France surprises at the European Championship. Instead of a smooth passage through the group stage and first place, one win and two draws. The result: second place in the group and a difficult phase in the group, where, for example, Germany, Spain and Portugal are still in the group. And in the playoffs, they will have to start with another surprising top team: Belgium. Perhaps France – Belgium will be the main match in the round of 16 of the tournament. Before the match on Monday, July 1, we decided to get to know France better – not as a national team, but as a country with its own traditions.
The question of personal hygiene in the Middle Ages, to put it mildly, was very serious. People even praised his dirtiness and presented it as a good achievement. Healthy, clean teeth were not fashionable: they indicated a person’s low status. A dazzling smile meant that the person ate poorly and could not afford to eat sweets.
It is curious that in the history of the Middle Ages it was France that took precedence in Europe in the presence of many strange traditions, which the modern generation of the country would be very ashamed of. This state with the richest culture was, unfortunately, considered the dirtiest and most neglected on the continent. And at the same time, the French surpassed everyone in the number of open Russian baths.
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Hygiene in the Middle Ages
Many noble people who had great fortunes openly admitted that they did not spend time on taking care of their bodies. Women preferred to bring beauty in other ways. It turns out that even the Queen of Spain, Isabella of Castile, did not bother with water procedures. According to her contemporaries, she bathed only twice in her life: at birth and on the eve of her wedding. General neglect and dirt gave rise to a lot of dangerous diseases. That is why, at the height of epidemics, death swept through entire cities.
It is noteworthy that baths were very popular in the Middle Ages. True, they were rarely used for their intended purpose. It was believed that water opens the pores of the human body, so any infection can easily enter. And even the high mortality rate due to excessive pollution could not challenge the church-inspired myth.
Most of the time, superstitious and gullible residents only washed their mouths and hands. By the way, their faces were not touched. The church stubbornly told all parishioners that water can make a person blind. However, they still bathed from time to time. But this happened strictly for medical reasons.
Photo: istockphoto.com / NSA Digital Archive
How did Russian baths come about?
By the way, the ancient Russian baths, in their basic principle of operation, did not differ much from the modern ones. Our ancestors loved hot steam and did not skimp on water, washing off sweat and dirt after a hard day. Therefore, we can safely say that medieval Rus was one of the cleanest countries compared to all of Europe.
According to some historians, the bathhouse in Russia first appeared among Slavic tribes. It looked like this: it was a wooden hut with a small window under the roof. Inside there was a jar of water and a small pile of stones in one corner. To prevent steam from escaping from the bathhouse, the door was tightly closed. It turned out to be a real steam room. And, as you can see, in structure and purpose they differ little from modern baths, which are now being built on land.
Photo: istockphoto.com
How did baths begin to be built in medieval France and why didn’t people bathe in them?
By the early 1300s, France had become a real record holder for the number of baths – there were 29. This number may seem ridiculous now, but then it was a kind of record. The baths were open every day except Sundays. Already at dawn, the bath attendants loudly announced the opening of the baths. By the way, visitors were also offered a full range of services, including hairdressing salons.
Despite the fact that they could be visited for free and almost at any time, people did not particularly value the baths and rarely appeared there. And the thing is that the church intervened again. The clergy forbade washing, believing that the most important thing in a person is the purity of the soul and thoughts, and not of the body.
Alas, the Russian baths remained inactive, only rare visitors appeared there. To somehow get rid of the constant smell of dirty bodies, noble people put pieces of cloth in their pockets, generously soaking them in perfume. But this didn’t help much with the heavy amber. Then they were replaced by special bags with aromatic herbs, which were hidden in the folds of dresses or in the pockets of shirts.
Photo: istockphoto.com/ChamilleWhite
Historians know of a case when the Spanish ambassador, who arrived for an audience with the French king, almost fainted. In the chambers of the European ruler there was a terribly disgusting smell, which seemed to permeate the owner of the palace himself. Claiming that he was dizzy, the pale Spaniard asked the king to hold a meeting in the garden.
Washing bed linen was also not highly regarded. Changing sheets and pillowcases was an alien and harmful activity. This necessary and useful procedure was avoided by both rich and poor nobles. According to the opinion imposed by the clergy, water was believed to be a satanic evil that must be avoided by any means. The clergy frightened the ignorant as best they could. For example, they assured their flock that bathing removed the sanctity of baptism.
A new look at hygiene
Fortunately, over time, the French overcame their fear of superstition. They began to modify the baths and introduce an oriental touch. Aromatic oils were added to the baths, which not only combated unpleasant odours, but also had a calming effect.
By the way, even now in the country thermal baths with an oriental flavor are more popular. The most famous historic baths are located in Tivoli and are still in operation. According to an ancient tradition, visitors are first offered a hot herbal bath, then warming the body with hot stones and finally a steam room. And finally, the famous bath with aromatic oils: you can choose them to your liking.
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