Video: Why medieval monks excommunicated beer lovers
2023 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-07-29 10:45
In the Middle Ages, the city of Wroclaw was the capital of Silesia - a historical region, parts of which now belong to Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. It is hard to believe that in the 14th century, the authorities of Wroclaw started a war against beer, despite its popularity among all segments of the population. At that time, the intoxicated drink was indispensable at parties, dinners, and public events.
In the middle of the 14th century, in the Bohemian city of Wenceslas, there was only one institution where the intoxicated drink was brewed. It was located in the basement right in the city council building. Since brewing was a very profitable business, the exclusive right to brew beer was assigned to the town hall. After the name of the nearby Bohemian town of Swidnica (Schweidnitz), the intoxicating drink was named Piwo Świdnicka.
But soon the leaders of Wraclaw had unexpected competitors. In 1380, several master brewers moved to the monks of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, which still dominates the island of Tumsky. The cathedral was surrounded by several small monasteries and houses of noble families. This place was considered an important economic center of the region, there was work for farmers and artisans.
Beer has long been an important part of the diet of medieval monks. So, in the records of the VIII-IX centuries. it is mentioned that the monks drank two or three liters of beer a day: in the morning, for breakfast, and at lunchtime. They had wine for dinner.
It takes a lot of barley to brew beer, and most medieval farmers couldn't afford it. But the monks had a lot of raw materials, as well as time to make a intoxicating drink. This was the prerequisite for the conflict between the city council of Wraclaw and the ministers of the Roman Catholic Church, when Archbishop Johann von Neumarkt allowed monks and ordinary enterprising people to brew beer.
The Wenceslas City Council was unable to accept the loss of huge beer profits, which were estimated at 30 to 50 percent of the city's budget.
Town hall members started with diplomacy. The council sent representatives to the monks to express their displeasure to the monks. There were also threats of confiscation and sanctions. Further, the monastery, standing on a river island in the center of the city, was subjected to a trade blockade.
The bishop responded with an interdict, i.e. banned the conduct of religious rituals and services in Wenceslas. In fact, he excommunicated the city from the Church in order to continue selling beer.
Then the city council decided to use force. But the soldiers were of little use. The chronicles say that they, drunk, wandered the streets of Wenceslas and plundered church property.
Even a military invasion did not affect the bishop. In the end, Pope Gregory XII overturned the interdict. He also ruled that the monks living on Tumskiy Island can brew beer, but only for themselves. Thus, the city council's monopoly was restored. And in the building of the town hall there is still a cellar, in which beer was previously brewed. It now houses one of the oldest restaurants in Europe.
And in the Russian Empire, the restaurant business developed is also quite peculiar.
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