Medicine Goes Dark

*Sigh* What does it say about ancient Christianity that some useful ob/gyn info travelled back from the Muslims? Ack.

Surely one could look at Islamic historical data and see if chastity belts existed before the 15th century, if so (I bet they were), mystery solved.

Of course, nasty things like chastity belts weren’t the only inhumane items from the Muslims (not that Europe was short on horrible devices and practices of their own). I find people like Vlaad the Impaler ironic since he learned so much nastiness from the Turks and yet used it so ruthlessly even they were taken aback.

It just occurred to me that you might really enjoy reading The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory, if you like historical fiction.

I know, she writes girly books & all that – but this one is unlike many of her other books, and it is so, so good. It's Katherine of Aragon, who can't provide her husband an heir as you know (he was some famous king you might have heard about before LOL). A lot of the book focuses on how she was longing for the knowledge the Moorish midwives had, the knowledge her own parents (Isabel & Ferdinand) had wiped out – and how ignorant the doctors in England were, etc. That was the most interesting part of the book, I thought, where she realizes what was lost to simple intolerance & how much it will cost her – and how she brings it full circle in her own life. Well, in the book anyway – I haven't looked it up to see if one particular event is historically accurate.

I know that folks who read Philippa Gregory really enjoy the books.

I just can't read them. She takes so many liberties with the history that I just can't.

test comment — sorry to use your venue — computer is giving me fits

Pretty interesting stuff. In fact, the comments were pretty good too. I enjoyed reading through it all.

Some nights I think fondly about a chastity belt. Most often it's the nights I have a headache.

I don't mind it, but I've never been a purist about fiction. I took three college classes in British history & have been there a few times – so I can usually pick out the inaccuracies – or look them up. Reading historical fiction has inspired me to learn more about things I didn't know much about or hadn't ever heard of, and I love comparing the story to the actual history. I do really appreciate an author who can weave the story without fooling around with the history.

But what does history matter if it is getting in the way of the plot? LOL Take it apart, ruin it, make it beg for mercy, all in the name of a good story and great characters. Okay, not really.

I know a lot of people were totally freaked about liberties she took with "The Other Boleyn Sister" or whatever that one was called. The movie only bears a slight resemblance to the book, and it bears almost no resemblance to actual history at all. The liberties taken in the book were minor, I thought – such as birth order of the sisters. I didn't see where it added to the plot particularly, but I didn't care that she switched them. She still brought to life the mindset of the times, what women were worth – how little they were worth except as baby (boy) breeders if they were royals, how much more potential their lives actually had for happiness if they weren't part of the court. I really like how she doesn't glorify the royalty or write as if they were the only people who existed.

At any rate, I've read several of her books & none of them holds a candle to The Constant Princess. It stands out in my mind. I thought she wove the histories of two countries together so brilliantly – and highlighted how much damage was done to society by Spain's most famous historical monarchs. It's a part of that history that is largely ignored.

I'm happy to have a few liberties taken with historical details in exchange for seeing what I've read in dull history books come to life in fiction, or casts light on history in a different way than I've thought of before. I only mind it if the story is bad & the liberties taken were pointless. LOL

However, everything history tells us about Catherine of Aragon is that she was an incredibly pious Catholic, who probably totally approved of everything her parents did to rid themselves of those horrid infidels. So the idea that she suddenly has an epiphany when her hubby's syphilis ended her procreative days is a bit of a stretch. It would have been nice to think, but I just can't get there.

I gather this was a different nunnery than referenced by Shakespeare!
As regards to chastity belts, from what I've heard, the locksmith was in high demand.

In 2 months of taking Vimax Pills I managed to gain 1.5 inches! My sexual desire increased greatly as well as my erections became fuller and longer lasting…

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