Clit cutting, two-year-old marriages, permanent malnutrition. These are just a few of the dramas women have had to go through in a world ruled by men. The hard fate did not pass even to the noble ladies, whose lives only seemingly resembled a fairy tale.
The reasons for this unequal treatment were different. They were motivated by "scientific", moral or religious reasons. Here are ten historical facts that will prove that women's problems today are a breeze compared to what women have had to go through in the past. And not so long ago.
All items in the list are based on our articles. Find out more about the fate of women centuries ago HERE.
The women were screwed up because…
10. They had to pretend to be men if they wanted to heal other women
In ancient Greece, life was not easy for women who wanted to do medicine. Suffice it to say that to the legendary school of Hippocrates located on the island of Kos only men had access. Women could only study obstetrics in Asia Minor.
Agnodike decided that instead of confusing the testimony. better ... throw off your clothes. Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme "Fryne before the Areopagus" from 1861 (source:public domain).
After Hippocrates' death, things got even worse. All medical practices undertaken by women were punishable by death. The reason? There was a belief that midwives specialize in abortions.
The situation changed only thanks to the semi-legendary Agnodike. She wanted to do medicine so badly that for years ... she was pretending to be a man. Thanks to the disguise, she managed to deceive her colleagues, but she revealed her secret to selected patients. As it turned out, women were much more likely to use the services of another lady.
The young "doctor" quickly began to have his hands full. This aroused the interest of more experienced colleagues who were losing customers. Agnodike's secret is out, and the death threat is hanging over the young woman's head (read more about this).
9. They were starving in ancient Rome
The era of Cicero is associated with the peak achievements of the ancient era, however, not everyone could enjoy the successes.
I have to drink this wine for you, Terence, you women, even without alcohol, do nothing but nonsense ... (fresco from Herculaneum).
For the Romans, the woman was, in short, a childbirth machine. During the first ten years of marriage, an average woman gave birth to five children.
In addition, the medics of the time believed that a woman, as a being weaker than a man, needed much less food. Suffice it to recall that the famous policy of giving away free grain was exclusively male. Even if women were included in other social "programs", they usually received their rations reduced by up to 40% (read more on this topic).
8. They must have pretended to be virgins on their wedding night
In the Middle Ages, no one had any doubts. Women should conduct themselves modestly and godly. Exactly how Mary lived. It is not hard to guess that the obvious requirement was to preserve your virginity for "the one".
And if the husband discovers that the wife is not blameless, the reaction may be drastic ... In the illustration, a unicorn tame by a virgin falls prey to a hunt. Miniature from the Rochester Bestiary (source:public domain).
If the girl did not keep her virtue, she was threatened with social ostracism and life loneliness. No bachelor wanted his future wife to be tainted by contact with another man.
On the surface, it might seem that when a young lady lost her virginity prematurely, the game was over and the dreams of a good husband were lost forever. Nothing could be more wrong! Over the centuries, many ways have been developed to cheat your partner on their wedding night. One of the most peculiar methods was the pigeon or fish bladder trick which had to be filled with goat blood. The bag was inserted into the vagina so that it burst at the climax. Groom's satisfaction guaranteed (read more about that).
7. They got married at the age of two
It is commonly believed that being a king's daughter has always guaranteed the life of your dreams:comfortable, full of luxury and glitz. That's not entirely true.
Princesses were usually just a bargaining chip for their parents. The treatment in question, constant pressure and fear for one's own life were part of everyday life at the courts of ruling families.
Emperor Maximilian Habsburg can hardly be called a good father (source:public domain).
A great example is the life of Princess Margaret, daughter of Maximilian Habsburg. Seemingly, the girl was guaranteed a comfortable life. Her father was soon to become emperor, and her mother, Maria, ruled Burgundy and the Netherlands. Very favorable political conditions meant that the search for a husband for little Małgorzata began when she was 2 years old.
Maximilian quickly contacted the king of France, who also wanted to get his twelve-year-old son Charles. The French ruler wanted to make sure that the Habsburg did not sell his daughter to someone else, therefore the girl was immediately sent to the Seine. There she grew up with her husband, who at the age of only thirteen became King Charles VIII. It is difficult to call such a resume fairy-tale (read more about it).
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6. They couldn't even keep their own name
In order to find a husband, a medieval woman had to virtually renounce her own identity. And we're not just talking about changing your last name, but even your first name!
This practice particularly concerned the court elite in Byzantium. This proud empire steadfastly defended its Roman legacy. As we remember, the Romans did not treat their women the best. The rulers of Constantinople did not intend to break with this tradition.
The Empress of Byzantium must have had a Byzantine name. And this principle was strictly adhered to ... (photo:Bjørn Christian Tørrissen; lic. CC BY-SA 3.0).
The local elite were convinced of their cultural superiority. Therefore, if a woman from a foreign dynasty wanted to be married to an emperor, she had to throw away all her past, including her name, first.
Let's take the example of Małgorzata, a young girl who was the daughter of the King of Hungary Bela III. It seemed like a good game. Hungary was on a roll at that time. Małgorzata herself was also related to the largest families in Europe. In her family tree we can find, among others German emperor or ruler of Kievan Rus.
It wasn't enough, however. When Margaret married Emperor Isaac II Angelos in 1186 , she had to give up her Magyar roots, follow local customs and even change her name. As a result, Małgorzata didn't look back, and she was already ... Maria (read more about this).
5. Even the wedding night was traumatic
Currently, the custom of "experiencing" the wedding night is just a forgotten tradition covered with dust. Increasingly, the bride and groom are simply tired of the wedding party and after all the celebrations they simply want to go to sleep. According to the latest research, 2/3 of the respondents slept their first night.
The entire marital life could depend on the wedding night (source:public domain).
However, back in the 20th century, the wedding night was one of the key moments of the ceremony that could determine the success of a marriage. Developing psychology began to look for an answer to the question: What is the importance of the quality of the first night for a woman's psyche?
In 1900, most doctors ignored the subject, claiming that the typical woman was also a hysterical woman. An inherently cold creature, or even asexual, that you simply cannot please. It wasn't until the 1930s that it began to be recognized that the man also played an important role in the first intercourse.
As William Martin wrote:"Brutal behavior can alienate a woman, hurt her morally, and such feelings leave an indelible mark on the memory of the first sexual intercourse with her husband." We had to wait almost until the middle of the 20th century for a positive change on our wedding night ... Better late than never (read more about this).
4. There was no mercy for the female collaborators
When the Allies liberated France, settlements began with those who had collaborated with the Nazis.
Accused of collaboration horizontale they were humiliated, the most telling symbol of which was a shaving of the head. The illustration comes from the book by Antony Beevor "Paris Liberated" (Znak Horizon 2015).
Women who decided to have sexual contacts with German soldiers were treated particularly brutally. Demographic data show that the scale of the phenomenon was large . Despite the occupation in 1942, almost 200,000 children were born from Franco-German unions. The furious people had no mercy and administered justice with full severity.
As Jock Colville, Churchill's personal secretary, wrote:" I watched as an open truck passed us, accompanied by the whistles and shouts of the French population, carrying a dozen hapless women with all their hair shaved off." They were crying and hanging their heads in shame ”.
The enraged people were unable to understand that for many women, ties with Germany were the only way to save their children from starvation (read more on this).
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3. Circumcision of women was practiced even in Europe
Whoever thought that female circumcision was a barbaric practice practiced only in the wildest corners of our planet would be shocked. European doctors carried out this procedure 150 years ago!
The reason was simple. Hysteria that supposedly took all shapes. From coughing to depression. The woman's intimate organs were blamed for this terrible (and imaginary) disease. For centuries, the sexuality of the fair sex has been demonized, suppressed, distorted and, above all, completely misunderstood.
Isaac Baker Brown. Another respected doctor who believes that a clitoral excision is good for everything (source:public domain).
Finally, the ultimate source of the problem was identified. It was the clitoris. Doctors had no doubts what to do with her. An undesirable organ had to be removed. The precursor to this practice was the Viennese doctor Gustav Braun. The "therapy" proved effective because the lack of a clitoris made masturbation impossible, and this was considered to be one of the main sources of hysteria.
Another doctor who saw clitorisectomy as a remedy was Issac Baker Brown. Hair stands on the head when we read his research notes. The first patient of this "scientist" suffered from a haemorrhage for three days after the procedure. The doctor was not indifferent to her suffering:to ease the pain, he recommended rubbing oil into her chest. This is called high quality healthcare (read more about this).
2. The men were even afraid of their vaginas
In many ways, men were afraid of women. An example would be the myth of the "toothed vagina". Interestingly, it was known all over the world. Also among Apaches.
The menacing North American Apaches also had their own myth of a biting vagina. (photo public domain)
Among them, a legend was told about a man named Coyote, who one day took his chosen one for a walk. The atmosphere was romantic, so the young Indian decided to go one step further. When he was ready for the rapture, he made a shocking discovery. His beloved vagina had… teeth.
Coyote did not panic, however. At first he put a stick into his voracious vagina - he was swallowed. So he tried something harder. A stone fell into his hand. Managed to! The vagina's teeth crumbled as they tried to devour the new object. The situation has been saved!
Interestingly, it was this legend that was considered the official explanation for why the female vagina no longer had teeth. Men's incomprehensible fears are the subject of psychological debates to this day (read more on this).
1. Forbidden love was punishable by death
Homosexual people have never had an easy life. Not only men, but also women were convinced of this. In the 16th century, almost no one doubted that love between two women should be punished in the same way as sexual contact between two men ... that is, death.
The monasteries were also affected by Lesbian excesses. In the picture the nuns on the church portal by Armand Gautier (source:public domain).
Katherina Hetzedolfer, who was accused of having sex with several other women, found this out. According to the testimony of the accused herself, she used only an artificial penis, which was nothing else than a piece of red leather stuffed with cotton and a stiffened stick. However, Katherine was plunged into the testimony of women who claimed that the accused had tried to "seduce them by pretending to be a man". The court had no doubts and imposed the highest penalty - death by drowning.
Lesbian love was also present in monasteries. The Italian nun, Benedetta Carlini, seduced another nun, persuading her that she was an angel, and that everything she does is approved by God Himself. As with Hetzedolfer, the whole thing has come to light. After a quick "trial", the sister heard the verdict:Carlini spent 35 years in solitary confinement (read more on this).