{"id":97531,"date":"2021-06-09T13:18:29","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T12:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=97531"},"modified":"2021-06-14T12:19:04","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T11:19:04","slug":"the-perfumed-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=97531","title":{"rendered":"The Perfumed Court"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bathing is an essential part of our lives. Unquestionably, right? Well, for the French King, Louis XIV, the act of taking a shower was not only rare but terrifying. The french aristocracy shared this concern in the 17th century, as it was believed that water brought sickness (so the less you bathed, the less vulnerable you were). Word on the street says the King himself only showered twice during his lifetime. Versailles, on the other hand, was very fragrant. To know more about this, keep reading The Perfumed Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The creation of Versailles goes recorded in history as one of the most expensive in terms of contemporary money, costing over 300 billion pounds. Despite this, the architects were forced to cut costs, which is why the palace of the then-reigning ‘Sun King’ is famous for its occupants, costly d\u00e9cor, and draughts so powerful that people had to sleep wearing ten layers of clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the main claim to fame of 14th century Versailles was its foul odours that were hard to conceal. Is this simply a random assumption about what was going on back then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that time, hot water was seen as a substance that aided in the spread of numerous ailments. There was a notion that hot water opened up pores through which any illness, even the plague, might enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Most of the time, King Louis XIV took portable baths. In terms of the monarch’s overall hygiene, he was cleaned down with an alcohol-soaked towel every morning, and he changed his bottom layer of garments multiple times a day. However, because King Louis’ subjects at Versailles did not have their own baths, their personal hygiene consisted of so-called “dry washing”. They cleaned themselves with a rag, which was typically dry but occasionally drenched in something unpleasant. Nonetheless, they used to change their undergarments and shirts regularly \u2014 the cleanliness displayed as indicated by white cuffs that were flaunted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was difficult to eradicate all of these odours, which is why courtiers wore so much perfume. Perfumes often contained strong smells of animal origin, such as ambergris or musk. The court pharmacists would make sachets, which were not only placed in the linen and garment chests but were also sewed into the armpits or thighs of the outfits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King Louis XIV used perfume liberally when he was younger, but he became unable to tolerate intense aromas as he grew older. That’s why, before the King entered a room, his staff would open all the windows to let all the fragrant odours leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To sweeten the air, containers of flower petals were placed throughout the Palace. Perfume was sprayed on the furniture. Even the fountain and guests were sprinkled with perfume upon entering the Palace, most likely as a protective measure during a time when cleanliness was limited. In fact, the air in the French court’s gilded salons was so fragrant that the court was dubbed “The Perfumed Court”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glover-perfumers rose to even greater prominence and influence. Parliament gave them additional patents in gratitude. Vast sums were spent on fragrances by the aristocracy: In Choisy, where Madame de Pompadour became famous for elevating exquisite living to new heights, perfume was used on a massive scale, becoming the dominant item in the household budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, we can only hear stories of how a French King invented perfume. Today is also the day that we can go a little further to understand how those fragrances were created:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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