This Gruesome Hygiene Habits Of Royal Women at the Versailles Palace Will Shock You
The notion of cleanliness has evolved throughout time. Today, we understand germs and how illnesses spread; we have antibacterial soaps and sprays; some homes have both a shower and a bathtub; and we have machines that handle our laundry. If you think about the 17th century in that light, you may be relieved that you can't smell it. It stank, and by our standards of cleanliness, it was disgusting. Want to know what was the condition of hygiene between royal women at the Versailles palace? Keep on watching till the end to know everything about it.
When you think of Versailles, you probably think of the enormous gilded chateau and its sprawling grounds, but not usually of dirt. Nonetheless, it was a part of Versailles, much like the Sun emblem. Thousands of people passed through the palace every day, up to 5,000 when there was a special event or celebration, and a sizable army was required to maintain it at least fairly tidy. While the aristocratic tenants of Versailles were responsible for keeping their own quarters clean, this little army was in charge of cleaning the public rooms and those of the Royal Family. The public rooms at night and early in the morning, and the King's and his family's private apartments whenever they were unoccupied. Servants gathered plates and glasses, maids cleaned the furniture and mirrors, and sweepers swept the floors before the polishers came to shine the parquet with colored wax.