Medieval Madness

Being a queen in the 14th century was a dangerous occupation and no woman knew that better than Joanna I of Naples. She had a talent for ruling; an ability which inevitably threatened the powerful men around her.

Just as they do now many people in the Middle Ages journeyed for business, pleasure, and religious reasons. But unlike today people had just two options when travelling in the medieval world. They could either go by land or sea. In today's episode, we look at 4 Modes of Transport in the Middle Ages. Welcome to Medieval Madness!

The Medievals had three types of hospitals. The first, known as the leprosaria, for those afflicted with leprosy. The second were those erected for the general use of pilgrims and sick travellers and the third were intended to give shelter to the elderly. A lot were a mixture of the three types, and all were used to look after the needs of the poor, where the inmates would receive care and possibly some rudimentary forms of treatment. Only the rich would have been able to afford the expertise of a trained physician or surgeon, and they would have been treated in their own homes. Poor-sick people would have used the skills of local healers and herbalists as well as the domestic cures passed on to them from female relatives.

Even in the 21st century, many people are still afraid to visit the dentist, as it can be an unpleasant experience. Try to imagine it in the Middle Ages without anesthetic and with no sophisticated dental tools. Any affliction of the teeth meant a trip to the barber surgeon, who was the go-to medical practitioner at the time, or even the blacksmith if no barber was available. It is a common misconception that dental care was poor during the Middle Ages, a lack of medicine and unhygienic conditions made the era a perfect environment for disease and ill health. Surprisingly though, there is a lot of historical evidence to show us that Medieval people actually made great efforts to look after their teeth and gums. Lets travel back in time, and look at dentistry in the middle ages!

The smock, hose, kirtle, dress, belt, surcoat, girdle, cape, hood, and bonnet are just some examples of the more standard medieval clothing. However, fashion trends did sometimes get a little ridiculous too. So, strap your gucci boxers tight as we travel back in time to look at fashion during the middle ages. Welcome to Medieval Madness.