A round-up of recent blog-posts on pre-modern history.
Author: Katherine Harvey
Death by Celibacy: Sex, Semen and Male Health in the Middle Ages
Medieval priests were not supposed to have sex, but medical theory suggested that celibacy could kill them.
The Bishop’s New Stockings, or The Dangers of Love Magic
Love magic posed a real danger to medieval people, especially the clergy.
What was the Ultimate Medieval Aphrodisiac?
Medieval people took the idea that the food they consumed could influence their sex lives seriously.
Sex and the King: Rumours, Reputation and the Problem of Royal Adultery in Medieval England
Medieval people scrutinised and judged the sex lives of their rulers.
The Problematic Priestly Body: Celibacy, Sexuality and the Trials of the Medieval Clergy
Many medieval clerics struggled to obey rules which said they must remain celibate.
Three Wise Men in a Bed: Bedsharing and Sexuality in Medieval Europe
For high-status medieval men, sharing a meal and a bed had more to do with politics than sex.