Death #1
Death #2
Hygiene #1
Hygiene #2
Fun Facts
100

What was the name of the Viking Earl (ruled c. 875-892) that died after being scratched on the leg in battle by the buckteeth from the severed head of Meal Brigte which caused an infection? 

Sigurd Eysteinsson 

100

This Englishman turned Pope ( c. 1100-1159) who suffered from tonsillitis, died taking a sip of wine and inhaling a fly, choking to death on the fly and pus from his tonsils. 

Pope Adrian IV 

100

What was used to collect waste overnight?


Bonus (100pts) - What was done with the contents? 

Chamber Pot

Bonus: Thrown over balcony or out the window with the accompanying word "garde loo" (French for "watch out for the water")

100

What was commonly used as a toilet?

Stone or wood benches with holes carved in the top. 

In Rome most were public, w/out any privacy, with multiple people sitting next to each other.  it was common for people to hold meaningful conversations and even settle business deals with the shake of the hand, all while sitting on the loo.

100

Who wore corsets? 

Women were not the only ones to wear corsets.  the men also preferred wearing corsets to give themselves a narrow waistline!

200

Two of King Henry VIII's wives died this way?

Beheading

200

On February 25, 1336, Duke Margiris (of Lithuania), ordered the 4000 individuals defending his castle to do what because they were greatly outnumbered?? 

 Duke Margiris ordered that they set fire to the castle and destroy their possessions before committing mass suicide.

200

 Small bags that were filled with flowers and other fragrances that would be used to be able to stomach the smell of streets filled with waste

Nosebags

200

What was used as a common antiseptic and even recommended in 1666 by a physician named George Thomson to cure the plague? 

Urine

200

What were the purpose of Gargoyles being placed on the outside of medieval churches? 

These were drain pipes used to drain off rainwater from the roofs. So, gargoyles were not built on churches to ward off any kind of evil, but, were used for draining off rainwater.

300

How was Hugh Despenser (12th Century Nobleman) and favorite of Kind Edward II killed by Edward's wife, Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer?

Bonus PTs (100) if you can give the nickname Queen Isabella is known as throughout history?

Drawn, disemboweled, castrated and quartered. 

Isabella was known as the "She Wolf". 

300

What disease had symptoms of infected lesions, difficulty breathing and painful tumors? 

Bonus (200pts) - How many people are estimated to have died from this between 1347 & 1352? 

The Black Death

Bonus: 75 million people are estimated to have died.

300

Since there was no toilet paper in the middle-ages, what did people use to clean themselves? 

People would use leaves, moss, a rag or hay. If you were affluent, you had the luxury of wiping your bottom with lamb’s wool.

300

The king had a servant that was dedicated to servicing the king in the bathroom. This position was highly regarded and was often one of the most trusted servants of the king. It did come with the responsibility of helping the king wipe...

Master of the Chamber

300

What sport was banned in medieval England? 

Football. It was so violent and destructive in nature that it had to be banned in the year 1314 by King Edward II. In those times, football was called ‘Mob Football’ because it involved an uncountable number of players who played the game using a ball made of pig’s bladder without following any rules. While playing, the mob engaged in loads of cursing and hustling that often resulted in grievous injuries and wounds. 

400

How did King Martin of Aragon die during a feast in 1410? 

 He actually giggled and burped himself to death.  It was speculated that he first gorged himself on either eel or goose, causing heartburn, but it was a joke that did him in.

400

What was the average life expectancy for people living in the middle-ages? 

Somewhere between their 30's and 40's. 

400

What did Medieval era people use to get the stains out of their clothes? 

 Concoction of ashes and urine

400

How often did the wealthy take a bath?

Every Month!!

400
What was the name of the common show that wealthy medieval men wore?  


Bonus (100pts): What was the measurement of this shoe? 

The long Toed Shoe. 

500

What was the most common way for women of the middle-aged to die? 

Childbirth!

In Medieval times, death during childbirth was common. Hygiene was not yet understood.  Many women died of Puerperal Fever which was the result of infection in the reproductive organs.  Both rich and poor were affected, and many queens died this way, affecting the course of history.

500

King Charles VII, had Jeanne d'Arc executed on May 30, 1431 for heresy. How was she executed? 

Martyrdom - Burned at the stake. 

500

What were two things the  "moat" of a castle used for?

Castles were designed so that waste products would flow straight into the moat that surrounded them. They also served as a defense mechanism. 

500

How often did the poor take a bath?

You were lucky if it was four times per year!!!

There was no hot water so it had to be carried in through a well and then heated over a fireplace.

500

True of False: Animals were put on trials and convicted for crimes

True!!

This may sound really amusing, but, it was a common practice in medieval England to put animals on trials. People could take any animal to court for a number of reasons which were regarded as crimes back in the middle ages. In one such episode, people took a swarm of locusts to court citing that the pests had destroyed their crop. In another incident, a horde of mice were put on trial as they had stolen some crops from the harvest.