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- Herausgeber: Marcus Jungnickel
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
Useless knowledge about the Middle Ages
Imagine sitting around a campfire surrounded by knights in glittering armor, monks whispering and exchanging manuscripts, and jugglers wowing the crowd with their juggling skills. The Middle Ages - an era often described as dark and mysterious, but in truth full of colors, sounds and stories just waiting to be told.
In this book, however, we won't bore you with the usual facts about jousting tournaments or the art of alchemy. No, we have set out on a quest to collect the most curious, bizarre and surprising facts from this fascinating era. Why were cats feared as witches' companions? What strange ideals of beauty were considered en vogue? And how exactly did people celebrate a medieval party?
"Useless Knowledge about the Middle Ages" is your ticket to the hidden corners of a bygone era that nevertheless lives on in so many of our myths and tales. Enter a world where the unexpected is the rule and the everyday often takes a back seat to the bizarre. And who knows, you may discover that the so-called "useless" knowledge is sometimes the most entertaining and enlightening of all.
So prepare to be enchanted by the dazzling diversity of the Middle Ages. For there is far more than just history hidden within these pages - it is a feast for the curious who dare to question the familiar and celebrate the unusual.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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Mia Mirillia
Useless knowledge middleage
Table of contents
Table of contents
1. everyday life
Clothing and fashion
Living conditions
Family structure and marriage
Childhood and education
Daily routine and free time
2. knights, castles and wars
Knightly etiquette and code
Weapons and armor
Siege methods and defense
Life at the castle
Famous battles and their curiosities
3. crafts, trade and discovery
Common professions and their everyday life
Trade routes and goods
Innovations in the skilled trades
Explorers and travel
Currencies and values
4. culture, art and education
Literature and famous works
Musical instruments and genres
Art styles and artists
Education and universities
Festivals and celebrations
5 Faith, religion and church
Saints and their curious stories
Superstition and folk myths
Church hierarchies and structures
Monastic life and monasticism
Famous religious buildings
6. medicine, science and technology
Curious treatment methods
Diseases and epidemics
Inventions and innovations
Important scientists and their theories
Astronomy and the sky
7. food, drinks and nutrition
Daily meals and diets
Exotic and luxury foods
Cooking methods and utensils
Drinks and their importance
Banquets and feasts
8 Society and hierarchy
Nobility and their privileges
Farmers and their duties
Women in the Middle Ages
Slaves and servants
Penalties and jurisdiction
9. nature, animals and the environment
Farm animals and their importance
Wildlife and hunting
Plants and their uses
Natural phenomena and their interpretations
Environment and landscaping
about the Middle Ages
Curious facts and amazing details about knights, castles, culture, art and myths
Mia Mirillia
Table of contents
1. everyday life
Clothing and fashion
The word "underpants" would have been foreign to the people of the Middle Ages. Instead, people wore long linen shirts or tunics, which were worn by both men and women and reached down to the thighs or even to the ankles.
The color of clothing was not only a matter of taste, but also of money. Purple, for example, a dark red, was very expensive and therefore reserved for the nobility and kings. This was due to the fact that the production of purple from a certain type of snail was very time-consuming.
Shoes were often pointed, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries. These pointed shoes, also known as "poulaines", could have extremely long toes, which were sometimes even attached to the knees with a chain to prevent tripping when walking.
In the Middle Ages, rich ladies often wore hoods that covered their hair. It was neither customary nor proper for noble ladies to show their hair in public. These hoods were often decorated with precious stones, pearls and embroidery.
There were strict dress codes that determined what people of different social classes were allowed to wear. These laws were intended to prevent people from wearing clothing that was above their social status. For example, certain fabrics or furs could only be worn by aristocrats.
Wearing belts was very popular, not only to keep clothes together, but also to carry purses, knives or other important objects. For women, these belts could be very wide and were often richly decorated.
Wool clothing was common, but was rarely washed. Instead, the wool was combed to remove dirt and parasites. Frequent washing would have damaged the wool and made it brittle.
The way a cloak or cloak was worn could also convey a message. A cloak thrown over the left shoulder, for example, indicated mourning.
Hats were not only fashionable accessories, but often also had a practical function. Some, such as the "Bycocket", also known as the "Robin Hood hat", had a wide brim to protect against sun and rain.
The Sumptuary Laws in England, for example, prohibited people who earned less than 100 pounds a year from wearing clothing made of fine cloth. This was to prevent people from making themselves out to be richer or of a higher class than they actually were through their clothing.
In times of plague, doctors often wore long robes and masks with bird-like beaks. These beaks were filled with herbs to purify the air and protect the doctor from infection.
Women often wore corsets or tight waist cinchers to emphasize their figure. These could be so tight that the wearer could hardly take a deep breath.
Men often wore "trousers" that were divided into two halves and held together by a belt. These divided pants, also known as "braies", were concealed under a tunic.
The Crusades had a major influence on European fashion. Many knights and travelers brought fabrics and clothing styles from the Middle East to Europe that were previously unknown there.
Some people, especially clergymen, wore clothes with very wide sleeves that often reached down to the floor. However, these sleeves were not always practical and could interfere with daily work or eating.
Fur was a popular material for coats and cloaks, especially in winter. Popular types of fur were ermine and sable, but less noble furs such as rabbit or fox were also used.
Most people only owned a few items of clothing. A normal outfit might consist of a tunic, pants, shoes and perhaps a hat or cap. Wealthier people had more choice, but their wardrobe would also be limited by today's standards.
Jewelry was not only worn by women, but also by men. Rings, brooches and pendants were popular, and jewelry was often a sign of wealth or of belonging to a particular family or profession.
Black clothing was often expensive and difficult to produce, as the dyes were not readily available. Therefore, the color black was often associated with wealth and status.
The sleeves of the clothing were often detachable. This made it easier to wash them or replace them if they were damaged. It was also possible to attach different sleeves to the same garment to change the look.
Living conditions
Most medieval houses had no windows, only shutters that could be closed in bad weather. Glass was expensive and was usually only used in churches or wealthy houses. Instead of glass, thin animal skins or linen cloths were often used to keep out the wind and weather while still allowing some light inside.
Thatched roofs were widespread in rural areas. They provided excellent insulation, but had the disadvantage that they were highly flammable and had to be replaced regularly as they rotted or were used by animals as food or nesting material.
In urban areas, especially in densely populated cities, houses were often built on several floors in order to make the best use of space. Each additional storey often protruded slightly above the one below, so that the alleyways on the lower floors were often very dark and narrow.
Fireplaces were new in the Middle Ages. Before their introduction, it was common to have an open fire in the middle of the main room, with the smoke escaping through a hole in the middle of the roof or through simple openings in the walls.
Medieval toilets, often called "garderobes", were often just holes in a wooden bench that led over a drain or directly into a river or ditch. In castles, they were sometimes located outside the walls so that the waste fell directly into the moat or onto the ground below.
Solid stone buildings were rare and mostly reserved for the wealthy or the nobility. The majority of the population lived in half-timbered houses, whose wooden frameworks were filled with a mixture of straw and clay or bricks.
Floors were often just tamped earth, although wealthier households also had wooden or stone floors. It was common to cover the floor with straw or reeds to make it warmer and more comfortable.
The main bed in a medieval house was often a kind of bunk bed, and the space below was used as storage space or even for smaller sleeping areas. In this way, the available space was optimally used and additionally warmed in the colder months.
In castles and wealthier houses, there was often a special room, the solar, which served as a private living and sleeping area for the master of the house and his family. This was in contrast to the main room or hall, which was often shared by several people.
Medieval towns were often surrounded by walls, not only for defense, but also to control the population and trade. Space within these walls was limited, which is why houses were often built close together and high up.
Simple farm huts often consisted of just one room in which the whole family lived, cooked and slept. There was often an open fire in the middle of this room, which was used for heating and cooking.
It was not uncommon for people and animals to live under one roof. Many simple dwellings had a separate area or stable for animals such as cows or sheep, which were driven in at night to protect them from predators and provide additional warmth.
The latrines, which were often located outside the main building, were usually shared by several families. This made them sociable places where the latest news and gossip were exchanged.
Doors were often low, not only to retain heat, but also because people were smaller on average back then than they are today. Low doors and entrances also provided additional protection against intruders, as they made access more difficult.
In many medieval houses, there were no fixed tables. Instead, a large wooden platter was often placed over sacks or crates when it was time to eat. The platter was then removed again to make room.
Despite their often simple construction, many medieval houses had elaborately carved wooden details or colorful murals depicting stories from the Bible, mythology or everyday life.
In castles and larger houses, there was often a "cold room" where food was stored. This was a cool, often underground room where meat, dairy products and other perishable goods were stored.
There was no running water in the houses, it had to be fetched daily from wells or rivers. The collected water was stored in large barrels or pots in the house.
Wealthier households often had a small home garden where herbs, vegetables and sometimes fruit were grown. These gardens were often surrounded by high walls or hedges to protect the plants from theft and animals.
