The myth of the flat Earth is more of a modern problem.
Posted on 05/15/2024 8:48:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Arguably no period in European history is as misunderstood as the Middle Ages, which stretched from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century CE to the rise of the Renaissance roughly 1,000 years later. The myths surrounding this fascinating period of kingdoms and peasants are so prevalent that they led medieval historian Winston Black to write, “The first thing to understand about the Middle Ages… is that they do not actually exist.” The popular perception of life in feudal Europe (exacerbated by Hollywood depictions) is that it was prudish, brutish, and excessively foul, but society was far more advanced than these stereotypes would have us believe. Here, we shine a light on five of the most persistent myths surrounding Europe’s so-called “Dark Ages.”
One of the most common myths about medieval society is that people widely believed the Earth was flat, but there’s no evidence that supports this. On the contrary, by the fifth or sixth century BCE, ancient Greeks (specifically Pythagoras) had already begun investigating the planet’s true spherical nature, and by 240 BCE, Greek mathematician Eratosthenes even measured the globe’s circumference (and was pretty dead-on). In fact, the popularity of the flat Earth myth is a considerably more modern development: The myth was perpetuated in 1828 when Washington Irving, who’s known for his inventive short stories, penned The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, which told a tale of the Italian explorer’s mission to prove that the Earth has curves.
The attitudes around romance during the Middle Ages can be difficult to discern, in part because so many historical sources from the era come from the Catholic Church, the predominant religion in Europe at the time. While the church deemed physical intimacy as only acceptable for procreation, medical texts described having too much but also too little intimacy as a potential health hazard that could “upset the humors,” a reference to the prevalent medical theory of the day. King Louis VIII of France, for example, insisted on remaining celibate while fighting in a crusade, and the public opinion was that his death in 1226 was due to this abstinence. Women were also more liberated than many myths suggest; indeed, some historians now believe that items such as the chastity belt — an iron padlock supposedly designed to protect a woman’s “virtue” — never actually existed.
The chivalrous knight — gallant, polite, and virtuous — is one of the most enduring symbols of medieval Europe. It’s also one of the most erroneous. Being the core military warriors in feudal Europe, knights in early medieval times were often disruptive, brutish, and prone to violence, so much so that some church councils prayed to be delivered from their constant barbarism. In an attempt to tame this martial beast, an informal code of chivalry focused around the virtues of honesty, loyalty, respect, and valor, began to take shape in the 10th century CE in France. Many of the modern embellishments about knighthood arrived centuries later during England’s Victorian era, when the romantic literary movement idealized (and often exaggerated) the purity — both culturally and spiritually — of the medieval period.
While medieval Europe is far from a shining example of egalitarianism, women in some ways had more rights than they did centuries later. Although the medieval map was a patchwork of kingdoms and duchies, examples of women owning, inheriting, and sharing ownership of properties with their husbands can be found all over Europe, and many dowries imbued women with considerable power. London letter-books also contain many examples of women working as barbers, apothecaries, armorers, shipwrights, and many other professions up until the early 16th century. The destructive Black Death that swept the continent in the 14th century even opened up opportunities for women to own and run many businesses. Women were influential rulers (Eleanor of Aquitaine), warriors (Joan of Arc), and scholars (Christine de Pisan). Today, some historians suggest that the real trouble for women came with the cultural changes of the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries. For all its intellectual and artistic promise, the era created a wealthy middle class eager to mimic the royal way of life, which often busied itself about how to arrange politically motivated marriage among unmarried aristocratic women. In other words, they began treating women as financial or political assets.
For years, scholars used the derogatory term “Dark Ages” to describe the supposed intellectual black hole between the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance era. Of course, the truth is never so simple. During the Middle Ages, Europe actually experienced not one but three smaller cultural revivals — the Carolingian Renaissance of the eighth and ninth centuries, which saw increase in literature and architecture during the rule of Charlemagne; the Ottonian Renaissance in Central Europe during the 10th century, which saw a revival of art and luxury coinciding with reform in the church; and a third renaissance in the 12th century that saw, among other advancements, the early beginnings of Gothic art and architecture (see: Notre-Dame). Some of the first European universities were founded during medieval times (including Oxford in the 12th century), and the very foundations of experimental science took shape thanks to the work of natural philosophers such as Roger Bacon (who lived in the 13th century). In their veneration of the later Renaissance and Enlightenment eras, historians in the 18th and 19th centuries unfairly cast the Middle Ages as a period bereft of any intellectual contribution, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
My first thoughts about the Middle Ages is I presume most doctors of that time didn’t understand the concept of bacterial and viral infections. Wasn’t this when the Black Plague killed all those Europeans. and kept killing until it was understood that rat feces were causing infections?
I may be confusing this with the Hanta virus.
Even still, scores of people died before the threat was fully over.
RE: Even still, scores of people died before the threat was fully over.
An understatement. MILLIONS of people died. It was one of the worst plagues in human history.
Look and wonder no more
https://shop.catholic.com/how-the-catholic-church-built-western-civilization/
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
“Today, some historians suggest that the real trouble for women came with the cultural changes of the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries..”
More likely the Reformation and the dissolving of monasteries played a role because the women within those had a large degree of independence both financial and personal.
Another myth is that people of that era were always dirty. It is true they hygiene was limited compared to now but they knew to keep their hands and faces clean. Bathing was not unknown but having access to clean water for bathing could be difficult.
When I see dates listed as BCE and CE, I stop reading.
Another myth is people walked around with their faces dirty.
You see that in westerns and period drama movies starting in the 1960’s made in europe where everyone looked dirty. Someone I think would say to another “you got dirt on your face”.
They would say thanks and would wash it off.
Interesting article. I do need to know if King Joe Biden lied to his people about his teachers being drafted to play sports, about the economy and the Vandals being peaceful? 🤓
Germ theory, disease caused by microorganisms, wasn't understood or accepted until the late 19th century.
Not much more than 100 years ago.
“While the church deemed physical intimacy as only acceptable for procreation.”
Another myth.
The church considered sex an important foundation of the intimacy of marriage. Men were encouraged to make sex pleasing for their wives.
I automatically read those as Before the Christian Era and Christian Era.
“How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization”
In a few hundred years the sequel will be written: How the Catholic Church killed-off Western Civilization.
Starting with human trafficking across the US Southern Border, and likely the same in Europe.
THAT ship sailed for sure. With recent and more accurate DNA information available, looking only at contemporay sources and the material remains of past groups is going to produce incomplete and inaccurate data.
Check out 'Survive the Jive' ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VKSmYoWFZc
In addition to that, how eager would you be to wash up in cold water in the dead of winter, without central heating? Doing more than washing up the hands and face in winter sounds like an awful time. Heating enough water to bathe requires a lot of fuel and work.
A mostly peaceful sacking of Rome.
The myth of the flat Earth is more of a modern problem.
Right Brother said “when I see dates listed as BCE AND CE, I stop reading.”
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That’s sort of harsh. What’s wrong with B.C.E. “Before the Christian Era” and C.E. the “Christian Era?” That’s how I read it aloud to progressives. The reactions are fun!
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