Unveiling Medieval Hygiene: Surprising Practices of European Royalty and Commoners

A recent video sheds light on the surprising and often unhygienic customs prevalent in medieval Europe. Historical accounts suggest that personal cleanliness standards differed significantly from modern practices. According to the video, Queen Isabella of Castile, a prominent figure of the era, reportedly bathed only twice in her lifetime: once at birth and again before her wedding. Similarly, King Louis XIII of France is said to have taken his first bath at the age of seven. These practices were influenced by prevailing beliefs, including the notion that excessive washing, particularly of intimate areas, could lead to infertility. As a result of infrequent bathing, people often resorted to carrying bouquets of flowers or using fans to mask body odors. Hair care also presented challenges. With infrequent washing, lice infestations were common. To combat this, individuals, particularly women, often wore wigs or used powders to conceal odors and infestations, rather than washing their natural hair. The video further highlights other unique adaptations to medieval living conditions. Umbrellas, for instance, were originally invented not for rain, but to shield pedestrians from waste that was routinely discarded from windows onto the streets below. For menstrual hygiene, women in the absence of modern products, improvised by using moss. These details offer a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives and challenges of people in the Middle Ages.