Re-gifting holiday gifts in the Middle Ages

And one more thing -www.medievalists.net


This issue discusses some of what we think of as a modern headache - gift giving, receiving and re-gifting - great issue!

Medieval images - what a hoot!

www.medievalists.net 


I personally like the porcupine who looked like it ran through a grape arbor but the many-armed woman was quite eye-catching too ...


Check it out!

Almonds, dolce, Sicily, il mandorlo, Troy and legend of Phyllis and Acamas

Anyone who's been to the Mediterranean, and especially Sicily, knows the importance of almonds.  They were important in the Middle Ages, when almond paste was a main ingredient in dolce especially those called pasta reale and when almond milk was practically a staple in the kitchen.  Then, as now, almond milk didn't need to be refrigerated and in a hot climate, that was important.


My wonderful Sicilian friends, Bruno and Lucia, sent me a book for Christmas called Sweet Sicily by Alessandre Damone.  As you might imagine, it's all about desserts.  Yummmmmmy.  And not just recipes - given in Italian AND English - but also the history of it.  As an historian, what could be better?


So here's the history of the almond - the Thracian princess Phyllis fell in love with Acamas, a son of Theseus.  Men being men, Acamas just had to go to Troy and fight.  When Phyllis didn't see her love return, she died of a broken heart.  But he did return, finding his love dead.  Athena, that goddess who loves these kinds of situations, took pity on Phyllis.  You'd think she'd bring her back to life, but she didn't, instead she turned her into an almond tree and every year when Acamas embraced her, she blossomed, giving us the delicious nut we all know and love.


Personally, I think she could have done more, but who's complaining?  And so I would advise you, if you're going to Sicily and indulging in dolce, or perusing this book, check out the biscotti di mandorla which I can tell you from experience - tastes like heaven.

Plague remedies, medieval medicine, Marco Polo

The Medievalverse, Issue 108 - check out this internet link as it has two fabulous (actually more but two of them caught my eye) articles -


One has to do with plague remedies and has a great black and white picture of Florence.  Interesting plague remedy, but I guess if I was desperate ...


We also talk about medieval medicine in Book #3 of The Vespers Trilogy and the other talks about the taste of medieval food - which DEFINITELY was not bland.


Also - check out Marco Polo - the new Netflix miniseries.   We watched the whole series and it was terrific.  I'll have to dig out my Travels of Marco Polo and see how accurate some of it (my Mongol history is a little fuzzy) but I thought it was well done and certainly kept my interest.

Grand Hotel Budapest and other great movies

I just got done watching Grand Hotel Budapest - what a treat!  My friend Marcia recommended it and the cast is just stellar.  It made me think of movies in favorite locations - I watched it mainly because I'm going to Budapest in 2015 but anything Marcia recommends I'm game for.  So what are my favorite movies regarding Italy and/or Sicily?  I'd have to say Cinema Paradiso and Il Postino are my top two favorites, with Mediterraneo running a close third.  Love all of them.  So who out there has movies shot in your favorite locations?


I know my friends, Barb and Mike, in Palm Desert, loved Midnight in Paris because they are such Francophiles.  Not to mention well-read.


Anyone else?

Map of the World 1154

Muhammad al-Idrisi (1099–1165 or 1166) was born in the north African town of Ceuta but spent much of his early life traveling around the known world, going as far as York in England, Hungary and Anatolia. He settled on the island of Sicily and began working for the Norman King Roger II. In 1154 he created for him the Tabula Rogeriana, which offers a description of the world and over 70 maps of various places. The centre-piece of this book is his world map, which depicts Europe, Asia and the northern part of Africa (the southern part of the world is at the top of the map). Al-Idrisi states that it shows “the seven climatic regions, with their respective countries and districts, coasts and lands, gulfs and seas, watercourses and river mouths.” What a fascinating document! I would love to see it in real life. I think this further demonstrates the close relationship between Sicily and northern Africa, between the Christians and the Muslims of this period.

Christian mercenaries hired by Muslim rulers in 13th century, Christian church in northern Africa

Check out the article by Michael Lower in the Speculum issue of July 2014. Lower discusses the family tradition of some Muslim rulers in hiring Christian mercenaries to fight their battles in the 13th century. this is in northern Africa. There is even a North African Christian church established and the papacy continued to send mendicant friars to preach there through the 13th century. It's hard to say what kind of status these mercenaries held in Islamic lands. Perhaps as an elite fighting force for the ruler like the Varangian Guards in Constantinople? Don't know, but Lower discusses these men fighting in Morocco, Fez, the Maghrib and Marrakesh.

Ok--one more post about the indigenous people of Sicily, way before the Arabs and pasta arrived. The Sicels (Sikels) gave their name to Sicily and probably arrived from the Italian mainland about 1200 BCE. They settled primarily the eastern end of the island from Messina south beyond Mt. Etna. They had peaceful contact with the Sicanians to the west, and the Sicels eventually integrated them into their own society. About 800 BCE when the Greeks arrived, the Sicels had a well established, highly developed society. It took several centuries for the Sicels to amalgamate with their Greek neighbors. Their language, called Siculan, shared features of othe Italic tongues (especially the Iatoli of nearby Calabria) and at least some characteristics of what eventually became Latin. One of the Sicels' last great leaders, Ducetius, tried to join their various federations to liberate themselves from Greek influence about 446 BCE, but the Greek Syracusans eventually triumphed. After founding the city of Cale Acte on the northern coast (now the province of Messina), Ducetius died about 440 BCE.

the birth of pasta, pasta asciutta, Arab Sicily and the history of noodles

It seems like I'm always writing about food, you'd think all I do all day is eat. If only. But perusing one of my favorite cookbooks/history books of Sicily, Pompa nd Sustenance , Twenty-Five Centuries of Sicilian Food by Mary Taylor Simeti, she reminds me once again of the origins and birth of pasta and some more food history, like the history of noodles. She talks about pasta asciutta which is spaghetti or fettuccine covered with sauce and cheese. She believes that that dish was born in Arab Sicily when noodles known as rishta were eaten in ancient Persia and discussed in medieval Islamic cookbooks. Al-Idrisi, King Roger II's famous geographer, talks about pasta vermicelli called itriya, an Arabic word that survived as "tria" in Sicilian that, along with the pasta, was taken north by Genoese merchants. Check out page 143 where she lists some of the different forms of 19th century pasta. I never heard of most of them! Melinfanti, pastarattedda, filatieddi and ciazzisi, just to mention a few.

Greeks overtake Elymians

The western portion of Sicily was populated by an early people called the Elymians (Elymi) who had established several settlements in the area by 1100 BCE, pushing aside the Sicanians who retreated more to the central area of the island. Greek historians postulated that the Elymians were descendants of those who escaped the destruction of Troy, although the theory is unsupported. Another theory is that they were connected to the Minoan society. Most likely the Greeks claimed a kinship with the Elymians for the sake of political propaganda justifying their occupation of western Sicily and ousting the Phoenician/Carthaginians. (No, nothing really changes in politics.) Regardless of their origins, by 500 BCS, the Elymians were amalgamated into the Greek civilization, as evidenced by the Greek temple (built c. 430 BCE) at Segesta, one of the 3 main Elymian settlements. Archaeology has been unable to clearly define an Elymian language or culture as separate from the Sicanians before the arrival of the Greeks, or from the Greeks after their Hellinization. Unlike other Sicilian groups, the Elymians apparently never engaged in open conflict with the Phoenicians and did not seek independence from Greece. Perhaps they were a peaceful and unusually adaptable people, but more likely, they saw the benefits of trade. Can anyone provide more un-to-date information?

Ginger, medieval spices, medieval recipes with ginger, biscotti and herbal medicine

Today I decided to try and make my ginger biscotti with freshly grated ginger. I was able to get some Hawaiian ginger from my local Fort Market and pureed it as best I could. Gerald, the owner of the market and my good friend, peeled the ginger for me and minced it, but several cooks, including his lovely wife Emerald, cautioned me to mash it further and use sparingly. Now my original recipe calls for 1 to 1-1/2 cups of crystallized ginger. So I started thinking about ginger in the Middle Ages and first turned to my old friends, Robert Lopez and Irving Raymond and Medieval Trade in the Mediterranean World. I found the following on page 111 - Quilon ginger, wrinkled black ginger, peeled ginger and Malabar ginger. On page 352 they briefly discuss green ginger which should be clear and brittle and ginger in general, which should be of large roots, clean skin and not wrinkled, tender to the knife and white inside and firm and not thin and holey. Just for the record, my Hawaiian ginger (which I can pretty much bet wasn't on the medieval market) was yellow inside. On the medicinal side, my Medieval Kitchen by Odile Redon states that the French were inordinately fond of the ginger/cinnamon combo (who isn't? and I'm not even French!) and that most ingredients we would call spices in the modern world were considered to have warm and dry properties, except for ginger and saffron (loved by the Italians) which were warm and moist. Very important when you're prescribing to keep the humors in balance. And just in case you're interested, aside from ginger, there are mulberry granita, jasmine ice, almond granita, cinnamon granita, lemon granita, and gelato of any and all flavors. What does a mulberry taste like?

Apocalyptic stories, TV, times of chaos and reorganization - 13th century?

It occurs to me, ruminating as I'm watching some of the streaming that my husband likes to view, how many apocalyptic, make order out of chaos, reorganize society, Hunger Games, type of shows there are on now. Trendy YA literature copies Hunger Game themes, while more interesting ones like Chuck Wendig depict the future in yet another impressively different way in his Heartland Trilogy. The Vespers Trilogy depicts a real time and place where the reorganization of society is attempted yet again - politics, conquest, greed, all the usual components are in place. See, some things never change...

Arrival of Greeks in Sicily

According to Vincenzo Salerno, Sicily's Bronze Age cultures c. 2500-1250 BCE, were the Castelluccian and Thapsos groups. The Castelluccian culture is being investigated by archaeologists as La Mulufuca in south central Sicily and were likely the forebearers of what are known as the Sicans, discussed in the earlier post. An identifiable Sicanian culture existed in Sicily c. 1600 BCE, and was influenced by the Phoenicians and Minoans. Greek colonization began about 735 BCE at Syracuse and widespread Hellenization of the island peoples soon followed. The Sicanians are frequently mentioned in Greek and Roman texts, including those from Appollodorus, Diodorus Siculus, Herodotus, Homer, Strabo, Pausanias, and Ovid.Herodotus mention the Sicianian city of Kamikos in his Histories. It was in the Agrigento area. The Temple of Diana overlooking Cefalu is a Roman temple built on the site of a former Sicanian temple to a similar goddess of the hunt.Little is known about the Sicanian mythology, literature (if any), or notable individuals, except for the legends of Kokalos, which may have been based on a historical figure, much like the tales of King Arthur.

Brian Catlos, Sicily, the Mediterranean and other medieval thoughts

So OK, I've been so preoccupied lately with planning my trip to Sicily (and Budapest and Iceland) next year that I've been neglecting my blog. So my friend Josh Birk recommended an author to me, just to keep me in the loop of present-day Mediterranean scholarship. That author would be Brian A. Catlos and I've already begun his book, Infidel Kings and Unholy Warriors, Faith, Power and Violence in the Age of Crusade and Jihad. For all you eggheads out there who are academically drawn to the Mediterranean, get this book. He has a new take on old scholarship and it's clear and well-reasoned. Look up his other stuff too. And if you're out in southern California around November 7 and 8, go see him in person at the UC-Irvine Mediterranean conference. So I'm trying to decide whether to stay around Mazara or Erice because I want to see the Greek temples at Agrigento. Isn't it fascinating that the best Greek ruins are in Sicily and southern Italy (Paestum - heaven on earth -yes, go see Paestum south of Salerno). And in Trapani I plan to visit the medieval salt museum as well as the salt pans since I write about them in our vespers trilogy. Last but not least, before visiting Budapest and soaking my bod in the hot springs of Iceland (Blue Lagoon, here I come!)we'll be traveling around Cefalu and Corleone (remember the Godfather? Although that's not why I'm going -there's actually a medieval connection there). Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions - feel free to comment!

Ancient Times in Sicily

Sicily has always been at the center of trade, politics, and rivalries among the various Mediterranean peoples and dynasties. Its central location in the Mediterranean sea makes it valuable to hold and control, and the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Normans, Arabs, and others have all been there. But who was there first? Humans were present on the island at least as early as 10,000 BCE in the early Pleistocene era. There were 3 groups of indigenous people on the island: the Elymians, the Sicanians and the Sicels. Of course, the island gets its name from the Sicels, but they were the last to arrive. The Elymi were on the western part of the island, the Sicani in the central part and the Sicels in the east. Archaeology has dated cave paintings in coastal areas of the island as far back as 8000 BCE. Pottery shards from 5200 BCE and copper tools from 3000 BCE suggest a relatively advanced population and the influence of outside groups that may have come from trade or migration. Thucydides stated that the Elymians came from Troy, the Sicanians from Iberia, and the Sicels from mainland Italy. Although repeated by other historians, this belief can hardly be confirmed. The Sicanians were a unique people lacking clearly defined links to the Indo-European cultures of Italy, Greece, and the eastern Mediterranean. They apparently did not have a written language until they adopted the Phoenician alphabet. The name of this group derives from the type of chalcedony stone called "sica" from which they made tools. I will explain more about these 3 groups of natives next time. It is fascinating to think of the evolution of societies that lead up to the Medieval one we have used as the subject of our novels.

Erice, Easter in Sicily and other good eats

So I'm buzzing along making travel plans for next year's trip to Sicily.  My friend Bruno in Siracusa asked me if I knew I would be coming at Easter time.  I said a resounding YES!  I hope to not only observe what goes on at Easter in Sicily, but to find out what special foods are prepared for this very special holiday.  I plan to use all these special foods in Book #3, now called Death of the Leopard.  If you are Sicilian or Italian and prepare special foods for Easter, please share them with us on this blog!  I hope to find out whether special Easter foods were served in the 13th century, or if medieval food and recipes are still served today.  


Last but not least, I'm looking at staying in Erice for three days or so.  First, because I want to explore the Greek temples in Agrigento, the medieval salt museum and salt pans in Trapani, but also because I remember Erice as being beautiful.  The Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Greeks - all contributed to the beauty of that town - and there were some spectacular battles around there as well in ancient times.


Google Erice on the internet and see some beautiful beautiful pictures.

Oh yes, Corleone

Oh, I forgot to mention that book #3 of the Vespers Trilogy has Ysabella and Company (or some of them) settling into Leo's estate, La Serenita, outside of Corleone, where there is a medieval convent called Santa Maria del Bosco - really.  And I'm going to see it.  Most people think I picked Corleone because of The Godfather (which I did love, but no, that's not exactly why).  Corleone was a mountain town within a day's journey from Palermo so that when our family was fleeing the siege of Palermo, they could make it that far.  Also, I had to pick a place where the hated Angevins weren't, and the mountains of Sicily, known for bandits, etc. (most of whom were relatives) was perfect.  I was also secretly hoping, of course, that people would remember the name from the famous movie, but truly, folks, Corleone was a medieval town in its own right.  It just had to wait for Martin Scorsese to make it a household word.

Sicily, Sortino, honey, Corleone

So okay, I'm obsessed with my trip next year to Sicily.  I want to go to Sortino, where there are famous beekeepers and try all the different kinds of honey - Check out www.honeytravelers.com and boy will you find some great places for honey.  I'm blown away that beekeepers move their bees thousands of miles in big flatbed trucks to take advantage of the different herbs and flowers blossoming at various times in Italy and Sicily.  The bees don't seem to get motion sickness either.  I'm looking forward to traveling in Sicily (no, not on a flatbed truck either - nor with bees) and this time I plan on seeing the medieval salt museum and the salt pans of Trapani, an olive oil farm, and maybe even some of the islands like Lampedusa or Egadi Islands.  Check out the site - www.bestofsicily.com for all kinds of fabulous info about my favorite island.  Buon viaggio!

Medical treatment of animal bites in medieval periods

Interesting article in the Wellcome Trust magazine on the history of medicine. Author Kathleen Walker-Meikle. She is studying the recommendations for treating animal bites, starting with Constantine the African, mentioned in earlier posts. Medieval folk lived in very close contact with animals, often sheltering in the same habitation. Bites and punctures from animals would naturally be a common occurrence. As animal bites were often believed to contain noxious poisons, especially if the animal was angry or came from a hot and dry climate, one first had to determine if the bite was from a venomous or non-venomous animal. If bathing in the sea didn't work or wasn't practical, medieval physicians turned to ointments and potions. How about this ointment--pigeon droppings mixed with garlic and salt? A common potion was theriac, a complicated medical compounds that came down from classical antiquity. Eventually, cauterization or amputation might have been necessary. Another recommended treatment was to split open a chicken and lay it upon the wound. I'm sure there were other magical incantations, folk rememdies, and some things that actually worked!

Vegetables in the Middle Ages - and corned beef and pastrami

So I open up my email and there's this terrific article from Medievalists.net so feel free tocheck out cooking in the Middle AGes. Not that I'm obsessed with food or anything since I've come back from Chicago, having stuffed my face with steak, pastrami, corned beef, gyros - Greektown for the latter, Manny's and 11th Street Dinner for corned beef and pastrami and I HIGHLY recommend Benny's Chop House for steak with impeccable service and probably the best Caesar salad I've ever had in my life - that's why vegetables are somewhat on my mind (along with other Good Eats). Vegetables in the Middle Ages Image Vegetables: A Biography, by Evelyne Bloch-Dano, offer the stories of eleven different vegetables - artichokes, beans, chard, cabbage, cardoons, carrots, chili peppers, Jerusalem artichokes, peas, pumpkins, and tomatoes - offering tidbits from science and agriculture to history, culture, and, of course, cooking. Here are a few excerpts from the book that detail their history during the Middle Ages. Read More

Muslim rule of Sicily

From the 827 arrival of Euphemius in Sicily, the Muslim Aghlabid dynasty controlled the island, appointing governors and major officials. They set up various "gema" or city councils to manage public works and maintain social order. They encourages small holdings and improved irrigation systems. They also established a tax system. Non-Muslims living in a Muslim country are called "dhimmi". Dhimmi paid a special tax called the "jizya" for protection from foreign/internal aggression, but if one converted to Islam, the tax was waved. Everyone on the island paid a land tax called "kharaj". Mulsim and non-Muslim populations coexisted rather peacefully and maintained their own religions. It was during this time that the island became a major location of interaction between Muslim and non-Mulsim populations, and that allowed the transmission of considerable Arab learning to Europeans. In 909 the Fatimid dynasty assumed control over Sicily. They put down several revolts and uprisings. In 965 the Caliph appointed Hassan al Kalbi as emir of Sicily, giving it a de facto independent status. Within 100 years, Sicily had 3 separate emirs, but the arrival of the Normans under Robert de Guiscard in 1060 effectively ender Muslim rule. When Robert arrived, the native Sicilians joined his revolt. The conquest of Sicily by the Normans wasn't completed until 1091, ushering in a period of Muslim repression because of policies of the Roman church and perhaps, a little revenge. These measures led to organized resistance among the Muslims and Norman reprisals. The Normans also took over major buidlings and mosques, converting them to their own uses. As we depicted in Malice Stalks the Leopard, the commercial trade between Ifriqiya and Sicily was significant, but increasing fanaticism about religion on both sides led to an expulsion of all Muslims in 1242 to Lucera.

Chicago, Caffe Baci, Italian food and Sicily, gelato, biscotti, cous cous

So while this may not have much to do with our 13th century, I couldn't help but think about Ysabella and tavern food as my girlfriend Alison and I were sitting at Caffe Baci, drinking mineral water from Sardinia and eating cous cous, gelato and biscotti. I think we hit some major food groups there. Spuntini is still a word in modern Italian which means snacks; in Ysabella's tavern it would usually be fried foods, bits of fried veggies and meat. And yes, they grew lots of salad stuff (but who writes about that?). Anyway, I'M GOING TO SICILY NEXT YEAR!!!! Yahoo! And in that trip, I am taking a page (literally ripped it out, yes) out of La Cucina before it folded which told about a famous gelato place in Sicily and baby, I'm going! I'm also going to a world reknown honey emporium which I'll report on when I'm there. These are in the Syracusa area, where my wonderful friends, Bruno and Lucia, will no doubt help to taste test these delicious treats.

Islamic conquest of SIcily

The news these days depicts the modern version of conflicts that seem to have started 2000 years ago, or more. The history of tribes and factions vying for dominance in the Middle East continues to be played out on our screens every night. Sicily's location made it a crossroads of the world, with influences from all the cultures of the Mediterranean. By the time our stories take place in Sicily, the island was firmly in the hands of the Europeans and Roman Catholicism was the state religion, but it wasn't always so. Sicily was part of the Eastern Roman Empire as that civilization began to crumble, then a part of Byzantium, but still a desirable plum and center of conflict. The Caliph of Syria first launched raids against Sicily about 652, but the raiders went home after several years of exploration. Two hundred ships from Alexandria sacked Syracuse in 669, but again went home after a few months. Arab raids on the island and as far north as Rome and the Piedmont continued for more than 150 years with various successes and defeats. The first Arab settlement on the island began in Mazara in 827. At the same time Euphemius, an admiral under Byzantine Emperor Michael II, conquered Syracuse and proclaimed himself Emperor of the island, independent from the Empire. Euphemius was probably born in Messina. He was a charismatic chieftain and landowner with a large following. His revolt may have been prompted by being falsely accused of kidnapping a young nun from her convent. Realising that he would be defeated by Byzantine troops sent from the East, he appealed to the Muslim leaders of Ifriqiya (now Tunisia) for help to take over Sicily and Malta. Many battles ensured, and Euphemius was killed, but with reinforcements from Ifriqiya and Spain, the Aghlabid dynasty exerted control. Palermo, a city of about 300,000 people, fell to the Arabs after a year-long siege in 831. Euphemius is considered to be the man who initiated the Arab invasion of Sicily and Malta and the beginning of the two-century Islamic domination on the island.

Who was Constantine Africanus?

As mentioned in the last post, Constantine Africanus was a widely acclaimed teacher of medicine at the school in Salerno and may have been the teacher of Trota de Ruggerio. Constantine was born in Carthage, Ifriqya (modern Tunisia) about 1010 AD. Carthage at that time was ruled by the Zirid Dynasty, a Berber dynasty that came to power in 1048 and was eventually overthrown by the Normans in 1148. His early life is obscure, but it is said that he traveled extensively in the Arab world and the Far East, gaining so much knowledge that his contemporaries in Carthage accused him of practicing magic. He was supposedly expelled from Carthage and took flight to southern Italy, becoming secretary to Robert, Duke of Salerno. Another legend suggests that when Constantine became ill himself, he was treated by a doctor who didn't even ask for a urine sample. The color, taste, and smell of urine was a major diagnostic schema of the time. Thus, Constantine became convinced that Italian medicine was rather backward and needed his help. Constantine taught at Salerno c. 1070-1076, after which he retired to the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino where he remained until his death in c. 1087. His best-known work is the so-called "Liber Pantegni", which is really a translation of the "Khitaab el Maleki" of Ali Ben el-Abbas. He also wrote some original works, but it is so difficult to separate what is undoubtedly genuine from what came to be attributed to him in time, that there is no certainty as to his original contributions to medicine. He is especially known for translations of both Arab and Greek medical texts from well-known physicians such as Razes Ali Ibn Massaouia Baghdad, Ibn Imran, Ibn Suleiman, Ibn Al-Jazzar, Hippocrates and Galen. These texts were widely used until the 17th century.

Constantine Africanus

Constantine examines urine from students. Note the woman in the picture.

Constantine treats a wound

Medical School of Salerno images

The Medical School at Salerno was founded in the 9th century as part of the dispensary of a monastery and reached its zenith in the 10th to 13th centuries. After that, the school at Montpellier, France became as or more prominent. The school's heyday began with the arrival of Constantine Africanus in 1077, a major translator of Arabic medical texts into Greek or Latin. Salerno was so proud of its school that the town became known as the Town of Hippocrates, and even today, a part of the town's coat of arms refers to the school. The images attached here give visual impact to this discussion.


Medical School of Salerno from Avicenna's Canons



Trota or Trotula de Ruggerio

Part of the coat of arms for the town of Salerno

Constantine Africanus lectures to classroom

Medieval medical drawing of pregnant woman

Byzantine Military Tactics

OK, it's really not THAT much of a stretch from medicine to killing - wounds, etc., right? Check out this link - it's terrific. Medievalists.net is a newsletter full of articles and things for us - medievalists. They have a great article on Byzantine military tactics, which the Normans either appropriated (I'm thinking specifically here of Robert Guiscard, but they all did it) or, is this more interesting - did the Byzantine Emperor learn this from his Varangian Guard?

Medical School of Salerno -

You know, I just read a terrific book by James J. Walsh called Old Time Makers of Medicine and for anyone interested in ancient or medieval medicine, this is the book for you. For me, he devotes several chapters to the Medical School of Salerno, that famous place founded in the supposedly Dark Ages that incorporated water and aroma therapy, music, meditation, and herbal medicines. They also performed surgery, including brain surgery (which everyone knows was practiced by the Egyptians so how "new" was that?) but Walsh also goes into details not usually known. such as female physicians who organized, taught and administered the department of female diseases and illnesses, who performed whatever necessary surgery was required, and taught medicine as well. I have actually been on the site of the medical school in Salerno. I'll never forget it. It was 1992 and I had an English guide who had lived in the area for 12 years. Christina and I tramped through private walkways, gardens and backyards to a place where, alas, some urban development had definitely erased its history, but there were a few 11th century walls and although I am not prone to such things - an AURA or feeling of some kind. Not unpleasant, but emotional. I only remember one other site where I "felt" such a thing - at Montsegur in Cathar Country, standing over the Field of the Burned Ones. If you're interested, read a fascinating and great historical novel - Mistress of the Art of Death by the now (alas) deceased Ariana Franklin. The heroine is a graduate of the famous Medical School of Salerno and she is what we would now call a forensic pathologist. Read it!!!

Trota of Salerno, physician

A woman physician, now nearly forgotten, wrote one of the most widely distributed treatises on the medical problems of women in the 12th century. Nothing is known about the real life of Trota of Salerno, who apparently lived in Italy in the late 1100's. It was only in 1985 that an important work written by her was discovered in Spain by John F. Benton, the Practica Scundum Trotam (Practical Medicine According to Trota), which covers a variety of different medical topics, from infertility and menstrual disorders to snakebite and cosmetics. Trota also wrote a treatise on the medical treatment of women De Curis Mulierum (On the Treatment of Women). This text was combined with 2 others on similar topics in a work called the Trotula. This 3-part text then came down in history as the work of one person, Trotula, causing confusion with the name of this one author. Monica H. Green posits that the text seems to capture the collective practices of one group of female practitioners, setting down their cures for readers who will have the same unfettered access to the bodies of their female patients: "it appears to have been written down to provide a more permanent and concrete mechanism for the transmission of knowledge from woman to woman than the oral forms that had traditionally served the needs of Salernitan women. . . . [T]he text posits a community of female readers who would be able to rely on this text for instruction . . ." The earliest copy of this text is found in England at the Bodleian Library. It contains a few English words, suggesting that the text was among those transferred by the Normans from their Italian kingdoms to other areas of their influence.

Link for Louis XIV's shoes

I've been asked for a link to Louis' shoes - I should be so lucky - they are sure fabulous looking!  He could walk down Rialto Drive with no problem today!  Actually, Mary, all I did was Google Louis XIV's shoes and a whole ton of stuff came up to choose from - so have at it!  I certainly don't want to limit your possibile shoe enchantment!

Medieval Warhorses - the Hispano-Arab

So I'm researching training medieval warhorses.  There's a lot of misinformation out there, like all medieval warhorses were 17-19 hands high and were something like Percherons or Clydesdales.   Actually, most warhorses were 14-15 hands high, at least in my century, the 13th century, and it's my understanding that the Hispano-Arab breed was most typical. 


These are beautiful horses and I'll post a picture of one on my next post - I even have permission to use his name (thanks Cody!!!) - so stay tuned - he's gorgeous.  I read several training manuals for present day horses (good grief!) - very complicated, won't be in Book #3, I assure you, but did watch a terrific show on Lippizan horses, and how they are bred and trained.  Very very interesting as many moves that a medieval warhorse is trained to do are similar to what the Lippizans do now. 


If anyone else knows more about training warhorses, I invite you to comment!!!

More on women's costume

The very early medieval woman's dress was often called a cote (cotte), gown or tunic. Such loose simple draped material was the everyday wear of both sexes. Somewhat later in the era the gown was called a kirtle, at least in England, usually referring to a garment that laced or buttoned down the front. The basic shape of the early medieval dress has a couple distinguishing features. It is quite long, in a basic A line- that is, narrower at the top and wider at the hem. The neckline is quite high, and is sometimes cut with a small vertical slit at the neck to slip it over the head more easily. This is usually closed with a brooch. The body can be shaped a little by taking the waist in a little but this style of dress was never fitted through the bust and torso. A belt or girdle allowed the wearer to hitch up the garment and drape it over the waistline. Distinctions in class were made by the quality of fabric used and the richness of the dyes used. Some artworks show bands at the neck and wrist which might be embroidered directly into the gown, but were more likely embroidered onto a separate piece of cloth and stitched on. This made it easier to embroider, and made it possible to remove the embroidery and reuse it elsewhere. The shoulders do not have a sleeve hole cut in or set in at the usual armhole. Sleeves are added at the edge of the rectangular body of the tunic, giving a slight batwing shape to the underarms. This gives the dress a basic T-shape, derived from a loose-fitting garment called a cyclas. The sleeves were tapered at the lower arm and tight at the wrist sometimes extending down over the knuckles. It was very common for this style of cote to be worn both as an undergown or chemise. The undergarment was of linen or silk fabric and often contrasted in color with the outer garment. Linen was relatively easy to clean. It protected the outer garment from body oils and sweat. The whole costume was then covered with a surcote (surcotte, tabard), a sleeveless gown with a looser fit. It may have a regular neckline, be slightly gathered onto a decorative band or have a loose V shaped neckline and three-quarter sleeve. If sleeveless, the sleeves are usually high cut just under the armpits. A working class woman would wear a surcote or an apron to protect her clothes underneath from excessive wear and dirt.An upper class woman might wear a sleevess or short-sleeve surcote for warmth or when travelling. Many illuminations and paintings clearly show linings in contrasting colours. In a few paintings of working women, the garments do not appear to be lined. This type of gown is often shown with side seams which were laced to allow for an expanding waistline during pregnancy or weight gain. Sideless surcotes were designed to show off the gown underneath and were quite different than the utilitarian surcote. They were often quite plain, little or no embroidery. Some styles featured string ties at the sides rather than a seam. Women also wore hose or stockings similar to those we desribed for men in an earlier post.

Wimples and Gorgets

The wimple and gorget were widely worn by women of good breeding throughout much of the Middle Ages. Eventually they were dropped for daily wear by the general populace but retained by nuns and older women. Women in Italy abandoned the veil considerably earlier than other parts of Europe and England in favour of elaborate braids and beading which might also utilise a small strip of gauzy veil around the ears. It was not uncommon, however, for a married woman to wear one if she chose. Effigies and paintings from the 13th century right through to the 15th century show women wearing wimples. Wimples were also usually worn by widows regardless of their age. The wimple encircles the entire head under the veil, whereas a gorget covers the neck alone and was usually draped upwards and tucked into either a head-dress or styled hair. The most modest way to wear a wimple was over the chin, not under it, as is generally supposed (see picture below). There were many ways to drape or pin cloth about the head, resulting in a wide variety of styles and fashions. As with veils, wimples and gorgets could be made from a variety of fabrics ranging from fine opaque linens to very fine silks. For the poorer woman, thick wool or linen was both a practical and warm option to provide protection from the elements, warmth in winter and protection from the sun in summer. Contemporary images and artifacts from the 14th century and earlier show that white was the overwhelmingly popular colour. One contempory writer, Robert Mannyng complained about saffron coloured kerchiefs and wimples, as they made it difficult for a man to tell if he was looking at a yellow wimple or yellowed skin, so it must be concluded that coloured veils and wimples were not entirely unknown. A law passed between 1162 and 1202, in the municipal statues of Arles, France, which forbade prostitutes to cover their hair with a veil lest they should be mistaken for a woman of good virtue and encouraged good women to snatch the veils from the heads of women of suspected ill-repute. Many Middle Eastern countries of the world today require that a woman's hair remain covered in public. Discussions with many liberated women in these Muslim countries show that they actively choose to continue to wear a veil as a show of modesty and decency and not as a symbol of oppression by the men of their society. It was only the Western society which discontinued the wearing of the veil and wimple. Thus, wearing a veil was seen as a sign of good breeding, no different than for our grandmothers who were firmly hatted, stockinged and gloved whenever they left the house.


1345 Madonna by Vitale de Bologna shows the gorget across the chin



Multiple styles of  wimples and gorgets (photo from Pinterest)

More about the coif

Today we use the word coif to mean a hairstyle. In the Middle Ages it was a bonnet. According to Rosalie Gilbert (http://rosaliegilbert.com),the coif was nearly universal, worn both during the day and at night,for both men and women. "The coif remained one of the few items of headwear which remained unchanged by virtue of its simple design. It is best described as a close-fitting linen bonnet or cap, usually tied under the chin. It was constantly used as a hair covering in bed, or under hats by the working classes and was the commonest daytime headwear worn by all classes of the community throughout Europe during the 13th century. Many early medieval illuminations show women wearing white coifs to hold their hear in place. Long after they were abandoned by women, men continued to wear the coif under other types of hat. Coifs were generally replaced by wimples and veils in the case of women. Coifs were made of fine or coarse linen, the only difference between those worn by the upper and lower classes was the material from which they were made. Upper classes naturally opted for luxury fabrics such as silk or finer linens. The finer examples were meant to be seen and not hidden under layers of other head dresses." Refer to the previous post picture of a musician with a coif.

Women's headdresses



For the most part, women in the Middle Ages did not let their hair go uncovered. Girls might let their long locks flow free, but that was considered too enticing to men for older girls and women. The nobility allowed the tresses to show for coronation and other ceremonies. Prostitutes were sometimes mandated to show their hair to distinguish them from modest, proper women. Most women braided long hair and covered the head with a coif. The coif, also worn by men, was a simple bowl-shaped piece of linen or cotton, often with strings to tie under the chin. It looked something like a baby bonnet. But, of course, the demands of beauty and fashion could not leave well enough alone. In Murder at the Leopard, we have a scene in which Ysabella and Angelica dress in their best clothes to impress Ferdinand. Angelica's long, dark hair is swept up on the back of her head and covered with a crispine. The crispine is a variation of a caul or coif. The crispine is a mesh net that slips over hair buns. These hairnets served dual purposes, holding hair back and dressing the hair up, as they were adorned with stone, pearls, precious gems or crystal beads. A somewhat later fashion divided the hair into two buns on each side of the head, Princess Leia like, and covered the buns with smaller hairnets called crispinettes. This was often accompanied by a band around the head holding a gauzy veil. More on other head coverings in the next post.

Detail of crispinette from rre-enactment costume

The crispinette with veil

Food that wiggles

If you haven't guessed by now, my attention to things medieval tends to wander across many facets of daily life. Here is another one: eels. I happened to see a nature show about eels the other day and immediately linked it to medieval food and the wide variety of seafood in Sicily. Eels are both salt and fresh water fish, with more than 800 species. Some are migratory, being born in the ocean and traveling inland in rivers and streams. These particular eels do not breed in fresh water so are often caught in mass quantity as they head back to the ocean using eels traps made of netting or wire. Eels are predators that eat other small fish and crustaceans. The European eel, now critically endangered, is a species that has been recorded at nearly 10 feet long and 350 pounds, although the modern version is smaller. They can live more than 80 years. Medieval castles, monasteries, and farms often raised their own eels in eel ponds as they did their own vegetables, flowers, and other animals. Eels are a tremendous source of protein and Vitamins A and E. They were served fresh, salted or smoked. During the later Middle Ages, eels somehow became associated with the spread of plague, and consumption dropped off. Current Italian cuisine especially favors eels from Valli di Comacchio, a swampy area along the Adriatic coast. Due to the decline in eel populations, present day eel meet is expensive. Some Maine fishermen are becoming millionaires by farming eels, sending the young ones to China's feed lots, and being sold at unheard of prices in Japan.


Moray eel




Medieval eeler



Conger eel, European eel

Louis XIV's shoes - a link

https://www.google.com/search?q=Louis+XIV+wardrobe+pictures&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7MXGB_enUS583&tbm=isch&imgil=bjtwLIGBCDaWoM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcS2jCcAEp2T8qfxIXo6etZMDdtURUpT1Jvth8-AubhPoY-pxmcJ%253B1072%253B844%253BzuHakGNFrfrbzM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fbellathewestie.blogspot.com%25252F2010_07_01_archive.html&source=iu&usg=__NLgoMsNOpy5UX74DEKJ89Zq1jF0%3D&sa=X&ei=nSLEU9z6G8rlsATmsICoBw&ved=0CCsQ9QEwBQ&biw=1105&bih=605


I have no idea why this link is so long, but here's where I was ogling Louis' shoes - and other fabulous wardrobe accessories.

Louis XIV and his clothes - especially shoes!!

Now this is just a sidebar here but when I read the post of my co-author regarding Louis XIV's buttons and the incredible amount of money he spent just on buttons, well, I had to google Louis XIV's wardrobe.


As soon as it came up I forgot about his buttons - do definitely check out his shoes!  I would give anything to be walking around in some of those pumps, although they really don't go with mountain living, chainsawing, or the like ...

Drinking Water in the Middle Ages - Another Myth Exploded

From buttons to water - here's another interesting link exploding a common belief people have about the Middle Ages - that they didn't drink water! What about all those references to "watered wine" because few people drank straight wine. But also, cool water in the summertime? Especially in Sicily, where it's not only hot, but two hundred years of Arab occupation produced scores of irrigation and fountains. And let's not forget the need for water because of all the public baths. Yes, people, bathing in the areas that have known Roman occupation was frequent and every town of a fair size had a public bath. Palermo had many. Anyway, check out this terrific article on water at http://www.medievalists.net/2014/07/09/people-drink-water-middle-ages/

Buttons and buttonholes

What would life be like without the ubiquitous button? Buttons were not used as functional items until about the 800s. Seashell and bone “button” decorations, some with holes punched through them to fasten them to fabric or leather, were found in ancient civilizations in Pakistan, China and Rome dating back to about 2000 BCE, but early civilizations used laces, hooks, pins, buckles and belts to fasten their clothing. Nothing more was required for simple tunics or cloaks, but as fashion changed, there arose a desire to make one’s clothing more form-fitting and fancy with complicated folds, attachments, and interchangeability of parts. Use of the button required the invention of the buttonhole. Although the earliest functional buttons were found in 9th century Hungarian tombs, buttons with buttonholes for fastening and shaping clothes appeared first in Germany and France in the 13th century. Some say that returning Crusaders brought the button and buttonhole back with them from the East. French, Italian, and other European paintings from the period faithfully show us the details, the shapes, the materials and the importance of buttons. The number of buttons and what they were made of became a status symbol. It has been rumored that King Louis XIV of France(350 years after our Vespers stories)spent over $5 million on them in his lifetime. As with most other manufactured goods, button makers formed a guild or union that exercised political clout to keep prices artificially high and crush any competitors. Check out La Guerre des Boutons in 17th century France for more about the power of the guild.

The Varangian Guard - Byzantine warriors - or English? Or Scandinavian?

So OK, I'm zooming from food to fighting - too much caffeine?  Maybe, maybe not.  Book #3 of The Vespers Trilogy, which is being written as we speak (or maybe an hour before we're speaking) has a new character called Arduin, who chooses to serve with the King's Assassin, and was a former Varangian guard.  So I did some more research on the Varangian guards, the elite Byzantine warriors who were feared through the medieval world.  Harald Hardrada, the greatest warrior of his time, served as a Varangian guard.


So I can't resist, one more time, another link.  This is a medieval military website where there just happens to be an article about English warriors as part of the Varangian guard.  Enjoy!!!


http://deremilitari.org/2014/06/english-refugees-in-the-byzantine-armed-forces-the-varangian-guard-and-anglo-saxon-ethnic-consciousness/

Food of Apulia - taking New York by storm

OK, just one more link.  It appears that I'm on the cutting edge as usual.  The food of Apulia is taking New York by storm - check out this New York Times article.  Gotta go, I'm getting hungry ...


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/dining/the-food-of-apulia-finds-its-way-to-new-york.html?_r=0

Apulia and its food

Boy, I just ran across some fabulous photographs of food in Apulia - so readers - feast your eyes on it - check it out!  http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Puglia+Italy+Food&Form=IQFRDR


I have heard this region of Italy is incredible for white, sandy beaches, incredible food and no tourists.  If that isn't a recipe for travel, I don't know what is!

Puglia anyone? Roman, Byzantine, Norman history up to Gallipoli

Apulia, or Puglia as the Italians call it, has something for everyone.  If you're a historian, like I am, or just a plain history buff, Apulia has it all.  From Roman to 20th century.  Not to mention, fabulous food, seafood, pasta, fresh everything.  The region is known for its wine and its olive oil and it's beautiful besides.  Check this article out from USA Today


http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2007-04-24-puglia-italy_N.htm

While we're on the subject of food - medieval Corleone and Sicily

If you're wondering about medieval food in Sicily - I ran across this wonderful article that talks about the Arab history in Sicilian cuisine - lemons, oranges, sugar cane, sherbet and sorbets and a few other fascinating things - check out this link - as you know, Corleone is the setting in Book #3 of The Vespers Trilogy that Ysabella & Co. flee to after the cataclysm of Aragon and Angevin in Palermo.


Check out this link - https://www.academia.edu/2292026/Food_in_medieval_Sicily

Farmers Markets, medieval markets, fresh produce of Sicily

When Bill and I lived in Palermo for eight months we experienced the delightful variety of farmers' markets, fish markets, and markets displaying the fresh produce of Sicily.  We bought cauliflower or broccoli (which is an interesting lime green shade) which we discovered many locals puree with a few spices for a sauce to toss their spaghetti or pasta with.  We are all brought up to think all Italians make is tomato sauces, especially in the south, but we found out that wasn't true.  Sicilians, at any rate, use a variety of such vegetables to "sauce" their pasta.  We also experienced the delight of freshly caught fish, especially swordfish, as well as sea urchins and sardines.  In the Middle Ages, when Ysabella and Company were cooking, fish and eels were often much sought after for those Fridays and church holidays when eating meat was forbidden.  Just like today, there were carefully tended fish ponds and eel ponds to make that meal preparation convenient.  While we didn't see eels in Palermo, I think we saw almost everything else.


As everyone knows, anything fresh is best!  Stay tuned for some pictures of Palermo's open air markets of fresh fish and produce.

Men in skirts and tights

Medieval fashion for men is fairly commonly seen in old movies and period stories. They wear belted tunics and hose with leather shoes/boots/slippers, often a cloak or hat. (Think Robin Hood, Monte Python). Basically, the tunic was a long, loose shirt that slipped over the head, usually over a lighter-weight similar undershirt. The neck had an opening along one shoulder or down the breast bone that might be closed with laces, hooks, or pins. Sometimes the sleeves were cut as part of the garment itself, but sometimes added later along the side seams. The tunic became more popular in the East after the decline in popularity of garments that wrapped around the body. You see both styles in Medieval pictures. Women's dresses were of similar tunic-like design, dropping to the ankles or the floor, and perhaps a little more form fitting. A person's social status was revealed in clothing by the amount of embroidery decorating the piece, furs used as trim or lining, and the type of material used. Peasants were more likely to dress in homespun linen or cotton, while royals had silks, velvets and brocades. Clothing was adapted to the weather by adding extra layers or using heavier materials such as wool, fur and leather instead of cotton and linen. Although the basic tunic style didn't change much, "fashion" as we know it today was expressed by details of garment construction like how long or tight the sleeves might be, how full the skirt was, how many buttons it had (more about buttons next time). But pantyhose for men? Before elastic was invented? In the picture below, you can see that the hose were tied to the men's underwear, called braies--basically boxer shorts with drawstrings at the waist. Ties and laces were used in many ways in medieval clothing, but this simple solution eluded me as I thought about those tights. The picture also shows basic tunic designs and footwear, hats, and gloves.

Above, a church garment that details tunic construction; Below, menswear of medieval times

Citron, fava beans, granita, food from Sicily and blancmange?

http://www.bestofsicily.com


So I'm writing a chapter and doing research about what Bia and Ysabella would be doing in the kitchen and what kind of "stuff" would they be preserving and preparing from Leo's estate?  Check out this link above because it gives a lot of fascinating information on fava beans, citron (do you know what citron is?), blood oranges, pistachios and almonds - lots of the food known not only to Greeks and Romans, but some, like sugar cane, lemons, oranges and advanced irrigation methods, were brought to Sicily by the Arabs.  So when you're in Sicily and cooling off with a fabulous lemon granite, say a silent prayer of thanks to the Arab culture.


And one more thing perusing medieval recipes - did you know that almond milk was a staple in most medieval kitchens?  Yes, that blanc mange which I have to confess, I had to look up because I had visions of jiggly icky gelatinous pudding, and found to my relief that it wasn't.  In the medieval world, at least in Sicily, it's often more of a spiced, almond and ginger flavored rice kind of dish (as best I can make out) and all four recipes I found had a common ingredient of rosewater.  I'll have to add some rose water to my pudding some time ...

Scotland in Sicily?

Once nearly clueless about Sicily except for the Godfather movies, now I find references to Sicily and Palermo pop up a lot, some in the most unexpected places. We chanced across a 1953 movie last night, the Master of Ballantrae, with Errol Flynn. Did you know that this Scottish classic by Robert Louis Stevenson was partly filmed in Sicily? Although the story takes the hero to the West Indies, the pirate scenes were filmed near Palermo. I can only imagine the draw of Sicily for a film maker--sun, water, beaches, color, mountains, volcanos, rural life, city life, ancient and medieval temples, pagentry--just about anything a director might want. There were many films shot at least partly in Sicily, from The Leopard with Burt Lancaster to Il Postino, Divorce Italian Style, Malena, etc. So, if you pay attention, what references to Sicily will you come across in your everyday activities? What are your favorite Italian movies?

More Travel Links to Sicily - see David Lebovitz!

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2014/06/sicily-again-italy-travel/


Check it out folks - going to Sicily soon?

Solstice, Saints Days, June Saints in Italy and England - St. Thomas More and St. John the Baptist

Well, I don't know about you guys out there, but tomorrow we're getting ready to celebrate Solstice with a big party - the longest day of the year.


But if I were back in the 13th century in Italy - what would I be celebrating?  Or the 16th century in Italy or England?


Imagine my surprise - there's a PLETHORA of June Saints!  And here's a few.  St. Romauld, whose saint's day is June 19, was born in Ravenna, Italy.  His claim to fame?  You know, besides being a saint.  He founded the Camaldolese order and died in 1027. 


Next up - St. Aloysius Gonzaga.  Gonzaga.  Great basketball.  Great Renaissance name.  Unbeatable combination.  Wealthy family, riches and culture, but he wanted to be a Jesuit and indeed, that's what he became.  Died in 1591.


Now let's go to England - and anyone who's read Tudor history knows about Henry the VIII.  You know, the king who created the Church of England and cut off wives' heads, willy-nilly.  St. John Fischer, born in Yorkshire in 1469, beheaded by Henry in 1535 because he refused to render the Oath of Supremacy and upheld the validity of the Henry's marriage to Katherine of Aragon.  He got his reward in heaven.


But most surprising of all - St. Thomas More.  More Henry VIII.  Faithful counselor, heaped with honors, until, of course, he too refused to take the Oath of Supremacy and was beheaded in the same year as John Fischer - 1535. 


Last but definitely not least - all good Catholics know that the birth of John the Baptist is celebrated on June 22.  Do you think there's a link between the longest day of the year and John the Baptist?  If there is, let us know!

Monreale Abbey, Santa Maria La Nuova

I mentioned this abbey in the last post on St. Louis. Monreale is about 8 km south of Palermo's cathedral, straddling Mt. Caputo. Work on the abbey began in 1172, one year after the coronation of William II (the Good). He used this project to advance the Latin Church in Sicily over the Orthodox, Jewish, and Muslim faiths. The abbey was built like a fortress since it guarded the mountain passes near Ba'lat,a forested Arab hamlet used by the royals for hunting and falconry. It also served as a Benedictine monastery. The superstructure was finished by 1176 and the mosaics and cloister were done by 1189. The bronze doors came from Pisa in 1186. The abbey contains the largest concentration of Norman, Arab and Byzantine art in one location. 150 mosaics take up 6000 square meters of wall space, larger than St. Mark's in Venice. 228 columns surrounding the cloister feature ornate capitals carved with scenes from Norman history. Muslims rebelling over excessive taxation by the abbot of Monreale led several attacks against the abbey, the worst in 1216, but they had little overall impact. By 1246, Frederick II has put down these rebels and consolidated political control over Corleone and San Guiseppe Jato. Below are some pictures of this unique and ornate location.Pictures from IStock

Monreale Ceiling above the main altar

Monreale mosaic of Christ Pantocrator

Monreale mosaics

Monreale Mosaic of Noah building the Ark

St Louis in Sicily?

Who would ever imagine that there is a bit of St. Louis in Sicily? No, it's not the city of St. Louis, but the actual saint. The heart of Louis IX, King of France, is in a special tomb at Monreale Abbey, formally named Santa Maria la Nuova. Louis died on campaign in Tunisia in 1270. Aging and ailing, the devout king took up the battle for the true church in Tunisia after crusading in the Albigensian campaign against the Cathars in the Languedoc region of France, and in the Holy Land 1248-1250 after the fall of Jerusalem in 1244. The campaign in Tunisia may have been initiated at the behest of Louis's brother, Charles of Anjou, King of Naples and Sicily. Although Sicily was handed over to Charles by papal edict in 1262, he had to defeat King Manfred in 1266 to assume his reign. It is Charles that the Sicilian patriots rise up against in the Sicilian Vespers. But back to the heart... Louis and his troops managed to conquer Carthage in the Tunisian campaign but the army was defeated by plague. Louis died there in 1270. A long processional bearing his body back to France then wound its way through Sicily and a number of French provinces before his burial in Paris. Apparently bits and pieces of the king were left in holy shrines along the way. The population venerated Louis as a saint for many years before his formal canonization in 1297. Without Louis's power during the era, his religious devotion, and the many perks he arranged for his large family, would Charles have ever been King of Sicily? Would there have been a Sicilian Vespers massacre for us to write about?

Louis IX of France

Charles of Anjou, King of Naples and Sicily

Game of Thrones Medieval Banquet - What's on Your Table??

So here's my friend Catharine's article on weird medieval food from the Game of Thrones - and I don't know about you, but I've an AVID fan of Game of Thrones!  Larks' tongues, deer genitals, roasted dormouse, goose or magical serpents, or maybe just plain lettuce anyone??

10 Weird Foods You Might Have Eaten at King Joffrey’s Wedding

Written in May 2014 by Catharine Symblème

Introduction:

 

If you had been a person of wealth and/or nobility during the time of Game of Thrones – let’s say, for convenience sake, medieval England – you would probably have celebrated your nuptials by throwing a big party and feast, both to celebrate your union with your new bride or groom and to impress the pants off of your new in-laws, whose knights would hopefully return the favor in the future by fighting for you.

 

So what would your wedding feast have included? How about roasted dormouse? Or pike’s womb? How about the intestines and genitalia of the deer you or your groom just hunted and killed?

 

Here are some of the more – um, interesting – food offerings that might have found their way onto your feast tables. 

 

(Please note that the portions of the text that are direct quotes are in italics.)

 

1. Roasted Dormouse

Apparently, the dormouse was considered a tasty snack by the Romans, and while their popularity might have faded somewhat by the Middle Ages, dormice probably turned up now and then on the tables of the more well-to-do.  Even today, if you have a hankerin’ for a little dormouse, you can still find them served in Croatia.

 

Recipe:

"Mice: stuff the mice with minced pork, mouse meat from all parts of the mouse ground with pepper, pine kernels, laser and garum. Sew the mouse up and put on a tile on the stove. Or roast in a portable oven. (Apicius 408)."

http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq1.html#dormice

 

2. Cockentrice

The cockentrice – as opposed to the Cockatrice, the magical serpent who could kill at a glance – was basically the front end of a suckling pig stitched onto the hind end of a castrated male chicken, or capon, then stuffed, spitted, roasted, and gilded with a mixture of egg yolks, ginger, saffron, and parsley juice.

 

The word “Cockentrice” originated from the words “cock”, or capon, and “grys”, or pig, and was spelled in a number of different ways, including “koketris” and “cokyntryche”.

 

Recipe:

Cockentrice - take a capon, scald it, drain it clean, then cut it in half at the waist; take a pig, scald it, drain it as the capon, and also cut it in half at the at the waist; take needle and thread and sew the front part of the capon to the back part of the pig; and the front part of the pig to the back part of the capon, and then stuff it as you would stuff a pig; put it on a spit, and roast it: and when it is done, gild it on the outside with egg yolks, ginger, saffron, and parsley juice; and then serve it forth for a royal meat.

 

For the stuffing: Take slightly beaten raw eggs, grated bread, saffron, salt, pepper, sheep suet, and mix all together in a bowl, then place the pig on a spit, stuff it with the mixture, sew the hole together, and let it roast; and then serve it. http://www.godecookery.com/cocken/cocken02.htm

 

3. Beaver tail or barnacle goose

 

The Church ordained that certain days were to be “fast days”. On fast days, no one was supposed to eat meat or animal products such as milk, cheese, butter, or eggs.

 

As a result, medieval cooks became nearly as inventive as modern-day vegans in their attempts to circumvent the rules of fast days.  If your wedding unfortunately fell on a fast day, your feast might have featured beaver tail or barnacle goose. Beaver tails were considered “fishy” in nature, and it was believed that barnacle geese hatched from barnacles rather than eggs, and were therefore fish rather than fowl.

 

I couldn’t find a historical recipe for beaver tail, so here’s a modern one:

 

Recipe:

Skin beaver tails, clean thoroughly and wash well in a solution of salt water. Let soak overnight in cold water to cover, adding 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt to water. The next day, remove from the brine, wash, then cover with solution of 2 teasoons soda to 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Drain. Dredge beaver tails in seasoned flour. Melt butter in heavy fry pan and saute tails at low heat until tender. Mix wine with mustard, sugar, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Add to beaver tails and simmer gently for 10 minutes, basting frequently.

http://bertc.com/subfive/recipes/frdbeavtail.htm

 

4. Caudell  

 

Caudell, or caudle, is sweetened spiced wine thickened with eggs. The resulting frothy liquid was either poured warm into glasses and served as a sweet drink, or used as a dessert sauce.

 

Recipe:

Beat egg yolks with wine or ale, so that it is runny; add sugar, saffron, but no salt. Beat well together; set it on the fire on clean coals. Stir well the bottom & the sides until just scalding hot; you will be able to tell when it becomes fluffy. Then take it and stir away fast, & if you need, add more wine; or if it rises too quickly, put it in cold water to the middle of the outside of the pot, & stir it away fast; and serve.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec22.htm

 

5. Waffres

 

Waffres were waffles made with cheese … and pike womb. (Pike womb? Wait a minute, pikes are fish – do they even have wombs? I dunno, sounds suspiciously to me like another one of those “fast day” workarounds!)

 

Recipe:

Take the womb of a pike, & boil it well, & mash it in a mortar, & add tender cheese, grind them well; then take flour and egg whites & beat together, then take sugar and ginger, & mix all together, & see that the egg is hot, & make a batter, & make the wafers, and serve.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec43.htm

 

6. Tart de ffruyte

 

Tart de ffruyte is a pie made of dried fruits and pine nuts, topped with fresh salmon pieces. Fish, which was considered a “cool and moist food” according to the system of Four Humours, was often paired with “hot and dry” spices, to balance the humours, and nuts, to aid digestion.

 

Recipe:

Take figs, and boil them in wine, and grind them small, and put into a vessel; and take pepper, cinnamon, cloves, mace, ginger, pine nuts, raisins of Corinth, saffron, & salt, and add; and then make fine shallow pie shells, and put this stuff therein, and plant pine nuts on top; and cut dates and fresh salmon in nice pieces, or else fresh eels, and parboil it in a little wine, and place on top of the filling; and place on top of the pie shells a lid made of the same pastry, and endore the pie shells on the outside with saffron & almond milk; and set them in the oven and let bake.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec71.htm

 

7. Potage Fene Boiles

Bean pudding?  Yes, potage fene boiles is indeed a sweet pudding with a base of fava beans.

 

Recipe:

To make a bean pudding, take white beans & boil them in water, & mash the beans in a mortar all to nothing; & let them boil in almond milk & add wine & honey. And boil raisins in wine and add & serve it.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec39.htm

 

8. Cooked lettuce

Lettuce could be eaten either raw or cooked, and if your raw lettuce wasn’t crisp enough for you, the dirt (!) added just that perfect touch of crunch. Mmmm…

 

To Prepare Lettuce:

It is eaten both cooked or raw. Raw lettuce does not need to be washed if it is prepared in this way, for they are more healthful than when washed with water if put in a dish. Sprinkle them with ground salt and a little oil and pour a little more vinegar, and eat it right away. There are those who add a little mint and parsley to this preparation, so that it does not seem too bland; and so that there is not too much chill from the lettuce to harm the stomach, put cooked lettuce, with the water squeezed out, in a dish when you have dressed it with salt and oil and vinegar, and serve it to your guests. There are those who add a bit of cinnamon or pepper well-ground and sifted.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec82.html

 

9. Haslett

If the groom happened to have a good hunt the day before, your wedding table might have featured deer genitals and intestines in honor of his hunting prowess. 

 

…the genitals and intestines [of the deer] were highly esteemed as trophies of the hunt and were served, hot and steaming, in honor to the high table as a dish called ‘haslett’.

http://www.godecookery.com/venison/venison3.htm

 

Sorry, I don’t have a recipe for this one. You’re on your own.

 

10. Compost

In spite of its unappetizing name, compost was simply a salad of vegetables and fruits, allowed to pickle overnight in a mixture of vinegar, spices, wine, and honey. The word “compost” refers to the pickling marinade of spices and wine.

 

Recipe:

Pickled Salad. Take parsley, carrots, radishes; scrape and clean them. Take white radishes & cabbages, pared and cored. Take an earthen pan with clean water & set it on the fire; and put all these in. When they've boiled, add pears and parboil well. Take all these things out and let cool on a clean cloth. Add salt. When cooled, place in a container; add vinegar, powder, and saffron, and let sit overnight. Take Greek wine & honey, clarified together; take "lumbarde" mustard and whole currants, and cinnamon, "powdour douce" & whole anise seed, & fennel seed. Take all these things and place together in an earthen pot, and take from it when you need to, and serve.

http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec5.htm

 

A Final Word:

 

Now, why on Earth would I suddenly have a craving for McDonald’s?

 

http://www.godecookery.com/allrec/allrec.htm

http://keeleranderson.net/Hello/Lent/RecreatingLent.htm

http://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/eating-dormice-on-hvar-island/

http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq1.html#dormice

http://www.katjaorlova.com/weird.htm

http://bertc.com/subfive/recipes/frdbeavtail.htm