10 Unbelievable But Documented Things People Believed in the Middle Ages

Animals Could Be Put on Trial

Imagine strolling through a medieval village and stumbling upon a courtroom scene where a pig stands on trial, complete with a lawyer arguing its innocence. This isn’t a joke—it’s a historical fact. In the Middle Ages, animals including pigs, dogs, horses, and even insects were genuinely believed to have moral agency, capable of committing crimes like murder or vandalism. Legal records from France in 1386 detail a pig being convicted and executed for killing a child, and this was far from an isolated incident. Animals were sometimes assigned legal representation, and the trials mimicked human legal proceedings, with witnesses, cross-examinations, and even appeals. Some animals were dressed up in human clothes, emphasizing the bizarre seriousness with which these cases were handled. These court proceedings were documented in municipal records across Europe, providing chilling evidence of just how blurred the boundaries between man and beast were in the medieval imagination. This practice was a reflection of a society that viewed the world through a lens of deep superstition and strict religious morality.

Mandrakes Screamed When Uprooted

The myth of the mandrake root was one that sent shivers down the spines of many medieval herbalists and farmers. It was believed that the mandrake, which often looks eerily human-shaped, would emit a blood-curdling scream when pulled from the ground—so powerful it could kill anyone within earshot. This terrifying belief led to elaborate harvesting rituals: people would tie a hungry dog to the plant and run, letting the animal do the dangerous work. Ancient texts, including those by Pliny the Elder, helped spread this legend, and medieval bestiaries kept it alive for centuries. The mandrake’s supposed magical properties, from love potions to sleeping drafts, made it highly sought after despite the risk. Even as late as the 16th century, scholars like John Gerard wrote about these legends, showing how persistent and widespread the fear was. This strange mix of botany and superstition is a perfect example of how medieval people struggled to separate fact from fantasy.

The “Wandering Womb”

One of the most bizarre and, frankly, sexist medical beliefs of the Middle Ages was the idea of the “wandering womb.” According to this theory, a woman’s uterus could move freely throughout her body, causing all manner of physical and emotional ailments—everything from shortness of breath to sudden fits of hysteria. This notion can be traced back to ancient Greek medicine, but it took a strong hold in medieval Europe, shaping treatments and justifying restrictive attitudes toward women’s health. Remedies ranged from sweet-smelling herbs placed near the vagina to “coax” the womb back into place, to more invasive and dangerous procedures. The “wandering womb” was used to explain symptoms that doctors didn’t understand, contributing to the stigma faced by women with mental health struggles. This belief lingered well into the Renaissance, despite mounting evidence against it, and serves as a stark reminder of how misunderstanding anatomy can reinforce harmful stereotypes. Medical texts from the era, like those of Avicenna and Hippocrates, helped perpetuate this myth long after it should have faded.

The Earth Was Flat (to Some Extent)

While it’s a common myth that all medieval people thought the world was flat, the reality is more complicated—and more revealing. Among the general population and some early medieval thinkers, the idea of a flat Earth did persist, especially before the increased circulation of classical texts in the Renaissance. Many religious scholars, influenced by scriptural interpretations, described the world as a flat disc or square, surrounded by a great ocean. Early medieval maps, such as the T and O maps, depicted the world accordingly, reinforcing this belief. However, educated elites, especially after the 12th century, were more likely to accept the Earth’s sphericity, drawing on ancient Greek and Roman sources. Still, the gap between educated and popular beliefs was enormous—most common folk, unexposed to scholarly debates, kept to the flat Earth model. This misconception shaped how people viewed travel, exploration, and even the boundaries of their known world.

Unicorns Were Real and Symbolic

In medieval Europe, unicorns were more than just fairy-tale creatures—they were considered real, living animals whose horns could cure disease and neutralize poison. Bestiaries, the animal encyclopedias of the day, depicted unicorns as elusive horse-like creatures with a single spiraled horn, believed to be tamable only by pure-hearted virgins. This belief had practical effects: so-called “unicorn horns” (often actually narwhal tusks) were sold for astronomical sums in apothecaries and royal courts. Unicorn imagery appeared everywhere, from church tapestries to coats of arms, serving as a symbol of purity, chastity, and divine grace. The belief in unicorns was so entrenched that even explorers like Marco Polo mentioned them in their accounts, albeit with some skepticism. The fascination with unicorns reflects a culture that mixed faith, natural history, and fantasy without hesitation, always searching for proof of the miraculous in the everyday world.

Bees Were Born from Oxen Carcasses

The idea that bees could be spontaneously generated from the rotting flesh of oxen or bulls, a process called bugonia, might sound absurd today, but it was widely accepted in medieval Europe. This belief came from ancient sources, particularly Virgil’s “Georgics,” and was repeated in medieval agricultural manuals and encyclopedias. Beekeepers at the time sometimes attempted to produce new hives by placing dead animals in their fields, genuinely expecting bees to emerge. The persistence of bugonia highlights the limits of scientific understanding before the discovery of reproduction and germ theory. Even as late as the 16th century, some scholars argued fiercely for or against spontaneous generation, showing how deeply these ideas were embedded in the culture. The belief also points to a reverence for bees, seen as mysterious and magical creatures essential to life and agriculture. The strange theory persisted until more accurate observations finally debunked it in the Renaissance.

The Existence of Dog-Headed People (Cynocephali)

Medieval maps and travel tales were filled with references to the Cynocephali—humanoid beings with the heads of dogs said to inhabit the farthest reaches of the known world. These legendary creatures were mentioned by respected figures like St. Augustine and Marco Polo, who either believed in their existence or used them as symbols of the unknown. Early maps, such as the Hereford Mappa Mundi, placed Cynocephali on the fringes of the world, reinforcing the idea that Europe was surrounded by lands of monsters and marvels. Some travelers returned with wild stories of encounters, blurring the line between fact and fiction. The fascination with dog-headed people reflected both a curiosity about distant lands and a tendency to explain cultural differences with monstrous imagery. These myths reveal how medieval Europeans tried to make sense of a world they couldn’t fully explore, filling in the blanks with creatures straight out of nightmares.

Diseases Were Caused by Sin or Miasma

During the Black Death and other devastating plagues, the people of the Middle Ages were desperate for explanations—and their answers were often spiritual or atmospheric. Many believed that diseases were sent by God as punishment for sin, leading to mass processions, self-flagellation, and calls for repentance. Others embraced the miasma theory, which held that “bad air” or noxious vapors caused illness. Plague doctors wore bird-like masks stuffed with aromatic herbs, hoping to filter out deadly airs and protect themselves. These beliefs shaped public health measures, from bonfires to fumigate towns to the burning of aromatic woods. The lack of understanding about germs and hygiene meant that these measures were largely ineffective, and sometimes even made things worse. The spiritual and atmospheric explanations for disease reflect a world where science, religion, and superstition were deeply intertwined, and where the fight against epidemics was as much about faith as it was about medicine.

The King’s Touch Could Heal Disease

The belief in the royal touch—the idea that kings of England and France could heal diseases by laying hands on the afflicted—was a cornerstone of medieval political and spiritual life. The most famous disease supposedly cured by this touch was scrofula, known as “the King’s Evil,” a form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes. Royal healing ceremonies became elaborate affairs, with thousands of sufferers lining up for a chance at miraculous recovery. Kings distributed special coins called “touch pieces,” believed to carry healing power. Chronicles from the time record countless testimonials of cures, though modern historians are skeptical about their authenticity. This belief reinforced the divine right of kings, suggesting that their rule was sanctioned by God and imbued with supernatural power. The practice persisted well into the 18th century, showing just how deeply the medieval world mixed politics, religion, and medicine.

Women Could Be Witches with Real Magical Powers

Few beliefs were more dangerous in the Middle Ages than the conviction that women could be witches, capable of casting spells, flying, or consorting with demons. Witchcraft accusations exploded during times of social upheaval or disease, with women—especially those who were old, poor, or outspoken—becoming easy scapegoats. Manuals like the “Malleus Maleficarum” (“Hammer of Witches”), published in 1487, offered detailed guides for identifying, interrogating, and punishing witches, fueling mass hysteria. Trials were often based on little more than rumor, with confessions extracted under torture or threat of execution. The result was a wave of witch hunts that swept across Europe, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands, mostly women. The belief in witches had real, deadly consequences, shaping laws, culture, and even art for centuries. This dark chapter in history shows the devastating power of superstition and fear when combined with institutional authority.