Friday the 13th Superstitions?

Try These 12th and 13th Century Beliefs Instead

Medieval Manuscript Moons

Forget black cats and broken mirrors—those superstitions came centuries later. Here's what people in Nicola de la Haye's time actually feared on an unlucky day.

The Evil Eye Was Everywhere

In 12th-century England, an envious glance could literally kill you. People believed that jealous or malicious looks could cause illness, spoil crops, curdle milk, or even bring death. The wealthy were particularly vulnerable—their success made them targets for envious stares. Protective charms, prayers, and amulets were essential accessories, not fashion statements.

Iron Kept You Safe

Forget garlic and crosses. In medieval England, iron was the ultimate protection against evil spirits and fairies. People carried iron objects, hung horseshoes over doors, and drove iron nails into thresholds. Knights had a supernatural advantage: they were literally covered in protective metal. Cold iron could break curses, ward off demons, and keep the Fair Folk at bay.

Never Trust a Full Moon

"Lunacy" wasn't just a word—it was a genuine medical diagnosis. People believed the moon could drive you mad, cause seizures, or make existing illnesses worse. The word itself comes from "luna" (moon). Sleeping in moonlight was dangerous. Making important decisions during a full moon was foolish. The moon's pull on the tides proved it had power over bodies and minds.

Spilling Salt Meant Disaster

Salt was precious in the 12th century—worth its weight in silver and used as currency. Spilling it wasn't just wasteful; it was an omen of betrayal, broken friendship, or coming disaster. The custom of throwing spilled salt over your left shoulder? That dates to this era—you were literally blinding the devil who stood behind you, waiting to take advantage of your misfortune.

Women's Bodies Were Suspicious

Medieval "medicine" claimed that menstruating women could spoil wine just by looking at it, kill crops by walking through fields, tarnish mirrors, and make meat go bad. These weren't fringe beliefs—they were written in medical texts and taken as scientific fact. A woman's body was considered so powerful and dangerous that her mere presence could corrupt the natural world.

Dreams Were Prophetic

A bad dream wasn't just anxiety or indigestion—it was a direct message from God, the saints, or the devil about your future. People consulted dream interpretation guides, sought religious counsel about their visions, and made major life decisions based on what they saw while sleeping. Ignoring a prophetic dream was spiritually dangerous.

Curses Were Legal Threats

Church curses (excommunication) could literally damn your soul to hell for eternity. But political curses from powerful enemies were taken just as seriously. A curse from someone with authority—a bishop, a noble, even a wronged widow—could bring divine punishment down on you and your family for generations. These weren't empty threats. They were spiritual warfare.

Sneezing Required Immediate Prayer

"God bless you" wasn't just politeness—it was urgent spiritual protection. People believed that sneezing could let your soul escape through your nose, or create an opening for demons to enter your body. The immediate blessing was meant to protect you from that vulnerable moment. Failing to bless someone who sneezed was genuinely dangerous to their wellbeing.

The Biggest Superstition of All

With all these fears—evil eyes, moon madness, demonic possession, and the supernatural power of spilled salt—what was the most dangerous superstition in 12th-century England?

That women couldn't lead.

In 1173, Nicola de la Haye inherited Lincoln Castle at one of the most dangerous moments in English history: the Great Rebellion. Society believed that a woman in command would bring disaster. That her presence in a position of military and political authority was against the natural order. That she would fail, and her failure would prove what everyone "knew"—women weren't capable of wielding power.

Nicola proved them wrong.

She held Lincoln Castle against siege. She commanded soldiers, made tactical decisions, and outlasted enemies who were certain she'd crumble. When rebellion came again years later, she held the castle a second time-and a third (and maybe another). She became England's first female sheriff, governing a major city and administering justice. She outlasted kings, survived political upheaval, and managed one of England's most strategic fortresses for decades.

The curse society tried to place on her—that women in power would fail—was the superstition she shattered.

No evil eye touched her. No demon undermined her authority. No curse brought her down.

Just competence, strategic brilliance, and the refusal to let anyone else's fears determine her fate.

Break the Curse

Want to read about a woman who defied medieval England's most dangerous assumptions? Discover Nicola de la Haye's true story in LADY OF LINCOLN. Buy your copy here: https://books2read.com/u/4980nW

Because the scariest thing isn't superstition—it's forgetting the women who refused to believe in the limitations men set for them.