Myths about the Middle Ages

That medieval people thought the earth was flat

Virtually every medieval scholar believed the world was round. However, in the 19th century it was widely reported that people in the Middle Ages thought the earth was flat, because it made for a good example of how backward the period was believed to be.

That Vikings wore Horned Helmets

Vikings and other medieval warriors never wore horned helmets – they would not be very useful in battle. In the 19th century Scandinavian artists began adding the imagery to their depictions of the Vikings.

That there were elaborate torture devices in the Middle Ages

There are many different gruesome torture devices – for example the Iron Maiden, the Pear of Anguish, and the Breast Ripper. However, while many are said to be ‘medieval torture devices’, they were actually invented centuries later.

That medieval thinkers argued over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin

In more modern times, scholars who ridiculed medieval theology would say that they argued over silly notions, such as “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” However, there is no example of a medieval scholar actually writing about this subject

That medieval people drank wine and beer because water was so polluted

While people would avoid polluted water in the Middle Ages, there were many sources of clean water which would be used for drinking. It was also common for water to be added to wine in order to make it less potent.

That Neuschwanstein Castle is a medieval castle

Neuschwanstein Castle has been described as one of the great medieval castles of Europe. However, Ludwig II of Bavaria began building this castle in 1869 – like many others in Europe, this castle was based on romantic ideas of what a castle would look like, but actually has little in common with a real medieval fortress.

That people thought tomatoes were poisonous

Tomatoes were not even around in Europe during the Middle Ages. The food was imported from South America in the 16th century and soon became widely used in most of Europe

That people did not live past 30 years old in the Middle Ages

It has long been stated the life-expectancy for a medieval person was about 30 years old. This does not mean that a person was considered old or about to die when they turned 30. If a medieval person survived to adulthood, he would likely live into his 60s or 70s, and they would not be considered to be old until at least the age of 50.

Medieval people did not use cutlery

Medieval people did not have to eat everything with their hands. Knives and spoons were common throughout the Middle Ages, and the fork was introduced to the Byzantine Empire by the 6th century, and into Italy by the 11th century.