10 facts on how to have sex and everything connected with it, in the Middle Ages

10 facts on how to have sex and everything connected with it, in the Middle Ages

We publish a translation of a fascinating article Canadian blogger, writer and teacher David Morton on various aspects of sexuality during the European Middle Ages.

If it were not CHRISTIAN CHURCH MIDDLE, Sigmund Freud, perhaps, would remain NO WORK: many of the basic ideas about sex and morality, we have adopted from those dark days when the vast majority of species of sex was characterized by a short, but capacious word "fornication". Adultery and fornication sometimes punishable by death, excommunication and other anathemas. Thus the Church is often condoned prostitution, understanding that it is evil, but in the living conditions of people in such a rigid moral system - a necessary evil.

However, as is usually the case, the most interesting to the intimate side of life proved themselves judges and punishers - priests, monks and theologians. Although at the beginning of the Middle Ages clergymen were granted the right to marry and to have children, to those who lived in monasteries, from this has not become easier. Incite curiosity and having the opportunity to observe the social life on the part of theologians left a lot of descriptions and evidence by which we have a good idea of ​​how sex was in the Middle Ages.

1. Courtly Love: You can look, but do not you dare touch

Church forbade openly demonstrate sexual interest, but admits that love and admiration can have sex with something in common. Courtly love is commonly understood as the relationship between a knight and a beautiful lady, with the knight is very desirable to be brave, and the object of his worship - inaccessible and / or innocent. Allowed to be married to someone else and to observe fidelity, the main thing - in any case do not show reciprocal feelings for his knight. This idea allowed to sublime erotic impulses, turning harsh warriors quivering young man, in a breather between the glorious campaigns of writing poems and love songs to his Beautiful Lady. And by fighting, by all means should devote Dame exploits and conquests. Neither of which the sex of the question, but ... who did not think about it?

2. ADULTERY: keep your pants buttoned, sir

For those who are serious about the dictates of Christian morality, sex did not exist. Sex was allowed only in marriage. Premarital or extramarital affairs is punished very severely, including the death penalty, and in a court, and the executioner also often acted Church.

But it was not just in the Christian laws. Fidelity has been the only reliable way for men of noble origin to be confident that their children - they do. The case when the French King Philip convict own daughters in connection with some of his vassals, sent two of them to the convent, and the third killed. As for offending the court, they were executed by the brutal public execution.

In the villages, the situation was not so dire: sexual promiscuity was present everywhere. The church struggled with this, trying to make sinners to marry legally, and if people do just that, to grant forgiveness.

3 sexual positions: no diversity

The church is also dictated how people should have sex. All pose but "missionary" is considered a sin and were banned. Under the strict prohibition also got oral and anal sex and masturbation - these kinds of contacts did not result in the birth of children that was to convince the purists, the only reason for making love. Violators were punished severely: three years of penance and ministry of the church for having sex in any of the "deviant" positions. However, some of the time offered theological evaluate sex softer, for example, positioned in such postures acceptable manner (with an increase of sin): 1) missionary, 2) on one side, 3) sitting, 4) standing, 5) from behind. Godly accept only the first position, the rest of suggested considered "morally questionable", but not sinful. Apparently, the reason for the softness was the fact that the representatives of the nobility, often obese, were not able to have sex in the most sinless position, and the Church could not go towards the sufferers.

4. HOMOSEXUALITY: Only the death penalty

The Church's position on homosexuality was firm: under any pretext! Sodomy was described as "unnatural" and "ungodly" lesson and was punished only in one way: the death penalty.

In the definition of homosexuality Peter Damian in his work "Gomorrah" listed the following methods to have sex: solitary masturbation, mutual masturbation, coitus between the thighs and anal sex (the latter, incidentally, was considered so unacceptable that many authors have tried to not even mention it in his books) . St. Thomas Aquinas expanded the list so that it fell all forms and types of sex except vaginal. He also counted to sodomy lesbianism.

In the 12-13 th centuries sodomites it was made to burn at the stake, hanged, starved to death and torture, of course, to "exorcise the demon" and "atone for the sin." However, there is evidence that some members of the high society still practiced homosexuality. For example, the English King Richard I, nicknamed "Lion Heart" for the exceptional courage and military skill, it was said that at the time of the meeting with his future wife, he was a sexual relationship with his brother. King was also convicted of the fact that during his visits to France, "ate with the same plate" with the French King Philip II, and during the night "sleeping in the same bed and had a passionate love with him."

5. FASHION: This codpiece or you're just really happy to see me?

One of the most popular men's fashion accessories in the Middle Ages was the codpiece - flap or pouch that attaches to the front of the pants to emphasize masculinity, focusing on the genitals. Codpiece was usually stuffed with sawdust or cloth and fastens with buttons or wrap tape. As a result, the crotch area men looked very impressive.

Fashion shoes boots were considered long and pointed toes, which were also to hint at something at least as long in the pants of their owner.

These garments are often can be seen in the paintings of Dutch artists of the time. There is a portrait of Henry VIII, one of the main fashionistas of his era, depicted dressed in the codpiece, and boots.

Of course, the Church does not recognize the "diabolical fashion" and was trying to prevent its spread. However the king of the country and his closest courtiers its authority did not extend.

6. DILDOS: size corresponding to the sinful desires

There is some evidence that artificial penises were widely used in the Middle Ages. In particular, the entries in the "penitential books" - a set of punishments for various sins. These records were approximately:

"You have done what some women do with objects that have the shape of a phallus, the size of which corresponds to their sinful desires? If so, you must repent of all holy days for five years! "

Dildos have had no official title to the Renaissance, so their names for objects having an elongated shape. In particular, the word "dildo" is derived from the name of elongated loaves of bread with dill: "dilldough".

7. virginity and chastity: Just as long as

Middle Ages highly valued virginity, drawing a parallel between the sobriety simple woman and the Virgin Mary. Ideally, the girl should take care of their innocence as the main wealth, but in practice this is rarely anyone could: morale was low, and men - rude and pushy (especially in the lower classes). Realizing how difficult it is to remain chaste woman in such a society, the Church has made it possible repentance of sins and leave not only for nedevstvennost girls, but even to have given birth to children.

Women who choose this way of "cleansing" should repent of their sins, and then redeem them by joining in the cult of the Mother of God-that is, to devote the rest of his life to the service of life and the monastery.

In fact, many believe that in those days women wore the so-called "chastity belt", but in fact these terrible devices invented (and tried to use) only in the 19th century.

8. Prostitution: the prosperity of

Prostitution flourished in the Middle Ages. In large cities, prostitutes offered their services anonymously, without revealing the real names, and it was considered quite acceptable and fair trade. It can be said that while the Church tacitly approved of prostitution, at least, does not try to prevent it.

Ironically, commodity-money relations in sexual relationships were seen as a way to prevent adultery (!), And homosexuality, that is, as something without which it is impossible to do. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: "If we forbid women to sell their bodies, lust spill in our cities and destroy society."

The most preferred prostitutes working in brothels, at least - to offer their services on the streets and in the villages often had one prostitute to all the village, and her name was well known to the inhabitants. However, there are prostitutes are treated with contempt, they can be beat, disfigure or even thrown in jail on charges of vagrancy and debauchery.

9. Contraception: do whatever you want

The Church has never approved of contraception, because it prevents the birth of children, but the majority of the clergy effort was aimed at combating "unnatural" sex and homosexuality, so the issue of protection of the people were left to themselves. Contraception was seen more as a slight moral offense than a serious transgression.

Besides the most common method of protection by interrupt intercourse (i.e., via the penis is removed from the vagina before ejaculating) people also use condoms from the intestines or urinary and biliary bubbles animals. These condoms have been used many times. Apparently, their function was not only to protect against unwanted pregnancy, as in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, in particular, is widely distributed in Europe syphilis.

women are also preparing decoctions and infusions of herbs, which are then placed into the vagina, and with varying degrees of success playing the role of spermicides.

10. Sexual dysfunction: the patient, remove the pants

If a man for unknown reasons could not have sex, the Church sent him to the "private detectives" - offering experienced village women, who examined his "farm" and assessed general health, trying to identify the cause of impotence. If the penis was deformed and there were other noticeable to the naked eye pathologies, the church gave permission for a divorce by virtue of her husband's inability to procreate.

Many medieval European doctors were fans of Islamic Medicine. Muslim physicians and pharmacists are the first to pay attention to issues such as erectile dysfunction, and have developed a drug therapy and even a special diet for these patients.