Devin Jacobs
Justice in Medieval times didn’t always make sense. Back then, laws could punish the strangest things—sometimes harmless habits or quirky choices—just because they scared someone in power. Common people could get in trouble for things you’d never imagine. Keep reading to find out a world where authority was oddly strict and occasionally downright bizarre.
Restrictions On Wearing Colors
Imagine being told what color gown you could wear, not based on your personal style, but on your social standing. In medieval times, some laws did just that. Commoners were limited to muted earth tones, while vibrant colors like purple were reserved for royalty.
Wearing Pointed Shoes Beyond A Certain Length
Think about this: The length of your shoe could get you in trouble. Pointed shoes called poulaines were a big status symbol. For nobles, they could extend up to two feet in extreme cases, but commoners were often restricted to around half a foot beyond their toes.
Regulations On Bathhouse Conduct
Medieval bathhouses were a bit different from what we’d expect. Civic officials kept a close eye on them to prevent misconduct. To maintain order, certain towns and ecclesiastical authorities discouraged mixed-gender bathing due to fears of immorality, with attendants supervising patrons to provide services and maintain some order.
Restrictions On Beard Length For Clergy
Religious commitment also had its own unique rulebook, where something as personal as facial hair was subject to restrictions. Some regions required a clean-shaven face, whereas others demanded a full beard. Church councils strictly enforced these regulations for clergy.
Wearing Fur According To Status
Wearing fur was a symbol of power and prestige in the past. Nobles had exclusive access to the most luxurious varieties, but commoners were largely limited to cheaper types. Expensive furs were a powerful indicator of elite status in society, so this rule really set the fashion boundaries.
Playing Music During Religious Holidays
Holiday celebrations back then came with their own set of rules, especially concerning music. Religious authorities usually restricted what could be played, permitting only sacred compositions in both churches and public gatherings. Maintaining a spiritual atmosphere took an interesting approach.
Selling Bread At Fixed Weights
If you were a baker back then, officials would regularly inspect your loaves to make sure they weighed exactly what they were supposed to. Try to cheat the system, and you’d risk fines—or worse, public humiliation in the pillory. Underweight bread was treated like a serious offense, with penalties designed to shame you into honesty.
Wearing Masks Outside Carnival Season
Carnival season was a time when the rules were temporarily relaxed. But masks were banned as soon as the celebrations were over. Authorities saw masks as a way for people to cause trouble anonymously and imposed fines on anyone who dared to wear one on days it wasn’t a holiday.
Roaming Of Pigs In Towns
They scavenged through scraps, refuse, and discarded food, helping clear out everyday filth, but they also caused a lot of property damage. As a result, towns had to create strict laws. Pig owners were required to keep their animals penned up. They could not roam freely in town streets. Violators could face fines or have their animals taken away.
Banning Women From Wearing Certain Clothes
Gender distinctions were also very serious in medieval clothing. Controlled laws made it clear that women were not to wear men’s attire or accessories like hats or tunics. These dress codes were meant to maintain clear social boundaries and could result in public shaming or a fine.
Wearing Decorative Embroidery
If you weren’t a noble, you couldn’t have decorative embroidery on your clothes. The nobility maintained exclusive rights to those elaborate garments. Commoners had to get creative with other options, like patterned weaving, wool trims, or stitched patches made from leftover fabric.
Having Fancy Buttons On Clothes
Decorative buttons were an art form in their own right and a way to show off wealth. They were made from precious materials like gold, silver, and ivory. Medieval laws restricted their use to nobles, so the average person could not have these beautiful buttons on their shirts and pants.
Mixed-Gender Dancing
Religious and civic leaders issued various restrictions on public dancing between men and women. However, this one particular rule was broken during celebrations more than any other on the list. It seems that the desire to dance has always been too strong to be contained.
Public Shaming For Adultery
In some towns, getting caught in an affair meant being literally paraded through the streets. Offenders had to wear special garments and stand in the town square where everyone saw their misstep. This public humiliation was the punishment itself, a very clear reminder of what could happen if you broke community standards.
Wearing Cloaks With Long Trains
Some nobles wore cloaks with incredibly long trains that trailed on the ground. The upper classes used these long, decorated cloaks to showcase their high social rank. Although common people wore similar robes, the trains had to be shorter and the garment more practical.
Trials And Executions Of Animals
Animals could face full legal trials for crimes like murder or crop destruction, treated just like human defendants. Even insects like locusts could be excommunicated by church courts. The odd justice system aimed to restore cosmic order, but it turned barnyard mishaps into courtroom dramas.
Marriage Approval Laws For Peasants
Love wasn’t free if you were a serf. In some regions, peasants had to seek permission from their feudal lord before marrying. The lord’s approval was tied to labor obligations and inheritance control. Marrying without consent could lead to fines or worse, forced separation.
Spirit Or Ghost Trials
In early modern Europe, courts sometimes accepted spectral evidence (claims that a person’s spirit or ghost had harmed someone) as legal proof, without any physical evidence. So, if someone said they saw your spirit in a dream or vision, you could be arrested.
Owning Certain Birds
Falconry was the sport of the elite, and laws made sure it stayed that way. Only nobles were allowed to own and train birds of prey like falcons and hawks. And if a commoner was caught with one, it could be confiscated, and they might face punishment for daring to act above their station.
Using Spices In Cooking
Exotic spices like saffron, cinnamon, and cloves weren’t just expensive. They were legally reserved for the upper classes. The laws extended to the kitchen, meaning commoners had to stick to local herbs and simpler flavors. Cooking with the wrong ingredients could land you in trouble for culinary overreach.