I had a history teacher once tell me that "back then" women and men would often shave their heads because they would just "house lice". Therefore all the veils and headresses. I've never head this from any other source, any idea if this is true?
This picture looks like her head is indeed shaven...
I can't recall how it was done, but the fashion in headdresses dictated it, rather than lice. They either cropped their hair short, or arranged it under the thing. Lice have always been around and are still around. No one ever shaved their head just for that.
Most of the biggest historical howlers I've heard came from teachers. I had one who said the Puritans were called Puritans "because they wanted to purify the Church of England of all the statues." And people talk of bad formation among priests.
No, by Philippa of Lancaster. Most of the children were by her, except for the brace of Beauforts. Blanche of Castille only had one daughter, who became Queen of Castille by marriage and by right, and a son who died young.
Thanks Jeffrey. I actually read that very thing in a book yesterday. At this time when the huge headdresses were all the fashion women shaved or plucked the foreheads and temples. We haven't changed much at all, slaves to fashion then and now.
Ummm, no actually. Isabella of Portugal was his granddaughter by his first wife, Blanche of *Lancaster*. Philippa of Portugal was Gaunt's daughter by Blanche, Catherine of Spain was his daughter by Constance of *Castile* and the Beauforts were his children by Katherine Swynford. http://katherineswynford.blogspot.com
Wife of Philip the Good. She was John of Gaunt's granddaughter.
I had a history teacher once tell me that "back then" women and men would often shave their heads because they would just "house lice". Therefore all the veils and headresses. I've never head this from any other source, any idea if this is true?
ReplyDeleteThis picture looks like her head is indeed shaven...
I can't recall how it was done, but the fashion in headdresses dictated it, rather than lice. They either cropped their hair short, or arranged it under the thing.
ReplyDeleteLice have always been around and are still around. No one ever shaved their head just for that.
Most of the biggest historical howlers I've heard came from teachers. I had one who said the Puritans were called Puritans "because they wanted to purify the Church of England of all the statues." And people talk of bad formation among priests.
ReplyDeleteI checked. The fashion among upper class women was to shave the forehead and pull the hair up to go under the headdress.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey - by which of his three wives? Blanche?
ReplyDeleteNo, by Philippa of Lancaster. Most of the children were by her, except for the brace of Beauforts. Blanche of Castille only had one daughter, who became Queen of Castille by marriage and by right, and a son who died young.
ReplyDeleteI know you mentioned this the other day, but it continues to surprise me how a painting captures personality vs a photograph. It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteWell put - a brace of Beauforts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeffrey. I actually read that very thing in a book yesterday. At this time when the huge headdresses were all the fashion women shaved or plucked the foreheads and temples. We haven't changed much at all, slaves to fashion then and now.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, no actually. Isabella of Portugal was his granddaughter by his first wife, Blanche of *Lancaster*. Philippa of Portugal was Gaunt's daughter by Blanche, Catherine of Spain was his daughter by Constance of *Castile* and the Beauforts were his children by Katherine Swynford.
ReplyDeletehttp://katherineswynford.blogspot.com