The water quality was always so poor in medieval Europe that it caused enough alarm to be discussed at the highest levels of government. Aquaphobia was diagnosed in some cases, while others merely had an unreasonable fear of water. It would not be too much of an exaggeration to claim that bathing was unusual throughout the Middle Ages due to the widespread belief that water carried sickness. Some people only showered twice in their whole lives, like the King of France, Louis XIV. This monarch, over his whole reign, had a total of two baths with water. But, why?
Who Was Louis XIV?
These days, cleanliness can hardly be achieved without access to clean water. Several factors made this not the case in the 15th century. Water-borne germs were unknown, effective water treatment options did not exist, and hydraulics experts were hard to come by. This is why, throughout his 72-year reign, France’s 64th monarch used water for personal hygiene just twice.
Louis XIV, often known as the “Sun King,” was born on September 5, 1638, at the New Château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was given the nickname “Dieudonné” (Gift of God). At the tender age of four and a half, he succeeded his father, Louis XIII, as King of France. The young monarch joined the ranks of France’s youngest monarchs. He learned all he needed to know about becoming king from his mother, Anne of Austria, and his godfather, Cardinal Mazarin. A member of the Bourbon family, he ruled France as its 64th monarch and Navarre as its 44th king. Louis XIV is also remembered as one of the monarchs responsible for the installation of the many fountains and the provision of flowing water at the Palace of Versailles. This is a paradox of the monarch “who never took a bath.”
Views on Bathing with Water in the Middle Ages
During this time period, water was seen to be a potential cause of sickness, and light beer even substituted water in the Netherlands, according to many accounts. In certain other parts of the world at the same time, wine was substituted for water. People’s fear of water stemmed from an insufficient understanding of the dangers posed by germs and viruses found in water rather than from any specific phobia. Viruses and bacteria were first identified in the 17th and 18th centuries. But there were also alternatives to taking a bath with water.
There is a lot of evidence from the 15th to the 18th centuries that shows a serious lack of cleanliness for the European people. As a result of poor sanitation practices, especially with regards to garbage removal, hygiene conditions were appalling. Taking into account all this, it’s easy to see why King Louis was so worried about becoming sick from taking a shower with water. Because of the limited ability of early medicine to heal bacterial infections, Louis XIV opted for other, more comforting ways of maintaining personal cleanliness.
How Did Louis XIV Clean Himself without Taking a Bath?
But cleaning himself was still a daily ritual for King Louis XIV and it was still without bathing or water. Every morning when he woke up and again before bed, linens drenched in alcohol and scent were used to wash him. “Dry baths” referred to this practice of personal hygiene without the use of water. Perfume was indeed the most popular addition to the king’s cleaning rituals.
Smelling nice and maintaining a pristine exterior were both necessities. In addition, Louis XIV’s profuse perspiration necessitated frequent wardrobe changes. More than five times a day, the monarch would change his wardrobe for sweating too much. To project an image of tidiness, Louis XIV exclusively wore white shirts. For fresher breath, he mixed herbs like anise, cinnamon, and rosemary together and used it as a mouthwash.
Louis XIV Only Took a Bath with Water Twice
Except when required for health reasons, King Louis XIV never took a bath with water. Otherwise, he used alcohol and perfume in place of water for his dry baths throughout his life. The king’s bath included water solely because doctors said it would help his illnesses. For this reason, the French monarch Louis XIV only took two water baths throughout his whole reign.