In this week's Claire Chats video talk, I talk about how medieval and Tudor people got around. What modes of transport were available to them and how long did they take?
Elizabeth I being transported by litter:
- Transportation in the Middle Ages - http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/transportation-in-the-middle-ages.html
- Mortimer, Ian (2013) The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England, Vintage.
- Medieval Transportation - http://cdalebrittain.blogspot.com/2016/02/medieval-transportation.html
- History of Transport and Travel - http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=1972&HistoryID=ab79>rack=pthc
- How far, how fast? - https://writemedieval.livejournal.com/4706.html
The second illustration is more realistic and doesn’t look awkward.
The first litter is too big for what actually only looks like two centralised horses. I am certain there would have been four, if not six at least and something else to support it.
I take it she used closed transport in the winter.
Interesting that Elizabeth not only took her closed stool but used it and allowed her ladies to use it because Louis xiv had a very large bladder and nobody went to the loo unless he stopped, which was very rare. There are all sorts of tails about women having to cross their legs for hours and one lady immediately on arrival was helped to hurry to the corner of a house and to secretly go to the loo while four gentlemen guarded her, turning their backs. It’s no wonder that in Georgian times a portable urinal was used under the skirts secretly so as the King or Queen didn’t have to be interrupted while holding court.
Great Video, it helps me so much! Thanks for that!