Get my book: www.amazon.com/Why-Does-Heathen-Rage-Crusades/dp/152395762X

As a berber, I can certify this is also a pagan berber tradition that Islam tried to ban but still exist even today in remote berberb villages. I don't know if berbers took it from Spaniards or the opposite

This reminds me of the tale of Attila the Huns death. After he died, his warriors cut their cheeks as well to shed the blood of warriors instead of the tears of women.

The concept of this being part of a woman grieving a violation of her body actually makes a lot of sense to me. As someone who suffers from PTSD as the result of rape, I can say that, while i didn't necessarily "scratch" my face, the psychological trauma led me to often attempt to slap or punch my own face hard enough to leave marks. Both as a form of self-punishment for "allowing the abuse to happen" and also I think partly in hope that it would lead people around me to realize something was wrong, since I was too afraid of being judged or considered guilty to actually verbalize what happened. For anyone out there dealing with this sort of compulsory self-harm. You are not alone, and also, hurting yourself is NOT going to make you feel better or heal your heart. I know it is hard, but PLEASE find someone to confide in. I did not begin to find healing until I told my now- husband what had happened to me, and even then it took me a long time to also get help from a therapist or tell anyone else. It is f***ing difficult, and I'm not saying it'll make the offense just disappear, but you are worthy of the effort it takes to heal. God sees your pain, he knows who/what caused it, and he will bring them to justice. The truth will set you free.

Sir Francis Drake witnessed Native American women scratching their face while weeping when he sailed around the globe. Seems to be more universal than cultural, or as you said instinctive.

2:19 - Ouch! Also, why am I somehow reminded of the modern - though unhealthy - practice of self-cutting as a relief from unhappiness?

Interesting. Self harm because of emotional anguish? Sounds familiar.

IDK why this was a recommendation, but it's very interesting. Specially when we note that this practice of drawing blood as a sign of extreme grief or penance was pretty common in medieval India as well. There are plenty of anecdotes thar talk about drawing blood from one's own chest to show grief or penance or even make an unbreakable vow.

I’ve scratched my face over emotional pain before. Many times in abusive relationships. It was the only way to lesson the overwhelming anguish I had inside me.

Seems to have a connection to shedding tears, like bleeding on the cheeks would show even more sorrow then even tears.

I was aware of face scratching at a funeral and I can see how such overwhelming grief can move one to do such a thing. It's the visual manifestation of pain, hints lost cuts deep

This video focuses on examples from Castile, but you guys should understand that this practice (as I mentioned in the video) has far earlier and more wide spread roots. This sort of thing was going on in the Saracen world at this time as well, and the pre-Christian Middle East. Indeed, this was still done in funerals in the Middle East in certain areas until fairly recently, despite religious prohibitions. My guess would be that it would be difficult to pinpoint the origins of this.

I love your everything about your videos... the way you tell the story, the images, background music, your voice and of course the subject matter. Thanks

This was so cool. Reading the comments apparently many cultures do this, it has to be a unique human instinct. I wonder if there’s a group of people who still do it, or a movement to bring it back.

as usual … outstanding and so informative.

A good traditional Spanish funeral used to have both face scratching and hired women crying and mourning in name of the family and town. If you couldn’t attend the funeral, you could send a “llorona” to represent you and your family as well 😭

Excellent, well-presented. I don't know about cheek-scratching, but wearing sackcloth and dowsing one's head with ashes goes back to at least 1,000 BC (as documented in the old Hebrew records). I read somewhere else, that showy demonstrations of grief actually help reduce grieving time, and healing from grief.

Thank you, "Real Crusades History", for posting this video. I found it very interesting, especially because some of my Spanish ancestors were from the historic capital of Castile. God bless you, always.🙏✝️🙏

I am a new subscriber to your channel. Thank you for creating this channel- that I might be educated about other cultures during medieval times.

So glad I found this channel.

Great video as always! I’ve never heard of this practice before. It makes me wonder if GRRM, author of Song of Ice & Fire or better known as Game of Thrones, took this bit of historical fact & adapted it 2 his story like he has done w/ other historical facts/events. Catelyn Stark does this after witnessing the slaughter @ the Red Wedding

Love your voice and The way you express the histori, makes history more intresting.

Thanks for the video I really enjoyed it 🙃

When my grandmother (who was born in 1937) was growing up in rural West Virginia, it was very common for women to faint at funerals. They would let out a scream and then fall over in the floor. I assume it was the sight of the dead body, or maybe overwhelmed by sorrow, or maybe both. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

the fact that you provide sources means that I can use your video's in papers

Now that I’m hearing this, I have a distinct sense of deja vu to all of my psych and Bible classes. This is definitely instinctual among humans to some degree, and it just goes to show what the impact of someone’s death is like for their loved ones. It’s actually scary and sad.

Watch the movie "Zorba, the Greek". There is a mourning scene, in a small Greek village. The mourners are very demonstrative, weeping and wailing loudly, overly loudly. Your description reminded me of that.

You are Great! I’ve never heard of cheek scratching to show emotional pain. So crazy! I do like how you keep repeating that this was a different time and people thought with a wholly different mind set. I really enjoy your videos. Thank You for taking your time to enlighten us💓👍👏🇺🇸

I've just found your channel,and I am so impressed at your focus and content! I will be subbing asap! Your clear and well done "matter of fact" narration shows deliberation and intelligence and a well versed knowledge of English,syntax and how to speak to keep the listeners attention...bravo! P.S.I'm kind of a discerning sort of person,but I know excellence and hard work when I see it!

reminds me of the phrase "i was so frustrated I started tearing my hair out"

Very interesting!

Cheek scratching is a rather common thing custom in Southern/Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Caucasus even today. Old traditions die hard

Fabulous content!!!!!!!

Epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin shows cheek rending as well.

Loving your channel.

I also recently discovered robert de Beaumont is my 33 ggf. Along with 10s of thousands of others. But I just found a missing link in my tree by was of col david hall on my mom's maternal side. Hes the 1st gov of Delaware. I've always loved history n this just made me appreciate it more.

I love your videos, bro!

The Old Testament law says not to cut yourself for the dead. It’s an ancient practice.

Good stuff

Seems like it was done as an extravagant form of mourning/passion to help showcase their grief to the wider community.

Fabulous content, I'll be back for more - new sub here !!!! Thank you from Montreal.

The ritual of sorrow with scraching their cheeks untill bleeding is also very prevelant in Albanian history, male and female used to do this for public display of mourning. How interesting that others did so aswell!

Nice content!

So much beautiful art - most of it seems to be 19th century portrayals of medieval scenes. Which ones are from earlier periods, can you tell us more about it?

Now, when will "likes" no longer be a societal sign that videos are well liked? I almost nvr "like" but I do sub. 😁

Now that's a whole lotta drama.

Even the Cruxifiction scene where Jesus bled both "water and blood" seems to almost fit the scene of great loss or mourning. His heart had exploded btw, that explains the "water" which was bodily fluid.

0:03 “In the Middle Ages, death was a profoundly important and spiritually significant event.” That bit of information mixed perfectly with the edible. A great start. Nice video. Thanks

The first time I've heard about professional mourners was in the history of Ancient Rome

I wish we had more ostentatious displays of grief. Proper behaviour inhibits expression and blocks many from experiencing their grief healthily.

This doesn't seem that strange. It seems on par with rending one's garments in grief. (Remember, clothes were much more expensive in the ancient and Medieval world!)

That's really interesting how the same behavior is seen in infants and toddlers nowadays, but not so much in adults. I'm guessing it's merely because in our "modern" world, we view outward displays of emotion to be unsavory, and it's kind of beaten out of us by the time we reach adulthood. Although I will confess, having torn up cheeks doesn't sound very pleasant. I think I might prefer crying into my beer, so to speak.

Catlyn Stark claws her face in A Song of Ice and Fire when she sees her son Rob die. G. R.R. Martin must have known about this custom.

It was a way of making emotional pain physical. You can treat physical pain.... It showed the emotional pain in a physical way. Similar in the way that people cry when their loved ones die or how black is worn to funerals.... There are many practices around the world. Some that may seem quite strange to some people and others not so much. (Perhaps it's in how you are raised) Nonetheless they are personal and individual ways. We all grieve in our own ways and our own time.

There is a scene with this featured in Tess of the D'urbervilles with gemma arterton

Brilliant. Who knew. Very interesting and, apparently, scholarly.

How is self-injury strange? It's always been common.

In a sense, odd too that in modern times when people practice self - harm through depression or anxiety it often takes the form of many small cuts to the forearms or self- inflicted cigarette burns to the same areas. Or even cigarette burns to the neck/ throat area. Yet not the cheeks, hands, legs, shins as much where it is equally possible to do these things. That is puzzling to me too.

I have heard about this before. My family is Sicilian man heard about rituals like this.

Sack cloth and ashes for morning is an ancient practice

Nice history 👍

Good for Alfonso! 4:17 👍

Great video! Ritual mourning has been around since ancient Greece, the Levant and Mesopotamia. Research Adonis, Tammuz and Damuzi and the ritual mourning that women did every year to commemorate the God's death.

I am just very happy this is no longer part of the mourning process...I wouldn't have any face left...lol!

I wonder if the somewhat modern use of rouge stem from that practice, albeit used in a different way today.

Spoiler alert, for Game of Thrones: George R.R. Martin applied this principle to the character Lady Caitlyn Stark, who toe at her cheeks screaming as she watched her son murdered by enemies. She later becomes a different character known as Lady Stone heart with horrific gash scars as she seeks revenge. Now I know the source of this practice.

I tear some hair from my head to express grief when I lose family and friends.

Cheek scratching for the raped is a form of PoW to corroborate the accusation: the woman was expected to fight the rapist to prevent herself from being impregnated. the rapist should have used enough force to leave visible marks on her. if this didn't happens the cheek scratching could be seen as a proxy for that marks and proof of very deep emotional disturbance. in many cases, inflicting pain on yourself is a way (rarely a good way) to manage emotional pain too strong to be managed.

I was listening to music and accidentally fell asleep woke up to this.....not disappointed just confused

Still done today, only it is not done for public display.

Visceral, but understandable.

I thank my God above that we do not do this anymore. Wow!

Everyone should mourn in their own way

Someday they'll be saying the same about plastic surgery and implants. Why would you do that to yourself? Societal pressure. CONFORM!

I wonder if some of these open displays of grief helped them work past the trauma of losing someone quicker then we do today. To me it seems today we often shove our feelings down instead of letting them out, so the emotions drag out over a longer period. How regular of a practise was this though? By that I mean was it reserved for royalty and other people of importance or would it be done as regularly at funerals for everyday people? And was it only done by women who had some specific attachment to the deceased or was it expected of them whether they cared for the person or not?

Is there a better crusades history channel or source anywhere today?

If one has the knowledge of what a person goes through and experiences back in the middle ages, there is not one bit of flagrante fakeness with these acts. With the mortality being so high, if one has survived the ravages of the infant years, you where blessed with admittance into a very small club called survivalist, where upon, you were dependent on to be there for others, when so many fell victim to deaths scythe. So sad people don't know there history, fore if they did, especially in these days of covid, they'd appreciate and RESPECT mortality and people's broken hearts expression !

A teen girl in Tunis, Tunisia scratched her face after an argument with her family...a few years ago.

In Africa, cheek scratching is still used at coming of age rites till this day.

Women History interesting! Thank you.

Do you have a video on the siege of Acre?

One of our many ancient periods!

I don't know the relation but when I was a teenager I used to try to dig my fingernails into my face when I was mad, (thank God I was a nailbiter, because I would have severely scared my face) I had a traumatic childhood that took years of psychiatric therapy to over come, so I'm better now, but seems like their most be some sort of disorder or something...I know other females thry the years that self harmed once or twice but not long term...its just odd, but there has to be something more to it...and not just acting crazy.

In the culture of at least some Native American tribes such as the Sioux & the Cheyenne, there seem to be similar examples of women in mourning committing far more brutal acts of self-harm, slashing their arms with knives, possibly even severing digits from their fingers. (I'm not an expert, so I don't know how true these examples are) One example can be briefly seen in the recent film WIND RIVER.

What is the music at the end of you video? Something about a sword and an altar? A soul black with sin? You don't mention it in the notes for this video thank you

I wasn't aware of this, we certainly don't do it nowadays 😄

I’m probably from that era, I have that tendency to scratch my face when I’m distressed 😂

This practice also occurred in Mesopotamia and Ethiopia. I wonder if, in the absence of funereal clothes, it was an outward sign that the woman was not ready to be affiliated in marriage. Even in Victorian days a woman wore black for a year, then moved onto grey, as a visual aid to suitors that she was vulnerable and it was bad form for any suitor to approach her with matrimony in mind.

Well, that is very much a strange habit.

These people grieved someone they didn't know and probably never saw

These women, despite their relatively high status compared to other women, were still very vulnerable in terms of their economic and social support upon the death of a significant male relative. Extreme anxiety or panic makes a great deal of sense to me.

Why is it so strange. I've did the same thing. I've scratched my face; punched a wall until my knuckles bled; and just went days with out food or sleep. Maybe it's because people from the Southern USA are more emotional than other Americans and Europeans.

I wonder if when women were ordered by the King to stop clawing their faces, is when they started using blush?

So over come with grief and hurt was I ,I clawed my legs In one swift move,leaving deep groves with my nails, leaving scars for 3 to 4 years ,when my husband showed me no respect or love, after a confrontation over his womanising and gambling all our hard earned money away.He left me and our babies pennyless and homeless and hungry .for a younger woman.The pain of my clawed legs was nothing to the pain in my heart.....I and my kids live happier lives for over 30 years now without this selfish unloveable cruel man.Yes I can understand this custom so very well.

I thought he said virgins spread their cheeks until they bled and I almost threw up. Then I rewound it and realized he said scratched...

Could the efficacy of something be in place then but entirely out of place now ? This being specifically the veracity of a person's word rega- ding an event ?

The old Greek also mourned the death by scratching their cheeks

That's crazy

How interesting. I drew blood from scratching my face when I felt great distress and frustration in my marriage.

Whos the woman in thumbnail? The painting is absolutely stunning