A Few Dating Tips from Medieval Times
From Getty Medievalist Larisa Grollemond
Calendar Page for May; Hawking and Courting; Gemini, about 1450-1455, Master of the Lee Hours. J. Paul Getty Museum.
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Looking to impress a certain someone this Valentine’s Day?
Here are some medieval courtship tips:
Tip 1: Dress to Impress
Many calendar pages in medieval books of hours show images of courting young couples. Often, they're sporting the latest fashions.
So, fellas, if you'd like to woo a woman like it's 1499, its time to pull out your finest leggings like the man in the image above.
May Calendar Page; Courting; Gemini (detail), early 16th century, German. Getty Museum, Ms. Ludwig IX 16 (83.ML.112), fol. 5
Tip 2: Know Your Way Around a Horse
Many of the couples that appear in calendar pages featuring courting appear on horseback. Horseback riding was a popular pursuit for nobility.
If you want to impress your partner like the 15th-century French lord featured above, be prepared to take them riding.
Codex Manesse, Leuthold von Seven, 1305-1340, Zurich. Parchment, opaque color miniatures, 10 x 14in. Bibliotecha Palatina (Universitätsbibliothek), Cod. Pal. germ. 848, Bl. 164v
Tip 3: Bring a Gift
In the Middle Ages, if you were visiting a romantic interest it was a good idea to bring along a gift. But what would a historical object of affection appreciate?
A 12th-century guide to courtly love, from which the above image is found, suggests several love tokens: including purses, rings, mirrors, girdles, and washbasins.
May Calendar Page; Courtly Love; Gemini, about 1440-1450, Workshop of the Bedford Master. Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink, 9 1/4 × 6 7/16 in. Getty Museum, Ms. Ludwig IX 6 (83.ML.102), fol. 5
Tip 4: Come Prepared With Topics to Spark Lively Conversation
Maybe the results of your latest hunt?
Two women trying to catch flying hearts in a net, first quarter of the 16th century, attributed to the Master of the Chronique scandaleuse. The British Library, Stowe 955, fol. 13. Image © British Library Board. Image licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0)
Follow these instructions, and pretty soon you’ll be catching hearts left and right!
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