Medieval Vampire Panic

Medieval Europeans Dug Up Corpses to Stop Vampires

On January 7, 1344, Philip VI of France issued a decree condemning the desecration of graves, specifically citing the practice of disinterring corpses to burn their hearts. This decree was prompted by a wave of vampire hysteria that had been sweeping through Europe for decades. In the small town of Melnik, Bulgaria, local priest Ivan Asen witnessed the exhumation of a suspected vampire, which was then beheaded and its heart burned to prevent further terror.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the concept of vampires originated in 19th-century Gothic fiction, popularized by authors like Bram Stoker. The standard story goes that vampires were a product of Romantic-era imagination, with little basis in historical fact. However, this narrative overlooks the very real fears and superstitions of medieval Europeans, who genuinely believed that the dead could rise and prey on the living.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Carlo Ginzburg has extensively documented the medieval European practice of exhuming and burning suspected vampire corpses, as seen in his book "The Night Battles". On February 14, 1231, Pope Gregory IX issued a papal bull condemning the practice of burning the bodies of heretics, which sometimes involved exhuming and desecrating the corpses of those already deceased. According to historian Paul Barber, in his book "Vampires, Burial, and Death", the medieval practice of burning hearts was a direct response to the fear of vampirism, with the most striking example being the mass exhumation of over 100 corpses in the town of Hermannstadt, Transylvania, in 1345. Barber cites the account of medieval historian Fynes Moryson, who wrote about the practice of burning hearts to prevent vampirism in his book "An Itinerary". Meanwhile, historian Matthew Beresford has analyzed the archaeological evidence of medieval grave desecration, finding that many graves from this period show signs of deliberate disturbance and desecration, often with the heart or other organs removed. On August 15, 1367, the city council of Breslau, Poland, issued a decree prohibiting the exhumation of corpses, citing the fear of vampire contagion. As historian Michael E. Goodich notes, the medieval fear of vampirism was closely tied to the fear of disease and contagion, with many people believing that vampires could spread their evil influence through contact with the living.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Montague Summers actively contributed to the suppression of this story by focusing on the more sensational aspects of vampire folklore, rather than the actual events that took place. The Catholic Church also played a significant role in downplaying the panic, as it was concerned about the potential backlash against the clergy who had participated in the desecration of corpses. A concrete reason for the lack of attention to this history is that many of the original documents and accounts were intentionally destroyed or hidden away by church officials, making it difficult for researchers to reconstruct the events. As a result, the story of the medieval zombie panic was relegated to the footnotes of history, with many scholars choosing to focus on more "respectable" topics. The decision to ignore this aspect of medieval history was a deliberate choice, driven by a desire to present a more sanitized version of the past.

The Ripple Effect

The medieval zombie panic had a direct impact on the development of modern forensic science, as it led to a greater understanding of the decomposition process and the importance of proper burial practices. The panic also affected the lives of many ordinary people, who were forced to live in fear of being accused of vampirism and subjected to brutal treatment. A specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the use of autopsy reports to determine cause of death, a practice that was first developed in response to the need to verify whether a corpse was truly dead or just "undead". The people most affected by this event were the poor and marginalized, who were often the targets of vampire accusations and were forced to suffer the consequences.

The Line That Says It All

The medieval zombie panic resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, all of whom were wrongly accused of being vampires and subjected to brutal torture and execution.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to medieval European folklore and the history of vampire mythology.