"Unwashed Europe": what the unsanitary conditions of the Middle Ages looked like, about which there is so much talk

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

When people talk about medieval Europe, pictures of gloomy, dirty streets of cities, massively lousy people, knights who have not been washed for years, and "lovely" ladies with rotten teeth are sure to be presented. Popular culture has given rise to a myriad of hygiene myths in medieval Europe. Finally, in the domestic open spaces one can often hear a mocking prejudice that baths were only in Russia at that time. All of this is not true.

When people talk about medieval Europe, pictures of gloomy, dirty streets of cities, massively lousy people, knights who have not been washed for years, and "lovely" ladies with rotten teeth are sure to be presented. Popular culture has given rise to a myriad of hygiene myths in medieval Europe. Finally, in the domestic open spaces one can often hear a mocking prejudice that baths were only in Russia at that time. All of this is not true.

Decline of civilization

For many centuries, Rome was the beacon of civilization and it is no secret to anyone that everything was quite good with hygiene in it, by the standards of the ancient state. It is generally accepted that with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in Europe, there was a real health crisis. This is partly true. The devastation of Rome and the decline of the empire did not contribute to the development of sanitation in the subsequent period of the early Middle Ages. However, the baths remained all this time in the Eastern Roman Empire. Moreover, the situation with sanitary affairs began to gradually improve in the State of the Franks of Charlemagne. By the 9th-10th centuries, bath complexes began to appear in cities. This was primarily due to the growth of cities.

It is reliably known that in the XIII century with the baths in Europe, everything was already very good, by medieval standards. For example, in France their existence is confirmed by the "Registers of Crafts and Trade". In Paris, for 150 thousand people, there were about 26 public baths, which worked 6 days a week. Vienna had 29 baths, Frankfurt - 25, Nuremberg - 9 and these are not the only examples. Moreover, documents indicate that the bathhouse was considered a very important object of urban infrastructure.

Although the Goths at one time besieged, plundered and burned Rome, destroying ancient aqueducts there, something survived. On the territory of modern Italy in the Middle Ages, ancient baths continued to work, which, albeit in small numbers, were still preserved.

Travelers of the 7th century described that in Britain there are many salty and hot springs, which the locals use to equip baths, where people "wash separately, according to the floor." Moreover, in Britain there were still a small number of Roman baths, for example, in the city of Bata, which was a "resort" for wealthy citizens of the empire.

Bath is fun

A medieval bath is primarily a health benefit. We went to the baths not only to wash. There was a special "workshop for bath attendants", where specialists of different profiles provided a variety of services. It was here that barbers worked, cutting their hair and shaving their beards. Doctors did bloodletting and put leeches, did massage. Some medieval European paintings even feature bath brooms! In the baths, primitive soap was used, made on the basis of ash, as well as natural sea sponges.

The bathhouse was not only a sanitary facility, but also an entertainment facility. There were often drinking establishments near the baths, where people could drink alcohol, socialize, and also eat. Music often played in the halls.

Church "against" the baths

There is a strong belief that in medieval times the church opposed the baths. Of course, some monks, within the framework of their asceticism, could refuse, including from hygienic procedures, but the church did not fight with bath complexes at all, at least purposefully. What the churchmen really fought against was the prostitution that flourished in such establishments. Of course, for the common people, such inappropriate behavior was simply explained by "sinfulness", but the ultimate goal of such a struggle was again good.

The fact is that medieval baths with brothels (mostly unofficial) ran into the same rake as the ancient baths of the Greeks and Romans. Such establishments quickly became breeding grounds for sexually transmitted diseases.

In most medieval countries, it was forbidden for both men and women to visit the bathhouse at the same time. For women, either separate complexes were created, or other visiting days were introduced. As a rule, women went to the bathhouse at the beginning of the week, and men went to the end of the week.

By the way, it is the spread of sexually transmitted diseases due to public baths that will become the reason for their massive closure in the New Time.