Yes, I know that sounds crazy but this actually happened and it occurred enough to find several instances of animals being put on trial. These Animal Trials are recorded as having taken place in Europe from the thirteenth century until the eighteenth. They ranged from horses kicking their owners all the way to insects damaging […]
Tag: Medieval
The St. Scholastica Day Riot
Beginning as a “bar brawl” the riot began on February 10, 1355 as a dispute between two students and the taverner. Lasting two days and resulting in several deaths among local citizens and students. The riot began at the Swindlestock Tavern in Oxford. This is now the site of the Santander Bank on Carfax, on […]
Saint Guinefort
Very few people have been given the honor of being venerated as a “Saint,” but only one dog has been fortunate enough to receive that distinction. He even has a feast day, which is on Aug. 22. His story dates back to around the 13th century. Historians say that Guinefort the dog saint assumed the […]
Hair care for the Medieval Woman
The Bible says a woman’s hair is her crowning glory. Because of this, it was considered a very private thing. It was fine for young girls to have unbound hair, and a maiden wore her hair completely unbound on her wedding day as a symbol of her virginity. Once a lady was married however, it […]
Oh Brother – Phoebe’s Guide to Monks (Part One)
Now I don’t know about you, but sometimes all this talk of monks and friars and abbeys and canons can sometimes get a little confusing, and that’s BEFORE people start firing… so I have put together a little something to outline the basic differences between them in order to help you distinguish your Blackfriars from […]