Wine from birth to death. Alcoholic beverages in the Middle Ages as a cultural and historical phenomenon

Abstract

The paper is devoted to wine as a cultural and historical phenomenon in the Middle Ages. People consumed wine all their lives, as it was considered to be a universal medicine and a health-promoting drink. Literature on healthy living and medicine has almost always dealt with the consumption of wine. The way wine is consumed also appears in the so-called princely mirrors, manuals for the upbringing of royal and aristocratic children. Wine also accompanied prominent persons after death, as it was used to embalm the bodies of the deceased. Wine was popularly consumed not only in aristocratic settings, but also in cities, as we demonstrate in this study with the example of the city of Bratislava, which was an important wine producer in the Middle Ages. However, excessive wine consumption was also reflected in crime and the commission of various offences, often leading to death or murder.

Keywords

• alcohol
• middle ages
• medicine
• way of life
• death