The Filthy Middle Ages

The book by historian and reenactor Ekaterina Mishaenkova is dedicated to debunking popular myths about the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, people were horrendously dirty and smelly—never washed, never did laundry, knights would go to the toilet right beneath themselves, in their armor, and wide-brimmed hats were worn to protect against slops and the contents of chamber pots, which were constantly thrown out of windows. Queen Isabella of Castile swore not to change her underwear until the Moors were expelled from Spain, and she only bathed twice in her life. Louis XIV smelled 'like a wild beast.' King Frederick Barbarossa almost drowned in filth. And the windows of the British Parliament were covered with scented curtains to protect against the stench coming from the Thames. What of this is true, and what is fabrication? How were medieval baths or toilets actually arranged? How did people wash their clothes and what fragrances were used in the Middle Ages? Let's turn to the facts.