Medieval — Plague Doctor

Therapeutic Phlebotomy Or Bloodletting Has A Medieval History

Many people are fascinated with medieval medical procedures and want to know how people survived them. So, let’s explore the history of bloodletting.

The Overall Humourism Meaning Of Bloodletting

Bloodletting, or by its otherwise name, therapeutic phlebotomy, consists of the withdrawal of blood from a human body or patient. Back then, people believed that it would cure and prevent diseases. The classical way to eject blood from the body was either accomplished by the physician of the time or leeches. 

But what do I mean by humourism? Well, in Ancient Greece and Rome, philosophers and physicians adopted what they would call “humourism” as a system of medicine to describe the workings of the human body. Is your head spinning around like Regan in The Exorcist yet?

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Vlad the Impaler Artwork

The History Of Impalement: A Method Of Torture From Ancient To Reformation Times

When we think about impalement, we don’t necessarily associate it with bodies, or do we? Because of Vlad the Impaler, we know that at least one person used it obsessively, but what if I told you it is much older than Vlad?

How Old Is The Practice Of Impalement?

The history of impalement is torturous. It is an excruciating and irreversible method of execution. The classical practice consists of the penetration of a human body through a bottom orifice by an inanimate object such as a stake, pole, spear, or hook. The completion of the torture follows with the perforation at the other end of the object through the torso.

Impalement was often the sentence for crimes against the ‘state’ throughout numerous civilizations. It was a capital punishment reserved for horrid crimes of the time or era. However, death through impalement, due to its horrifying scenery, was also employed to implement fear and suppress the desire for rebellion against a leader.

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Did You Know That Vlad The Impaler, Cried Tears Of Blood?

Many things are said about the Prince of Wallachia, known as Vlad the Impaler. He was the guy who impaled people. He is the vampire Count Dracula. But have you heard of him crying blood tears?

What Do We Know About Vlad The Impaler?

Vlad the Impaler lived in the 1400s or close to the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance era. Romania was separated into three principalities: Wallachia, Transylvania and Moldavia. He was the middle child of a family of three sons. His mother was a noblewoman, while his father was Vlad Dracul II, Prince of Wallachia.

Vlad Dracula was a Christian-Orthodox, as was Wallachia, placed between the Roman Catholic Empire and the Islamic Ottoman Empire. Due to political and religious conflict, Wallachia was a vassal state rather than a country in its own right. When Vlad Dracula took over the throne, he put Wallachia on the map and grew its legend.

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Romania - Knighthood

Before Vlad The Impaler There Was His Brother Mircea II 

As a medievalist enthusiast and a Vlad the Impaler fan, I learn daily about his life. One brother of his with a horror story is Mircea II of Wallachia.

Why Is Mircea Important To Vlad’s Story

When I hurt my back last week, I was glued to the bed with limited motion. I couldn’t do much, so I decided it was time to read. I was an avid reader from when I learned to read to my twenties. I can’t recall why I stopped.

I discovered Vlad when I was a tween but only started learning about his life as a teenager. My love for the paranormal and folklore won over me, and I wanted to know who the man behind Dracula from Bram Stoker was.

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Witchcraft - Pagan - Altar

What Is Wicca And What Does It Mean To Be A Wiccan

We often hear the word Wicca and directly associate it with witchcraft. But what is Wicca aside from that? Wicca is the only religion found to be witchcraft, and that sets it apart. Kasey Hill is here to explain more about Wicca!

Paganism Versus Wicca

Paganism is a nature worship-based religion offset from the traditional worldly religions rooted in patriarchal fundamentals.

One of the significant precepts for this religion is the belief in not just a single God but in a multitude of gods and goddesses depicted in history through mythological texts and oral stories.

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England - Stonehenge - Paganism - Celtic - Druidism

The Secret Knowledge Of The Age Of Druidism

In the writing world, we often use folklore and legends. But Druids are not part of the usual characters in novels. Their secrecy might be to blame.

Why Did I Fall Into The Rabbit Hole Of Druidism

Upon research as a medievalist enthusiast, looking for various types of witches, the word Druid popped into my head. Many associate druids with fantasy or games such as Magic The Gathering or Dungeons & Dragons. But there is much more to them.

Druids are not as known as other Celtic folkloric people, such as Leprechauns, Faeries, Elves, and Trolls, to only name a few. The influence of the Celtic culture in fantasy literature is significant and provides solid roots. But druids are different.

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Skull

What The History Of Trepanation Tells Us

There are scientific procedures in human history that can be quite macabre and paved the way to our medical system today. But what is trepanation?

But What Is Trepanation?

What kind of ancient surgery deliberately cut or scraped away parts of people’s skulls? Trepanning.

To explain this better, let’s take a journey back in time. It might sound bizarre now, but this practice has a long history, going back thousands of years and spanning different cultures.

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The Witch Trial Of Salzburg In Austria

The witch trials in Europe spread throughout the continent, and some of the most tragic are the most famous. So, let us visit one of the most famous cases in the 300 years of witch trials!

The Overall View Of The Salzburg Witch Trials

The most known witch trials occurred from 1675 to 1690 in Salzburg. The trial had many names, including the Zauberjackl trials, the Salzburg witch trials, and the Witch Jackls process.

The process of the witch trials led to the death of a hundred and thirty-nine people. Austria wasn’t a kind place for witches, but rather nightmarish, and it is one of the reasons for this case to be so famous. Another reason is that most of the victims were males.

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Medieval Dungeon - Torture

Germany’s Medieval Boogeyman Known As Peter Niers

Throughout history, humankind has encountered many murderers and people thirsty for the blood of innocents. Worldwide known names come to mind, but what about those in the shadows of the big names?

The Names We Know Of The Medieval Period

When you think of the evillest murderers of medieval times, there are specific names that come to mind that took over their centuries. They inspired fear so great that they branded their time with their names.

But if you mention the name Peter Niers, nobody would know who you are talking about. But this person deserves a place on those charts because he left his mark, so who is he, and what did he do?

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Gothic Medieval Castle Remains

Agnes Sampson, A Scottish Witch, Tortured To Death

The witch trials occurred when everyone could be a victim of accusations leading to torture and horrible deaths. But some of the worst stories of witchcraft lead to Scotland, and Agnes Sampson is one of them.

The History Of Agnes Sampson

Agnes Sampson was a widow and mother who lived in Scotland. She was mainly a healer and a midwife. There is little information on her life or documentation as a citizen because Agnes was the village’s healer and midwife. She was a kind person who kept to herself, most likely, but she was the perfect scapegoat: woman, older, widow, healer.

Why would King James VI need a scapegoat? As mentioned in the previous article about Scotland’s witch trials, the king’s voyage back to English territory was overlooked by a storm. His marriage to Anne of Denmark brought him to Scandinavian lands, and on their way back, the storm forced them to take refuge in Norway.

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The Eastern State Penitentiary, A Monument Of Failures

From all the haunted places we come across, some of them remind us that our past isn’t as spotless as we wished. Sometimes, we must remind ourselves where we come from to avoid repeating those mistakes. The Eastern State Penitentiary in the USA is one of them.

A Pioneer Of Its Time And A Little Dark

Eastern State Penitentiary, widely recognized as the pioneering institution in the realm of penal systems, was designed to evoke remorse from its incarcerated individuals, thereby allowing them to deeply reflect upon the misdeeds that resulted in their confinement.

Considered one of the most haunted sites in the US, Eastern State was not known for its ability to rehabilitate its prisoners.

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Cathedral

The Ghosts of San Fernando Cathedral And Its Stories

The Witchcore Magazine is a place for studying and reporting on the history of haunted locations. Here is one of them in Texas, United States.

A Famous Local Haunting Not As Popular Worldwide

San Antonio, Texas, is a city steeped in history, with tales of ghosts and hauntings echoing through its centuries-old streets. One of the most famous haunted places in San Antonio is the San Fernando Cathedral, an iconic landmark with a history that dates back to the 18th century.

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Viking Axe

An Evil King In A Most Unforgiving Time

In the Dark Ages, technology and discoveries were stagnant. Yet, to this day, creative minds dive into history to grab a piece of its history. While some things stood still, the battle for kingdoms had begun. Reign of Mad Kings roared over lands, and Æthelred II was one of them.

Dark Ages Fun Fact & Warning

A Dark Ages fun fact: people had no surnames or family names. In fact, they had either sobriquets or a nickname to separate them from others wearing the same first name. For that reason, many last names today carry words that once meant something different.

I should warn you that this article is about Æthelred II, ‘the Unready’ from later in history and not based on the fantastic character from the television series, The Last Kingdom. Those are two different Æthelred II. While native from the same kingdom apart in time.

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