The Experiences of Disabled people in the Medieval world
King Henry VIII and Will Sommer (from the Psalter of Henry VIII, 1530-1547)
By Madeline Richards
When modern audiences are presented with the idea of the ‘Middle Ages’, immediate images of Arthur and his roundtable of knights, chivalrous tales and gruesome battles on horseback often come to mind for many- but there is so much more to this era that goes unnoticed. What may be less likely spring to mind is the prevalence of disability and illness, eradicating an integral and often marginalised segment of history that helped to shape identity and legacy in Middle England.
Historicising disability has only recently become a recognised area of research, with studies first emerging in the early 2000s. With disability month fast approaching, these studies are an integral cog in further defining, understanding and celebrating disability identity today as scholars continue to explore the rich history of disability culture that has persisted, often being underrepresented and unexplored. Christopher Baswell from the Guardian claims that being “Able bodied was neither quite so frequent nor so dominating in the Middle Ages or Renaissance as it became later”, portraying what some may describe as a hidden history surrounding disabilities in the period.
Disability and illnesses are most certainly not a modern phenomenon, being extremely widespread and deeply engrained into Medieval culture. Although for most disabled people in this era, experience was plagued with indifference, fear and neglect, not all disabled people were as marginalised and on the outskirts of society as one may assume. Many disabled people were able to reach social, political and cultural prominence in the Middle Ages, indicating an unexpected tolerance for differences in what is deemed the ‘Dark Ages’. King John of Bohemia lost his sight in 1396 whilst in Lithuania and continued to rule and fight on horseback blind. Hermann of Reichenau, also called “Hermann the cripple” was a prominent disabled Latin, Greek and Arabic scholar who could scarcely move without assistance. The founder of the Timurid Empire was disabled in his right leg and right hand.
Jesters and fools are also of significant importance when exploring disability culture in the Medieval age, exploited as a means of perverse entertainment. ‘Natural fools’ were those with mental disabilities who were taken into courts or often ‘kept’ by aristocratic families and looked after. Their purpose was to perform and be ridiculed for the sole entertainment of the King and his guests. Although it is interesting to acknowledge the unique position and ranking that these fools asserted in elite society, it ultimately underlines general attitude towards disability and illness in the period as a strong sense of cruelty and mockery.
Interestingly, Henry VIII’s court jester, William Somer, was able to criticise the King in a starkly honest way that others would be unable to get away with. "You have so many frauditers, so many conveyers and so many deceivers to get up your money, that they get all to themselves". Somer was clearly able to voice harsh truths in a humorous manner with little to no fear, a perk that no other member of the court could enjoy. Fools were also treated relatively well by their court, richly clothed, well fed and provided with a ‘keeper’ as they would be unable to look after themselves. This also translates into popular literature of the time with King Lear’s fool being a voice of truth and reason amongst a world of chaos, a figure able to speak his mind and remain protected by greater powers.
Despite the notion that natural fools gained a respectable and unique ranking marked with a level of prestige, we must acknowledge how disability was still heavily mocked and misunderstood. The fool’s societal position was only what it was due to the humour that they provided at their expense of themselves for their superiors, firmly in a frame of ridicule.
Moreover, life was not always as glamorous and remarkable for disabled people who didn’t reach the ranks of the John of Bohemia’s and Hermannn of Reichenau’s of the Medieval world. As it does in a modern society, poverty added an additional barrier and layer of difficulty to a disabled person’s life that an aristocrat or monarch would not have to experience.
Due to the high value that the Medieval world placed upon manual labour, those physically unable to work in such an agrarian economy were extremely financially vulnerable. In the eyes of modernity, the state in the Medieval period provided very little and very poorly, forcing those unable to work, through no fault of their own, to rely upon the goodwill of family and friends in their community. Those unable to access any form of aid were forced into an unhappy life of vagrancy and begging, as poverty, disability and illness became synonymous with each other during this period.
One of the first ever specialised hospitals in dealing with long term illnesses and disability was called ‘Bedlam’, set up in 1247. Being the only institution like this in Europe, Bedlam was overcrowded and hugely underfunded. The name ‘Bedlam’ directly translates to chaos, which indicates only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how this institution was run. Sadly, patients experienced extreme levels of abuse, neglect and ridicule. Although it did mark the first professional attempt at caring for disabilities, it was an extremely rudimental and deeply flawed attempt that modern care facilities would deem deeply ineffective and perhaps even harmful for those being cared for.
Experiences for disabled people were underlined by neglect, mockery and sometimes rejection. There was a feeling of stark vulnerability that disabled people and people with long-term illnesses faced, often considered an economic liability, solely reliant upon the goodwill of their community with no state help. Many disabled people were sent away to religious convents or hospitals such as Bedlam, with many families feeling ashamed of having a disabled child.
Exploring the topic of disability is vitally important in helping us to spark conversations about people’s individual and wider societal experiences surrounding disabilities, and to expand accessibility and inclusion. Unveiling a hidden history that is seldom talked about ultimately helps us to eradicate myths surrounding illness and disability which further shapes our understanding of disability in a modern sense and sharpens vision of disability identity amongst communities today.