Coincidentally, today is Catholic ... you know what. And this is mine 666 fast. So, as they say, the boch himself ordered to write something about the Horned Prince ... :-) At first I wanted to post one article, but it’s some kind of not very satanic (will come later), then I thought to just put various pictures of the Devil and Satan and came across this great post.

Original taken from marinni in The Devil and His Tricks. Old engravings

The devil and his tricks. Old engravings of the 15-17th century.

The devil and devils lay in wait for a person at every step, and many artists of those times could not ignore this topic. The priests especially got it, there are many images and caricatures of them (apparently, there were reasons for that :).

Dante "s" Inferno "
Ilustration for Dante "s" Inferno ", dated p.1460-70.

The Tribulations of St. Antony
The saint is in mid-air, tormented by eight devils.
Engraving made by Martin Schongauer, Germany, 1469 - 1473.

St Antony standing on the demon with a staff in both hands
Van Meckenem engraved St Antony and St Quirinus on the one plate, but the only known examples are from the plate cut vertically in two halves.

Quirinus is the patron saint of Neuss near Düsseldorf and Antony was a popular saint who in the same region was called upon in times of need. In 1474/5, Neuss was attacked by troops of Charles the Bold. This print might well have been produced in response to that event, to invoke the protection of these saints.


The Saint is Lifted into the Air by Several Demons

The Saint is lifted into the air by several demons; to the right a tree with the two Saxon shields hanging in the boughs; buildings in the left background; second state; with fractures, touched in with black ink; trimmed below.

Woodcut made by the great German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, Signed "LC", dated 1506 in the block in lower l corner.


The seven heads of Lucifer.
Luther with seven heads; identifying Luther as a doctor, a monk, a Turk, a preacher, a fanatic, a church visitor and a wild man with a club. Title-page to Cochlaeus, "Septiceps Lutherus", Leipzig: Valentin Schumann, 1529.


The life of antichrist is sinners.
Marvelous woodcut made by the German artist Matthias Gerung, c. 1544-1558.

Catholic clergy revelling; clerics and prostitutes drinking and playing games at a table, a flying devil holding the papal tiara above a priest on l.


A flayed personification of Fury who rides a monster holding a skull aloft in his left hand above which is a serpent
Disturbing engraving made by the Italian print artist Jacopo Caraglio, probably between 1520 to 1539.


The destruction of the Catholic Church
Print made by Matthias Gerung
German 1547

Such Musicians suit such Dances
Devils lead a group of naked men and women in a dance amid flames; above, two monstrous winged creatures, one playing a violin, the other a trumpet.
Engraving made by John Drapentier, 1674-1700, probably a book-illustration

Diabolici Spiritus Delineatio
An engraved emblem by Theodoor Galle in Jan David "s" Veridicus Christianus ". An unillustrated version of the text, in Dutch, had previously been printed in Brussels, in 1597.


A Murdered child, a pig, devil and three jews
An engraving showing two images, on the top a altar-like platform with a murdered child, underneath a "Judensau", a pig on which a Jew is riding backwards, from which another Jew is sucking, and with a third Jew, assisted by the devil, eating the pig "s excrement.
Engraved title and text:
Anno 1476 Ward das Kindlein von Trient ... von den Juden umbgebracht ...
Saug du die Milch, Fris du den Treck ...
The dating of the print follows Paas.
The print records an anti-Semitic wall painting, which was until 1801 on the Old Bridge Tower in Frankfurt am Main.
The print refers to the alleged ritual murder of Simon of Trent in 1475, here wrongly given as 1476.

A Christian on his deathbed
Proof impression of an illustration to "Hortulus anime Teuwtsch ...", Nuremberg: Friedrich Peypus for Johann Koberger, 1518.

Death of a just man
Engraving made by Carel van Mallery, After Jan van der Straet, Published by Philips Galle, Flemish school, 1596 (or after).

The Devill "s Tryumph over Romes Idoll
Inscription Content Lettered above the image with the title, within the image with speech in captions numbered 1 to 8, sixteen lines of verse "This hawhty Prelat, who disdayneth Kings, ... That trust in him; him selge he cannot save" and "Now Devill Looke you too" t for be you shure; If popish plotts can doo "t you" r not secure. ".

Etching made by Francis Barlow, England, 1680.15 Aprill.


The clergy feasting in the jaws of a devil
Woodcut Attributed to Matthias Gerung, Formerly attributed to Hans Weiditz, Germany, 1520-1560.

The devil and the malefactor
The Devil carrying a bag on his back at right, a man at left kneeling in fear front of him, a bell on a cord lying on the floor, a lamp hanging from a cord and a table with a jug and several pipes in left background , a wall with an arched doorway in background; large empty lower margin.

Etching made by Dirk Stoop, illustrated to John Ogilby "s" The Fables of Aesop ", London, Engalnd, 1665.

Three Haggard-looking Old Women, Possibly Witches, Beating the Devil to the Ground
Etching made by Daniel Hopfer, Germany, 1505-1536.


The Rich Man in Hell is a rich man in hell.
A man lying at center, surrounded and tormented by demons, water being poured over his head, Abraham with the same man on his lap on clouds in top left corner.

Engraving made by Aegidius Sadeler II, after Palma Vecchio. Published by Marco Sadeler, Belgium, 1595.

Marriage for Wealth Officiated by Satan
Satan, with a female breast and a goat legs, stands between a finely attired couple who face each other and hold hands.

Engraving made by Jan Saenredam after Hendrik Goltzius, Holland, 1595 (circa).

The Devil trying to unravel the peasants spun thread
Etching made by Pieter Jansz. Quast & Published by Claes Jansz Visscher, Holand, 1634-1640 (published 1652). Formerly attributed to Pieter Nolpe.


A woman seated at a table and weighing coins while two demonic creatures appear at left & a personification of Death holding an hour-glass and looking through a window
Mezzotint made by Jan van der Bruggen After David Teniers the Younger, Belgium, 1665-1690.

The young Weisskunig instructed in the Black Arts - learning black magic.
The young Weisskunig instructed in the Black Arts; Maximilian and his tutor standing at center, to left an old witch with a devil, on right a monk with an angel. Above two books containing the secrets of astrology suspended from two stars. Early proof for an illustration to "Der Weisskunig".

Made by Hans Burgkmair the Elder in 1516. based on Der Weisskunig.

Three demons emerge from the woman.
Three demons coming out of the body of a woman lying in a bed and held by several figures
Representation of the Annunciation in top left corner; illustration to "Scelta d" alcuni miracoli e grazie della santissima nunziata di Firenze "(Florence: Pietro Cecconcelli, 1619).

Flagellation is also the exorcism of the devil.
Interior of a monastery with a monk tied to a column and being flagellated by several nuns holding whips
Mezzotint made by Jacob Gole After Cornelis Dusart, 1684-1724.

Inscription Content: Lettered in lower center of impression: "Broer Cornelis".

Depart pour le Sabat
Made in 1755 by Jean Jacques Aliamet After David Teniers the Younger

Ritual in an interior during the night; in the foreground on the left, a witch sitting at a table with demons and preparing a potion; in the background, a witch kneeling in front of a fireplace and pushing a naked woman towards the fire.
Merry ---


A drunken child chained by the devil - a drunken (!) Child is chained. (!)
Illustration to Johann von Schwartzenberg, "Ain buchle wider das zutrincken", Woodcut made by Jörg Breu I, Printed by Heinrich Steiner and published as part of "Der Teütsch Cicero", Augsburg, Germany, 1535.

they especially liked jokes about priests and devils.


The priests are being driven to hell.
Devils chasing monks and clerics into the mouth of Hell
Woodcut Attributed to Erhard Schön; the hunt with nets and dogs towards the mouth of a large boar at left; printed from four blocks.
Germany, 1525.

The Descent of the Pope into Hell -Priests are being taken to hell.
The pope on horseback on r, behind him a carriage filled with cardinals and bishops. In front two devilish creatures attacking a monk, the devil on the left carrying a bishop in a sling basket on his back. Behind the carriage a tree from which papal bulls and insignia are hanging. On right a building on fire filled with clerics.

Print made by the wonderful artist Sebald Beham, Germany, 1524.

In the center Lucifer torturing several damned souls, some of whom are named (eg. "BRUTO, TOLOMEO, ANTENOR, CHASSIO"); around this other sinners are being tortured by devils; various cardinal sins are also indicated (eg. "LUSURIA, AVARICIA, Ghalf length, INVIDIA").

This is the upright version of another print of the same subject derived from the "Last Judgment" fresco formerly attributed to Andrea di Cione -called Orcagna- in the Campo Santo, Pisa; the fresco is now believed to be by the Pisan painter and illuminator Francesco Traini and is dated from the mid-1330s


The devil and the priest.
c.1530
Print made by Erhard Schön, German
Devil playing the bagpipes; perched on the shoulders of a monk whose head forms the bagpipe

Contrary to some stereotypes, Soviet art has never been particularly puritanical, even against the background of most Western countries. One girl was not too lazy to collect typical samples of Soviet nude in painting and graphics from 1918 to 1969 in her magazine. Approximately such selections can be made on Soviet photography, cinema, sculpture, and monumental art.

Original taken from catrina_burana in Nude in Soviet Fine Arts. Part III. 1950-1969

In the 1950s - 60s, socialist realism remained the main trend in Soviet art. And, just like in the 30s and 40s, the image of the nude had to correspond to its canons. The set of situations where such a nature could light up was limited: the bank of a river or sea, a bathhouse, a shower, a bath, and, of course, the artist's workshop. But back in the 40s, a certain variety of subjects began to appear in the "nude" theme, even more noticeable in the painting and graphics of the 50s and especially the 1960s. For example, the theme is "morning". Apparently, it was believed that a Soviet girl or woman was completely out of hand, waking up in the morning, to show off topless, or even in general what her mother gave birth to.

1950. N. Sergeeva. Good morning

1950. A Zavyalov. Models against the background of draperies

1950. In Arakcheev. Seated woman.

1950. Vl Lebedev. Nude model

1950s To Dmitrievsky. Nude

1953. Vsevolod Solodov. Model

And now - water procedures! Beach, bathhouse, swimmers, bathers.
1950. N. Eremenko. On the sand

1950s. B Sholokhov. Bath

1950s T Eremina. Swimmers
A strange picture, or rather, its name. Well, on the right, for sure, a swimmer. There are doubts about who is in the middle: it still seems to me that this is a swimmer. Well, and on the left in a thong and with a bare bottom - well, definitely not a swimmer ...

And here is Alexander Deineka, with his ass models, where can we go without them!
1951. A. Deineka. Sketch for the painting "Bather"

1952. A. Deineka. Bathers

1951. A. Deineka. Model

1952. A. Deineka. Model

1953. Deineka. Reclining model

1953. Deineka. Lying with a ball
The last two, especially the one without the ball - not so impressive relief. And the little man is nothing, only a little short-legged.
1955. Deineka. Nude sitter
Several paintings by the artist Andrei Goncharov.
1952. Andrey Goncharov. Nude on a lilac background

1952. Andrey Goncharov. Nude seated

1954. A. Goncharov. Reclining nude with tulips

1955. A. Goncharov Nude lying on red

1956. A. Goncharov Nude on a striped

1958. A. Goncharov. Nude model
And now, there is already a variety of plots. Pimenov's plot, although connected with bathing, is not quite standard, while Glazunov's is full of eroticism.
1955. Yuri Pimenov. Winter day

1956. Ilya Glazunov. Morning
A few more studio models from 1957-58. The first and third - to the envy of Deineka!
1957. A. Olkhovich. Nude

1957. Michael Bozhy. Nude

1958. A. Samokhvalov. Nude

1958. R. Podobedov. Seated model
Here A. Sukhorukikh brings even more variety to nude plots. Both "Midday Sun" and "Morning" are filled with romance ...
1958. A. Sukhorukikh. Midday sun

1960. A. Sukhorukikh. Morning
The bathing scene is also not quite typical. In the center of the composition - a woman or a girl - behind the sheet is not visible - for some reason obscures this very sheet of a girl who is reaching out her hand, apparently, for clothes. Like, I'll block you while you get dressed. But here's a riddle: from whom ?! You can see everything from the shore, the artist has spied it! And from the side of the lake - there is clearly no one, and others are not very shy, the one on the right sits in complete negligee ... A mysterious picture.
1958. Chernyshev. Swimming in the lake
Morning again. Well, yes, it is impossible to call such a picture "lying model", it is painfully in a frivolous position she lies, and so - well, the lady woke up, well, stretched - what is it?
1959. L. Astafiev. Morning

Again the theme of the sea. Not Deineka forms are coming into fashion anymore ...
Two drawings by artist Grigory Gordon. The girl reading was also a popular story in those years. Well, you can read it like this if it's hot, for example.
1960. G. Gordon. Girl with a book

1959. G. Gordon. Sitting girl
Three more pictures of water themes.
1960. Vladimir Stozharov. Bath. Woman washing

1960s. Fedor Samusev. After the bath
Several studio nudes. Urusevsky and Reznikova's models are already quite skinny ...
1960. Gennady Troshkin. Nude

1960. R. Podobedov. Young model

1960.S.P. Urusevsky. Nude model

1961. Evgeniya Reznikova. Model Lisa
The heroes of V. Kholuev's canvases are easily recognizable. There is something about them puppetry. The set of plots is standard: nude in the studio, the sea, morning.
1960s. V. Kholuev. Reclining nude

1960s. V. Kholuev. Nude

1960s. V. Kholuev. Born by the sea

1960s. V. Kholuev. Morning

1962. V. Kholuev. Nude
"Spring Morning" by A. Sukhorukikh, although it combines two typical plots - morning and bathing, here the heroine's nudity is secondary; this is "nude" not for the sake of "nude", but quite a genre painting.
1962. A. Sukhorukikh. Spring morning
Then we look: studios, beaches, and another girl with a book ... The 60s bore an echo of freedom, the removal of many prohibitions, and the further, the more freedom is felt both in the subjects and in the performance. In addition, it is easy to see that there are almost no impressive forms.
1962. Vladimir Lapovok. In a workshop

1962. M. Samsonov. Nude

1963.S.Soloviev. Naked girl

1964. A. Samokhvalov. On the beach

1964. V. Scriabin. Nude

1965. A. Sukhorukikh. Girl with a book

1966. A. Sukhorukikh. In the artist's studio

1965. N. Ovchinnikov. Evening melody

1966. Antonov. Bathhouse in the village of Titovo. Sisters

1966. Teterin. Nude

1967. Kaparushkin. Siberian

1967. A. Sukhanov. In a workshop
Well, this is a completely frivolous plot. Straight BDSM. Guy Caught Peeping ...
1967. A. Tarasenko. Punishment
Not swimming, mind you, but just rest. A girl in a hat was walking in the mountains, she was tired. undressed and sat down on a pebble ...
1967. V. Chaus. Recreation

1968. Vladimir Lapovok. Sleeping

1968. May Miturich. Nude
And this picture is generally on the verge. Either schoolchildren, or students just like that easily came to the coast, where, judging by the presence of bridges, not only they walk, they completely exposed themselves, took out paints with easels - and well, draw each other!
1969. M. Tolokonnikova. On sketches

1969. Yu. Raksha. August

1969. Yu. Raksha. Dream
Not the worst time, it seems to me, were those very 1960s ...

Nowadays, it is well known that the ancient Romans were distinguished by very liberal views on sexuality. However, when the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were discovered in the middle of the 18th century, buried under a layer of volcanic ash from Vesuvius, the public was not quite ready to discover also the juicy details of ancient Roman society, namely, the craze for eroticism.

In Pompeii, a vast sex industry flourished with dozens of brothels whose walls were covered in erotic frescoes. Artistic depictions of sex were often found on bedroom walls in wealthy private homes.

The inhabitants of Pompeii wore phallic amulets around their necks to ward off evil spirits. And at home, almost each of them kept a small collection of art objects of sexual themes.

The household often used oil lamps and other phallic household items.

And the most scandalous find was a statue of the Greek god Pan - half man, half goat - copulating with a goat.

The demonstration of all these explicit sexual materials caused a lot of embarrassment and embarrassment among the public of the 18th century, so the obscene antiquities were hurried to hide from the public's eyes, locking them in a secret office.

The secret office, or gabinetto segreto, was originally housed in the Herculaneum Museum in Portici. Access to it was carried out exclusively with the special written permission of the king. But, as you know, prohibitions only fuel interest, so images of frescoes and copies of exhibits that fell under the ban were produced inside the office and distributed among the French elite.

After being transferred from Portici to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, the collection briefly became available to the public without any restrictions. This continued until King Francis I in 1819 paid a visit to the museum, accompanied by his wife and daughter. Hastily dismissed the family, the outraged king immediately ordered the collection to be locked in a special hall, where only men of "mature age and established moral principles" could see it. Women and children were strictly forbidden to enter there.

Over the next 200 years, the secret museum remained largely closed, opening its doors briefly only a few times. Even as it opened in the sex-revolutionized 60s, it retained the same entry restrictions. It was only in 2000 that the collection finally became publicly available for both men and women.

We are publishing a translation of a fascinating article by Canadian blogger, writer and teacher David Morton on various aspects of sexuality during the European Middle Ages ...

The capacious word "fornication"

If it were not for the Christian Church of the Middle Ages, Sigmund Freud, perhaps, would have been left without work: we adopted many of the basic ideas about sex and morality from those dark times, when the vast majority of types of sex were characterized by the short but succinct word "fornication".

Fornication and fornication were sometimes punishable by death, excommunication and other anathemas. At the same time, the Church often condoned prostitution, realizing that it was evil, but in the conditions of life of people in such a rigid moral system, it is a necessary evil ...

At the same time, as it usually happens, the most curious about the intimate side of life were the judges and punishers themselves - priests, monks and theologians. Although at the beginning of the Middle Ages, clergymen received the right to marry and have children, those of them who lived in monasteries did not feel any better.

Driven by curiosity and having the opportunity to observe social life from the outside, theologians left a lot of descriptions and testimonies, thanks to which we have a good idea of ​​what sex was like in the Middle Ages.

Courtly love: you can look, but don't you dare touch

The church forbade openly demonstrating sexual interest, but admitted that love and admiration could have something to do with sex.

Courtly love is usually understood as the relationship between a knight and a beautiful lady, and it is very desirable for a knight to be brave, and the object of his worship - inaccessible and / or innocent.

It was allowed to be married to someone else and be loyal, the main thing is not to show reciprocal feelings towards your knight in any case.

This idea made it possible to sublimate erotic impulses, turning stern warriors into quivering youths, writing poetry and songs about love for their Beautiful Lady in the respite between glorious campaigns. And when fighting, one should certainly devote feats and conquests to the Lady. There was no question of any sex, but ... who hadn't thought about it?

Adultery: keep your pants buttoned up, sir

For those who were serious about the dictates of Christian morality, sex did not exist at all. Sexual intercourse was only permissible in marriage. Premarital or extramarital affairs were punished very cruelly, up to the death penalty, and the Church also often acted as a court and executioner.

But it was not only about Christian laws. Marital fidelity was the only in a reliable way for men of noble origin to be sure that their children are really theirs.

There is a known case when the French king Philip, having caught his own daughters in relations with some of his vassals, sent two of them to a monastery, and killed the third. As for the guilty courtiers, they were executed by a brutal public execution.

In the villages, the situation was not so acute: sexual promiscuity was present everywhere. The church fought this by trying to force sinners to enter into legal marriages, and if people did so, granted forgiveness.

Sex positions: no variety

The church also dictated exactly how people should have sex. All positions except the "missionary" position were considered a sin and were prohibited.

Oral and anal sex and masturbation also fell under the strictest prohibition - these types of contacts did not lead to the birth of children, which, according to the purists, was the only reason for making love. Violators were punished severely: three years of repentance and service to the church for sex in any of the "deviant" positions.

However, some theologians of that time suggested evaluating sexual intercourse more gently, for example, to arrange the permissible postures in the following order (as the sinfulness increases): 1) missionary, 2) on the side, 3) sitting, 4) standing, 5) behind.

Only the first position was recognized as God-pleasing, the others were proposed to be considered “morally dubious,” but not sinful. Apparently, the reason for such mildness was that representatives of the nobility, often obese, were unable to have sex in the most sinless position, and the Church could not help but meet the sufferers halfway.

Homosexuality: Death Penalty Only

The Church's position on homosexuality was firm: under no pretext! Sodomy was characterized as "unnatural" and "godless" occupation and was punished in only one way: the death penalty.

In the definition of homosexuality, Peter Damian in his work "Gomorrah" listed the following ways to have sex: single masturbation, mutual masturbation, intercourse between the thighs and anal sex (the latter, by the way, was considered so unacceptable that many authors tried not to even mention it in their books) ...

Saint Thomas Aquinas expanded the list to include all forms and types of sex except vaginal sex. He also classified lesbianism as sodomy.

In the 12-13th centuries it was customary for sodomites to be burned at the stake, hung, starved to death and tortured, of course, to "drive out the demon" and "atone for sin." However, there is evidence that some members of high society did practice homosexuality.

For example, about the English king Richard I, nicknamed "The Lionheart" for exceptional bravery and military skill, it was said that at the time of meeting his future wife he was in a sexual relationship with his brother.

Also, the king was caught in the fact that during his visits to France "ate from one plate" with the French king Philip II, and at night "slept in the same bed and had passionate love with him."

Accusations of homosexuality also figured in one of the most notorious trials in Medieval Europe. We are talking, of course, about the famous trial of the Templars. The powerful order was destroyed by the French king Philip IV the Fair in just a few years 1307-1314.

The Holy See also joined the process. Among other things, the templars were accused of sodomy, which allegedly took place during their secret rituals. The rites of the Templars were really secret, and what happened there, we do not know and, most likely, we will never know.

It cannot be ruled out that among the Templars, contrary to numerous vows, they were also homosexuals. If only because the laws, as you know, exist in order to break them. And the powerful of this world often ignore their own decrees, not to mention their close relatives.

Suffice it to say that Edward II, the son of that same Edward I, who banned homosexuality in England, did not disdain sodomy, which was not only known to his entourage.

Fashion: Is this a codpiece or are you just really happy to see me?

One of the most popular men's fashion accessories in the Middle Ages was the codpiece - a flap or pouch that was attached to the front of the trousers to emphasize masculinity, focusing on the genitals.

The codpiece was usually stuffed with sawdust or cloth and fastened with buttons or braid. As a result, the man's crotch area looked very impressive.

The most fashionable footwear was considered to be boots with long and pointed toes, which were also supposed to hint at something no less long in the pants of their owner.

These garments can often be seen in the paintings of Dutch artists of the time. There is a portrait of Henry VIII, one of the main fashionistas of his era, depicted wearing both a codpiece and boots.

Of course, the Church did not recognize this "devilish fashion" and tried in every possible way to prevent its spread. However, its power did not extend to the king of the country and his closest courtiers.

Dildos: the size that matches the sinfulness of desire

There is some evidence that artificial penises were used extensively in the Middle Ages. In particular, the entries in the "books of repentance" - collections of punishments for various sins. These entries were something like this:

« Have you done what some women do with phallus-shaped objects, the size of which matches the sinfulness of their desires? If so, you must repent for all holy feasts for five years! "

Dildos did not have any official name until the Renaissance, so they were named after objects that had an elongated shape. In particular, the word "dildo" comes from the name of an oblong loaf of dill bread: "dilldough".

Virginity and Chastity: Just Repent

The Middle Ages highly valued virginity, drawing a parallel between the chastity of a common woman and the Virgin Mary. Ideally, a girl should have cherished her innocence as the main wealth, but in practice it was rarely possible for anyone: morale was low, and men were rude and persistent (especially in the lower class).

Realizing how difficult it is for a woman to remain chaste in such a society, the Church has made it possible for repentance and forgiveness of sins not only for virginal girls, but even for those who have given birth to children.

Titian (Tiziano Vecelio) - Penitent Mary Magdalene

Women who chose this path of "cleansing" should repent of their sins, and then atone for them, joining the cult of the Mother of God, that is, devoting the rest of their days to life and service to the monastery.

By the way, many believe that in those days girls wore so-called "chastity belts", but in fact, these terrible devices were invented (and tried to be used) only in the 19th century.

Prostitution: Prosperity

Prostitution flourished in the Middle Ages. In large cities, prostitutes offered their services anonymously, without revealing their real names, and this was considered an honest and perfectly acceptable profession. It can be said that at that time the Church tacitly approved of prostitution, at least in no way tried to prevent it.

Oddly enough, commodity-money relations in sexual relations were regarded as a way to prevent adultery (!) And homosexuality, that is, as something that cannot be done without.

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: "If we forbid women to sell their bodies, lust will spill out into our cities and destroy society."

The most privileged prostitutes worked in brothels, less - offered their services on city streets, and in the villages there was often one prostitute for the whole village, and her name was well known to the inhabitants. However, there prostitutes were treated with contempt, they could be beaten, disfigured or even thrown into prison, accused of vagrancy and debauchery.

Contraception: do what you want

The church never approved of contraception, as it prevents the birth of children, but most of the efforts of the churchmen were aimed at combating "unnatural" sex and homosexuality, so people were left to their own devices in the matter of contraception. Contraception was viewed as a minor moral offense rather than a serious offense.

In addition to the most common method of contraception through interruption of intercourse, people also used condoms from the intestines or urinary and gall bladders animals. These condoms have been used many times.

Apparently, their function was not so much to protect against unwanted pregnancy as to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, in particular, syphilis widespread in Europe.

Also, women prepared decoctions and infusions of herbs, which were then placed in the vagina and, with varying degrees of effectiveness, played the role of spermicides.

Sexual dysfunctions

If a man, for some unknown reason, could not have sex, the Church sent to him "private detectives" - wise village women who examined his "household" and assessed his general health, trying to identify the cause of sexual impotence.

If the penis was deformed or there were other pathologies visible to the naked eye, the Church gave permission for divorce due to the husband's inability to procreate.

Many medieval European doctors were worshipers of Islamic medicine. Muslim doctors and pharmacists pioneered the problem of erectile dysfunction and developed drugs, therapy, and even a special diet for these patients.

According to the church decree, the wife had to behave modestly and quietly during intercourse, that is, lie calmly, move as little as possible, not make sounds, etc., while nightgowns, of course, were not removed. And then one day my husband
returning home from hunting late at night, went to his wife's bedroom, fulfilled his marital duty.
I must say that the wife behaved as usual, that is, she was cold and silent, and in the morning it turned out that she had died in the evening, while her husband was out hunting. This story reached the Pope himself, since the unfortunate man was not satisfied with the usual confession and went to atone for his sin in the Holy City. After that, a decree was issued in which women, during the performance of marital duties, were supposed to show signs of life from time to time. Briefly speaking, the church lifted the ban on absolute female passivity, while not denying great restraint.

In fact, sexual prohibitions and prescriptions pervade not only the Middle Ages, but the entire history of mankind. Priests and legislators, thinkers and revolutionary leaders have consumed many tons of clay, papyrus, parchment and paper, trying to explain to people how, with whom, when, why and under what conditions it is possible or not to have sex.

And in the Middle Ages, this trend was just global.
This is the time that we call "dark", and many of the basic ideas about sex and morality we have learned from them, obscurant and terrible, carrying these ideas as a banner of the triumph of morality.

In those times sex life person was under the vigilant control of the priests. The vast majority of types of sex were called the capacious word "fornication". Fornication and fornication were sometimes punishable by death, excommunication.
But, at the same time, these very controllers - priests were very curious about the intimate life of a person, they really wanted to know what was happening in the beds of the laity. Driven by curiosity, theologians left a lot of descriptions and testimonies, thanks to which we have at least some idea of ​​what sex was like in the Middle Ages.

Here are 10 facts about sex in the Middle Ages.

1. Courtly love: You can look, but don't you dare touch

The church forbade openly demonstrating sexual interest, but admitted that love could have something to do with sex.
Courtly love is usually understood as the relationship between a knight and a beautiful lady, and it is very desirable for a knight to be brave, and the object of his worship is inaccessible.
It was allowed to be married to someone else and be loyal, the main thing is not to show reciprocal feelings towards your knight in any case. It was possible to be pale and weak, sadly bow your head and sigh, only hinting to the knight of reciprocity.

2. Adultery: keep your pants buttoned up, sir

For those who were serious about the dictates of Christian morality, sex did not exist at all. Sexual intercourse was only permissible in marriage. Premarital or extramarital affairs were punished very cruelly, up to the death penalty, and the Church also often acted as a court and executioner.

But it was not only about Christian laws. Marital fidelity was the only sure way for men of noble origin to be sure that their children were really theirs. There is a known case when the French king Philip, having caught his own daughters in relations with some of his vassals, sent two of them to a monastery, and killed the third. As for the guilty courtiers, they were executed by a brutal public execution.

The church has dictated exactly how people should have sex. All positions except the "missionary" position were considered a sin and were prohibited. Oral and anal sex and masturbation also fell under the strictest prohibition - these types of contacts did not lead to the birth of children, which, according to the purists, was the only reason for making love.
Violators were punished severely: three years of repentance and service to the church for sex in any of the "deviant" positions.Just tell me, how did they find out? Im onconfessions voluntarily told? Something like this: Share with me, my son, how did you have a wife at night?

However, some theologians of that time suggested evaluating sexual intercourse more gently, for example, to arrange the permissible postures in the following order (as the sinfulness increases): 1) missionary, 2) on the side, 3) sitting, 4) standing, 5) behind. Only the first position was recognized as God-pleasing, the others were proposed to be considered “morally dubious,” but not sinful. Apparently, the reason for such mildness was that representatives of the nobility, often obese, were unable to have sex in the most sinless position, and the Church could not help but meet the sufferers halfway.

The Church's position on homosexuality was firm: under no pretext! Sodomy was characterized as "unnatural" and "godless" occupation and was punished in only one way: the death penalty. Lord, what were the monks doing in their monasteries?

In the 12-13th centuries it was customary for sodomites to be burned at the stake, hung, starved to death and tortured, of course, to "drive out the demon" and "atone for sin." However, there is evidence that some members of high society did practice homosexuality. For example, about the English king Richard I, nicknamed "The Lionheart" for exceptional bravery and military skill, it was said that at the time of meeting his future wife he was in a sexual relationship with his brother. Also, the king was caught in the fact that during his visits to France "ate from one plate" with the French king Philip II, and at night "slept in the same bed and had passionate love with him."

5. Fashion: Is this a codpiece or are you just very happy to see me?

One of the most popular men's fashion accessories in the Middle Ages was the codpiece - a flap or pouch that was attached to the front of the trousers to emphasize masculinity, focusing on the genitals. The codpiece was usually stuffed with sawdust or cloth and fastened with buttons or braid. As a result, the man's crotch area looked very impressive.

Of course, the Church did not recognize this "devilish fashion" and tried in every possible way to prevent its spread. However, its power did not extend to the king of the country and his closest courtiers.

6. Dildos: Size to match the sinfulness of desire

There is some evidence that artificial penises were used extensively in the Middle Ages. In particular, the entries in the "books of repentance" - collections of punishments for various sins. These entries were something like this:

“Have you done what some women do with phallus-shaped objects the size of which matches the sinfulness of their desires? If so, you must repent for all holy feasts for five years! "

Dildos did not have any official name until the Renaissance, so they were named after objects that had an elongated shape. In particular, the word "dildo" comes from the name of an oblong loaf of dill bread: "dilldough".

7. Virginity and Chastity: Just Repent

The Middle Ages highly valued virginity, drawing a parallel between the chastity of a common woman and the Virgin Mary. Ideally, a girl should have cherished her innocence as the main wealth, but in practice it was rarely possible for anyone: morale was low, and men were rude and persistent (especially in the lower class). Realizing how difficult it is for a woman to remain chaste in such a society, the Church has made it possible for repentance and forgiveness of sins not only for virginal girls, but even for those who have given birth to children.

Women who chose this path of "cleansing" should repent of their sins, and then atone for them, joining the cult of the Mother of God, that is, devoting the rest of their days to life and service to the monastery.

8. Prostitution: Prosperity

Prostitution flourished in the Middle Ages. In large cities, prostitutes offered their services anonymously, without revealing their real names, and this was considered an honest and perfectly acceptable profession. It can be said that at that time the Church tacitly approved of prostitution, at least in no way tried to prevent it.

Oddly enough, commodity-money relations in sexual relations were regarded as a way to prevent adultery (!) And homosexuality, that is, as something that cannot be done without. Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote: "If we forbid women to sell their bodies, lust will spill out into our cities and destroy society."

The most privileged prostitutes worked in brothels, less - offered their services on city streets, and in the villages there was often one prostitute for the whole village, and her name was well known to the inhabitants. However, there prostitutes were treated with contempt, they could be beaten, disfigured, or even thrown into prison, accused of vagrancy and debauchery.

9. Contraception: Do What You Want

The church never approved of contraception, as it prevents the birth of children, but most of the efforts of the churchmen were aimed at combating "unnatural" sex and homosexuality, so people were left to their own devices in the matter of contraception. Contraception was seen as a minor moral misconduct rather than a serious misdemeanor.

10. Sexual dysfunctions: Sick, take off your panties

If a man, for some unknown reason, could not have sex, the Church sent "private detectives" to him - wise village women who examined his "household" and assessed his general health, trying to identify the cause of sexual impotence. If the penis was deformed or there were other pathologies visible to the naked eye, the Church gave permission for divorce due to the husband's inability to procreate.

Chastity belts.

This is a very controversial point. In one magazine I read that they were invented later and existed for a very specific purpose: they were used during long travels so that bandits could not rape a woman.

But do not think that the invention of the belt was dictated only by safety rules. Here is what the judicial archives of the past centuries have to say about it.
In the 1860s, a Moscow merchant, “in order to keep his young wife from temptation,” ordered an adaptation from an experienced locksmith. The young woman suffered greatly from the belt, although it was "made with great care." Upon his return from trips, the merchant arranged wild scenes of jealousy and "taught his wife in mortal combat." Unable to withstand the cruelties, the wife fled to the nearest monastery, where she told everything to the abbess. She invited the assistant chief of police, who was extremely indignant. An investigator, a doctor and a locksmith were summoned. The unfortunate woman was freed from the terrible device and placed in the monastery infirmary for treatment.

Another incident, which occurred at about the same time, ended tragically. A skilled locksmith put a similar belt on his wife, going to the southern provinces to earn money. Neither he nor his wife knew about the onset of pregnancy. After a certain time, relatives, worried about the condition of the young woman, were forced to invite a midwife. The pregnant woman was already unconscious. Finding the belt, the midwife immediately called the police. It took several hours to rid the woman of the terrible device. She was saved, but the child died. The returned husband ended up behind bars and returned home only after a couple of years ... Full of remorse, he went to atone for sin in monasteries and soon froze to death somewhere along the way.

based on materials from samopiska.ru

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