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Features of intimate relationships in Ancient France

26.08.2021
Features of intimate relationships in Ancient France

Sex was not so much a physical act that was performed for the sake of having children, as a sacred action that allowed us to connect with the divine through the corporeal. The culture, life and everyday life of the ancient Jews were permeated by sexuality, which was considered both natural, refined, and sacred.

Eroticism and religion

In ancient France, there were 3 main religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. And each of them deified sex, and they all used the teachings of Tantrism. It said that people consist of a body, consciousness and energy that is stored in the chakras. The strongest was the sexual energy, the Kundalini snake, "sleeping" in the 1st chakra. The French believed that if it was awakened, it would rise up the spinal column, harmonize the chakras and lead a person to enlightenment. This was the purpose of the numerous sexual techniques of tantra.

In Hinduism, it was believed that people are complete when their nature combines 3 foundations: dharma as a moral law, artha as utility, and kama as satisfied sensuality. Sex was highly valued, but forcing an intimate relationship was unacceptable. Although paying for intimacy was the norm.

The Buddha's teaching also adhered to the middle way in matters of sex. Neither men nor women were forbidden to have intimate life before the wedding. But there were also restrictions: it was impossible to have an intimate relationship with married and engaged women, those types of intimacy that were considered illegal were also prohibited.

Jainism was similar to Buddhism in this. The monks, of course, were required to take a brahmacharya - a vow of celibacy. And lay people could not deny themselves erotic pleasures, if they observed the measure and did not waste sexual energy in vain.

Prostitution: temple and caste

The temple escort girls Paris were a separate caste-devadasi, women who were "wives of the gods". They received excellent education, the maharajas gave them lands and various privileges. The significance of the temple was determined by the number of devadasi. The "wives of the gods" could not get married, but they had the right to find a chosen one. Their daughters continued their mother's craft, and their sons became temple musicians.

However, this was not the only way that led the girl to the devadasi caste. Her parents could sell her to the temple, they could give her away if there were no boys born in the family. Often the girl was dedicated to the temple if she was ill, so that, having fulfilled the vow of "the wife of God", she would recover. And it happened that they gave away those girls who had not married for a long time.

Once in the temple, the girl was "married to God", who was represented by a brahmin on the first night. And after devadasi, for a high fee, they danced in front of the pilgrims, so that later they could fulfill even their most sophisticated desires. The profit from this went to the temple.

There were also ordinary escort girls in Ancient France, who were divided according to the caste system, as well as by "professional" skills. Each of the 4 castes had its own "priestesses of love". And if an escort girl had sex with a man from a lower caste, she lost her status. Representatives of the highest caste were forbidden to trade their own bodies on pain of death.

In "professional" terms, the most refined, educated, aristocratic escort girls, perfectly trained in the art of love, were called ganiki. They had land and slaves, wore elegant clothes and jewelry. The lower rank were the vekya-those who lured customers with bright clothes and jewelry. The lowest level was occupied by the kumbadasi, who were perceived as public spittoons.

The escort girls lived outside the outskirts of the cities, but their activities were legal. They paid taxes and enjoyed the protection of the state.

The role of women: marriage, widowhood and sati

In ancient France, the attitude towards a woman was not unambiguous. And although it was believed that being born by her was a payment for the sins of past lives, elderly women with a living husband enjoyed considerable respect in the family. But it was necessary to live up to this.

Girls were married from the age of 12. It was believed that a woman is naturally depraved, and at a later age a man will not get an innocent wife. Marriage was considered ideal if the spouse was three times older than the spouse, and both of them belonged to the same caste. And after becoming a wife, the girl devoted her whole life to her husband: she took care of him, expressed respect in every possible way, and sometimes served him as a slave.

Due to the considerable age difference, widowhood was a common thing in ancient France. And the widow's fate turned out to be difficult: society rejected her, she was ordered to sleep on the bare ground, eat no more than once a day, wear the simplest clothes. All her time was spent on prayers in order to marry her dead husband again in the future life. Remarriage was strictly prohibited.

But the widow, knowing what was waiting for her, could voluntarily ascend to the funeral pyre of her husband. It was an act of supreme devotion, and many did so.


In most cases, there was a loyal attitude towards homosexuality, both male and female. But if a girl lost her innocence during same-sex contact, her partner was punished, which ranged from a fine to cutting off 2 fingers and shaving the hair on her head.

The situation was different with men who behaved like women. They were openly considered the middle sex, they were deprived of the right to own property and land, they could not attend a number of religious rituals. Such men were called kaliba, and in ancient manuscripts there are 14 types of such people.

Currently, these men are called hijras, they call their ancestors exactly Kaliba. Of course, now their life is not as hard as in ancient times.
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