popular in the 19th-century as part of that period’s fascination with instruments of torture from medieval times. 7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. 8. That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle
Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress. 9. That people thought tomatoes were poisonous
Tomatoes were not even around in Europe during the Middle Ages. The food was imported from South America in the 16th century and soon became widely used in most of Europe. 10. That people did not live past 30 years old in the Middle AgesIt has long been stated the life-expectancy for a medieval person was about 30 years old. This does not mean that a person was considered old or about to die when they turned 30. If a medieval person survived to adulthood, he would likely live into his 60s or 70s, and they would not be considered to be old until at least the age of 50. Life-expectancy rates were lower in the Middle Ages because there was a much greater chance that an infant or child would die because of illness or disease than in modern times. 11. Medieval people did not use cutlery
Medieval people did not have to eat everything with their hands. Knives and spoons were common throughout the Middle Ages, and the fork was introduced to the Byzantine Empire by the 6th century, and into Italy by the 11th century. 12. That medieval people never traveled
The idea that medieval people would be born, grow up and die without ever leaving their village is very unlikely. Many different records show that people were traveling around and even moving to different parts of a country. Even peasants would go on pilgrimages and visit churches and monasteries, in their country and overseas. 13. That medieval people were always dirty and had terrible personal hygiene
People in the Middle Ages did take baths, and would try to keep clean. Combs and other personal grooming devices were also widely used. 14. That medieval women had no rights
Women in the Middle Ages could inherit, buy and sell property, run a business, and had many legal rights (in fact some of these rights would diminish in the Early Modern Period). The idea that they were virtual slaves to their husbands is also false. 15. That all medieval people were extremely pious and obeyed the church
While many people in the Middle Ages were pious and even extremely devout, we can find that church officials were often complaining that many other people were indifferent to following religious practices. We can also find that even peasants had their own ideas about religion, which diverged from official church teachings, and that among theologians there was a lot of debate over many issues. www.medievalists.net/2014/06/15-myths-middle-ages/
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Post by theravenking on Feb 16, 2020 21:19:38 GMT
Medieval myths
People have some very wrong ideas about the Middle Ages. Here is a list of fifteen of the strangest misconceptions about the medieval period – they often portray the people as being ignorant, cruel and unsophisticated. 1. That medieval people thought the earth was flat
Virtually every medieval scholar believed the world was round. However, in the 19th century it was widely reported that people in the Middle Ages thought the earth was flat, because it made for a good example of how backward the period was believed to be. 2. That Primae Noctis actually happened
In 19th century France, it became a popular belief that lords had several long-standing ‘rights’ over their peasants, including the right to sleep with any bride the ‘first night’ after her wedding. There are no recorded instances of this happening in the Middle Ages. 3. That Vikings wore Horned Helmets
Vikings and other medieval warriors never wore horned helmets – they would not be very useful in battle. In the 19th century Scandinavian artists began adding the imagery to their depictions of the Vikings. 4.That there were elaborate torture devices in the Middle Ages
There are many different gruesome torture devices – for example the Iron Maiden, the Pear of Anguish, and the Breast Ripper. However, while many are said to be ‘medieval torture devices’, they were actually invented centuries later. 5. That medieval thinkers argued over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin
In more modern times, scholars who ridiculed medieval theology would say that they argued over silly notions, such as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” However, there is no example of a medieval scholar actually writing about this subject. 6. That Chastity Belts were used to prevent women from having sex
The story goes that when medieval lords went on crusade, they would make sure their wives would not have sex by enclosing their waists in a locked belt. The truth is that chastity belts were never used in the Middle Ages, and that they first became popular in the 19th-century as part of that period’s fascination with instruments of torture from medieval times. 7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. 8. That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle
Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress. 9. That people thought tomatoes were poisonous
Tomatoes were not even around in Europe during the Middle Ages. The food was imported from South America in the 16th century and soon became widely used in most of Europe. 10. That people did not live past 30 years old in the Middle AgesIt has long been stated the life-expectancy for a medieval person was about 30 years old. This does not mean that a person was considered old or about to die when they turned 30. If a medieval person survived to adulthood, he would likely live into his 60s or 70s, and they would not be considered to be old until at least the age of 50. Life-expectancy rates were lower in the Middle Ages because there was a much greater chance that an infant or child would die because of illness or disease than in modern times. 11. Medieval people did not use cutlery
Medieval people did not have to eat everything with their hands. Knives and spoons were common throughout the Middle Ages, and the fork was introduced to the Byzantine Empire by the 6th century, and into Italy by the 11th century. 12. That medieval people never traveled
The idea that medieval people would be born, grow up and die without ever leaving their village is very unlikely. Many different records show that people were traveling around and even moving to different parts of a country. Even peasants would go on pilgrimages and visit churches and monasteries, in their country and overseas. 13. That medieval people were always dirty and had terrible personal hygiene
People in the Middle Ages did take baths, and would try to keep clean. Combs and other personal grooming devices were also widely used. 14. That medieval women had no rights
Women in the Middle Ages could inherit, buy and sell property, run a business, and had many legal rights (in fact some of these rights would diminish in the Early Modern Period). The idea that they were virtual slaves to their husbands is also false. 15. That all medieval people were extremely pious and obeyed the church
While many people in the Middle Ages were pious and even extremely devout, we can find that church officials were often complaining that many other people were indifferent to following religious practices. We can also find that even peasants had their own ideas about religion, which diverged from official church teachings, and that among theologians there was a lot of debate over many issues. www.medievalists.net/2014/06/15-myths-middle-ages/ 8. That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress.
This is the first time I come across this myth. Here in Germany most people know that Neuschwanstein is a modern castle built by Ludwig II of Bavaria.
The famous Eilean Donan castle in Scotland is by many people assumed to be medieval when in fact it was only recreated in 1913-32.
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Post by politicidal on Feb 21, 2020 14:37:47 GMT
"...16. Dragons went extinct in the Middle Ages."
Of course not. They died out during the Late antiquity period.
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Post by Pangolin on Feb 28, 2020 13:58:02 GMT
I think people also commonly believe that during medieval times a huge number of people were persecuted as "witches", while most of that actually happened in the early modern period.
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Post by needysboy on Feb 28, 2020 20:01:35 GMT
The roots of the witch hysteria clearly go back to the Middle Ages and the Inquisition (about 1299).
It's really hard to say when a period began or ended. The miles posts, I think, are usually arbitrary.
I have read that the "Middle Ages" ended in 1492 (Columbus), or 1453 (fall of Constantinople), or 1455 (Gutenberg Bible and movable type).
Certainly, the mind-set of the Middle Ages continued well after these events. The last witch trial, I think, was in 1782.
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Post by sadsaak on Mar 10, 2020 11:41:36 GMT
Medieval myths
5. That medieval thinkers argued over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin
In more modern times, scholars who ridiculed medieval theology would say that they argued over silly notions, such as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” However, there is no example of a medieval scholar actually writing about this subject. 7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. To be fair, myth 5 probably wasn't. Academics would get together and argue over all manner of things because that is what academics did and still do. And the public would pay to listen, just like we do with TV chat shows. It is unlikely that anyone cared either way, but it would have been seen as a pleasant way to spend an hour or two. Myth 7 raises an interesting point. To make beer the mash has has to be kept at between 145F - 155F for several hours, which not only extracts the sugars from the malt, but kills any bugs in the water. Folk have been doing this since God was in short trousers, so why did it take so long to realise the advantages of Pasteurisation?
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Post by nutsberryfarm 🏜 on Mar 11, 2020 2:55:36 GMT
huge middle ages fan.
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Post by drystyx on Mar 20, 2020 14:22:58 GMT
16. Rabbits didn't leap up against knights and bite their heads off.
17. The virgins of castle Anthrax did not perform oral sex after being spanked.
18. You could not build bridges out of witches
19. European swallows beat their wings 18 times per second, not 43.
20. Hand grenades were not considered "holy".
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Post by twothousandonemark on Mar 22, 2020 0:42:36 GMT
Medieval myths
7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. Myths like that one are a bit absurd. Millions & millions of ppl wouldn't have lived long without drinkable water. Europe would've collapsed & I'm fairly certain she didn't.
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Post by Feologild Oakes on Mar 22, 2020 1:07:45 GMT
Medieval myths
7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. Myths like that one are a bit absurd. Millions & millions of ppl wouldn't have lived long without drinkable water. Europe would've collapsed & I'm fairly certain she didn't. Yeah i agree its an absurd myth.
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Post by Dirty Santa PaulsLaugh on Mar 22, 2020 6:21:15 GMT
Medieval myths
People have some very wrong ideas about the Middle Ages. Here is a list of fifteen of the strangest misconceptions about the medieval period – they often portray the people as being ignorant, cruel and unsophisticated. 1. That medieval people thought the earth was flat
Virtually every medieval scholar believed the world was round. However, in the 19th century it was widely reported that people in the Middle Ages thought the earth was flat, because it made for a good example of how backward the period was believed to be. 2. That Primae Noctis actually happened
In 19th century France, it became a popular belief that lords had several long-standing ‘rights’ over their peasants, including the right to sleep with any bride the ‘first night’ after her wedding. There are no recorded instances of this happening in the Middle Ages. 3. That Vikings wore Horned Helmets
Vikings and other medieval warriors never wore horned helmets – they would not be very useful in battle. In the 19th century Scandinavian artists began adding the imagery to their depictions of the Vikings. 4.That there were elaborate torture devices in the Middle Ages
There are many different gruesome torture devices – for example the Iron Maiden, the Pear of Anguish, and the Breast Ripper. However, while many are said to be ‘medieval torture devices’, they were actually invented centuries later. 5. That medieval thinkers argued over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin
In more modern times, scholars who ridiculed medieval theology would say that they argued over silly notions, such as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” However, there is no example of a medieval scholar actually writing about this subject. 6. That Chastity Belts were used to prevent women from having sex
The story goes that when medieval lords went on crusade, they would make sure their wives would not have sex by enclosing their waists in a locked belt. The truth is that chastity belts were never used in the Middle Ages, and that they first became popular in the 19th-century as part of that period’s fascination with instruments of torture from medieval times. 7. That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted
While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent. 8. That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle
Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress. 9. That people thought tomatoes were poisonous
Tomatoes were not even around in Europe during the Middle Ages. The food was imported from South America in the 16th century and soon became widely used in most of Europe. 10. That people did not live past 30 years old in the Middle AgesIt has long been stated the life-expectancy for a medieval person was about 30 years old. This does not mean that a person was considered old or about to die when they turned 30. If a medieval person survived to adulthood, he would likely live into his 60s or 70s, and they would not be considered to be old until at least the age of 50. Life-expectancy rates were lower in the Middle Ages because there was a much greater chance that an infant or child would die because of illness or disease than in modern times. 11. Medieval people did not use cutlery
Medieval people did not have to eat everything with their hands. Knives and spoons were common throughout the Middle Ages, and the fork was introduced to the Byzantine Empire by the 6th century, and into Italy by the 11th century. 12. That medieval people never traveled
The idea that medieval people would be born, grow up and die without ever leaving their village is very unlikely. Many different records show that people were traveling around and even moving to different parts of a country. Even peasants would go on pilgrimages and visit churches and monasteries, in their country and overseas. 13. That medieval people were always dirty and had terrible personal hygiene
People in the Middle Ages did take baths, and would try to keep clean. Combs and other personal grooming devices were also widely used. 14. That medieval women had no rights
Women in the Middle Ages could inherit, buy and sell property, run a business, and had many legal rights (in fact some of these rights would diminish in the Early Modern Period). The idea that they were virtual slaves to their husbands is also false. 15. That all medieval people were extremely pious and obeyed the church
While many people in the Middle Ages were pious and even extremely devout, we can find that church officials were often complaining that many other people were indifferent to following religious practices. We can also find that even peasants had their own ideas about religion, which diverged from official church teachings, and that among theologians there was a lot of debate over many issues. www.medievalists.net/2014/06/15-myths-middle-ages/ 8. That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress. This is the first time I come across this myth. Here in Germany most people know that Neuschwanstein is a modern castle built by Ludwig II of Bavaria.
The famous Eilean Donan castle in Scotland is by many people assumed to be medieval when in fact it was only recreated in 1913-32.
I don’t think many Americans think it was medieval either. It’s well known Mad King Ludwig built it.
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Post by oftrollorigins on Apr 7, 2020 15:23:20 GMT
I’ve also read that the supposed Dark Ages weren’t all that dark. Technological and other achievements were made during this period in European history.
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Post by Feologild Oakes on Apr 7, 2020 15:30:00 GMT
I’ve also read that the supposed Dark Ages weren’t all that dark. Technological and other achievements were made during this period in European history. Yes that is true.
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Post by Dirty Santa PaulsLaugh on Apr 7, 2020 21:53:22 GMT
Even so, it was a brutal period where most learning and progress from the Classical era was abandoned or stymied. There was a lot of tribal warfare still going on and numerous plagues were brought on by poor sanitary conditions and massive flea infestations. While spring and country well water was probably safe to drink, there was no safe water in the cities. Remember unlike Rome, most new European cities used the streets to dump their sewage.
I’m not saying the Middle Ages were are barbarous as Plutarch depicts them...archeology proves otherwise...but don’t paint a romantic one either. That’s exactly what Mad Louie’s castle is about.
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