Dan Snow's History Hit Medieval Sex
Oct 9, 2025
Dr. Eleanor Janega, a medieval historian and author, dives into the fascinating world of medieval sexuality with wit and insight. She debunks myths like the chastity belt and explores sexual agency among widows. The discussion spans from erotic manuscript art to the sexual liberation found during pilgrimages. Janega also highlights the roles of gender-variant individuals and the risks of childbirth, revealing a surprisingly open-minded medieval sexual culture. Throughout, she tackles class differences in sexual practices and societal norms with humor and expertise.
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Marriage As The Church's Sexual Workaround
- The medieval church promoted marriage as a legal workaround to regulate sex while valuing celibacy as ideal.
- Sex inside marriage served a procreative purpose but was socially accepted as inevitable and regulated by clergy.
Tight Rules Around Married Sex
- Medieval thinkers expected sex within marriage to be strictly controlled and minimally pleasurable.
- Thomas Aquinas and others advised quick, clothed, nighttime intercourse focused on procreation, not enjoyment.
Female Orgasm Seen As Reproductive
- Medieval physiology assumed women experienced internal 'semen' and needed orgasm to conceive.
- This led to the expectation that women must orgasm during intercourse for procreation to occur.
