Cannibalism is often seen as a barbaric and primitive act, far removed from the civilized societies of medieval Europe. However, historical accounts suggest that episodes of cannibalism occurred during the Crusades, raising questions about the cultural and psychological factors that drove such extreme behaviour.
A new article by Andrea Maraschi examines the intriguing topic of cannibalism between Christians and Muslims from the eleventh to the thirteenth century. The study suggests that cannibalism was not always viewed as barbaric but was sometimes considered justifiable or even respectable in certain circumstances.
The most (in)famous episodes of cannibalism during the Crusades took place at the siege of Ma’arra an-Numan in December 1098. The chronicler Fulcher of Chartres reports that after twenty days:
our people suffered excessive hunger. I shudder to speak of it, because very many of our people, harassed by the madness of excessive hunger, cut off pieces from the buttocks of the Saracens already dead there, which they cooked and chewed, and devoured with savage mouth, when insufficiently roasted at the fire.
Fulcher’s commentary suggests this was an extreme act that could only be justified by the dire circumstances of the Crusaders and the overriding importance of their mission in the Holy Land. However, Maraschi notes that other chroniclers had different justifications for cannibalism. Albert of Aix, another important source for the First Crusade, explains that, “the Christians did not shrink from eating not only killed Turks or Saracens, but even creeping dogs,” which suggests he was dehumanizing their Muslim opponents, placing them on the level of an animal.
Then we have Raymond d’Aguilier, another participant of the First Crusade, who gives this account:
Meanwhile, there was so great a famine in the army that the people ate most greedily the many already fetid bodies of the Saracens which they had cast into the swamps of the city two weeks and more ago. These events frightened many people of our race, as well as Outsiders…
But the Saracens and the Turks said on the contrary: ‘And who can resist this people who are so obstinate and cruel, . . . who now feed on human flesh?’ These and other most cruel practices the pagans said exist among us. For God had given fear of us to all races, but we did not know it.
Maraschi sees this as an example where one side views themselves as predators and the other as prey. It further helps the Crusaders see Muslims as a non-human other. He also notes that several Crusader sources, including Pope Urban II who launched the First Crusade, believed that pagans practiced cannibalism themselves and even that Muslims targeted Christian pilgrims by slicing up their bodies to search for gold or silver inside their bowels.
There is also another interesting aspect when it comes to cannibalism during the Crusades. Both Christian and Muslim soldiers were reported to have harvested defeated corpses for their body parts. In particular, the gallbladder would be taken out, as it was widely believed to have medicinal or magical powers.
By shedding light on these historical practices, Maraschi’s article invites readers to reconsider their preconceived notions of cannibalism and explore the intricate cultural and social dynamics that shaped these behaviors. The study serves as a reminder of the complexity of human history and the diverse ways in which societies have understood and engaged with the taboo of cannibalism.
The article, “Episodes of Cannibalism Between Christians and Muslims from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Century: Cases of Dehumanization and Hyper-Humanization,” by Andrea Maraschi, appears in Food, Culture & Society: An International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. Click here to access it.
A. Maraschi, Episodes of cannibalism between Christians and Muslims from the eleventh to the thirteenth century. Cases of dehumanization and hyper-humanization: Food, Culture & Society (2024) https://t.co/6b56fDfJJ7#medievaltwitter#AcademicTwitter
Cannibalism is often seen as a barbaric and primitive act, far removed from the civilized societies of medieval Europe. However, historical accounts suggest that episodes of cannibalism occurred during the Crusades, raising questions about the cultural and psychological factors that drove such extreme behaviour.
A new article by Andrea Maraschi examines the intriguing topic of cannibalism between Christians and Muslims from the eleventh to the thirteenth century. The study suggests that cannibalism was not always viewed as barbaric but was sometimes considered justifiable or even respectable in certain circumstances.
The most (in)famous episodes of cannibalism during the Crusades took place at the siege of Ma’arra an-Numan in December 1098. The chronicler Fulcher of Chartres reports that after twenty days:
our people suffered excessive hunger. I shudder to speak of it, because very many of our people, harassed by the madness of excessive hunger, cut off pieces from the buttocks of the Saracens already dead there, which they cooked and chewed, and devoured with savage mouth, when insufficiently roasted at the fire.
Fulcher’s commentary suggests this was an extreme act that could only be justified by the dire circumstances of the Crusaders and the overriding importance of their mission in the Holy Land. However, Maraschi notes that other chroniclers had different justifications for cannibalism. Albert of Aix, another important source for the First Crusade, explains that, “the Christians did not shrink from eating not only killed Turks or Saracens, but even creeping dogs,” which suggests he was dehumanizing their Muslim opponents, placing them on the level of an animal.
Then we have Raymond d’Aguilier, another participant of the First Crusade, who gives this account:
Meanwhile, there was so great a famine in the army that the people ate most greedily the many already fetid bodies of the Saracens which they had cast into the swamps of the city two weeks and more ago. These events frightened many people of our race, as well as Outsiders…
But the Saracens and the Turks said on the contrary: ‘And who can resist this people who are so obstinate and cruel, . . . who now feed on human flesh?’ These and other most cruel practices the pagans said exist among us. For God had given fear of us to all races, but we did not know it.
Maraschi sees this as an example where one side views themselves as predators and the other as prey. It further helps the Crusaders see Muslims as a non-human other. He also notes that several Crusader sources, including Pope Urban II who launched the First Crusade, believed that pagans practiced cannibalism themselves and even that Muslims targeted Christian pilgrims by slicing up their bodies to search for gold or silver inside their bowels.
There is also another interesting aspect when it comes to cannibalism during the Crusades. Both Christian and Muslim soldiers were reported to have harvested defeated corpses for their body parts. In particular, the gallbladder would be taken out, as it was widely believed to have medicinal or magical powers.
By shedding light on these historical practices, Maraschi’s article invites readers to reconsider their preconceived notions of cannibalism and explore the intricate cultural and social dynamics that shaped these behaviors. The study serves as a reminder of the complexity of human history and the diverse ways in which societies have understood and engaged with the taboo of cannibalism.
The article, “Episodes of Cannibalism Between Christians and Muslims from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Century: Cases of Dehumanization and Hyper-Humanization,” by Andrea Maraschi, appears in Food, Culture & Society: An International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. Click here to access it.
Andrea Maraschi teaches Anthropology of Food at the University of Bologna and is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bari. He also teaches the online courses “Tastes of the Middle Ages: A Food History” and “The Magical World of the Early and High Middle Ages.”
Top Image: A 13th-century depiction of crusader executions – Bibliotheque Nationale De France / Wikimedia Commons
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