Toulouse: “The Medieval are an opportunity to revisit the Middle Ages”
Passionate about the Middle Ages, Stéphane Pelegry wears for the Medieval of Toulouse to discover for three days at the Prairie des Filtres, the costume of the sulphurous Bishop Foulques.
He has the worrying gaze and tonsure specific to monks. During the Toulouse Medieval, which begins this Friday, Stéphane Pelegry, a 62-year-old business manager, puts on the costume of Bishop Foulques, a fierce enemy of the Cathars. “This former troubadour who was bishop of Toulouse, turned to religion following a heartache”, recalls this passionate about the Middle Ages who, five years ago, joined the medieval association, Gesta Albigensis. Child, after the cowboys and the Indians, I discovered the pleasure of the knight and the sword. Much more fun. Over time, Stéphane turns to historical research on a period that we think we know and which in the 19th century was tinged, in society, with an image of obscurantism. An era yet rich in colors, like the buildings, where black does not exist”.
“In the 18th century, people were clean. Each district had its oven”
Stéphane likes to break down stubborn prejudices: “Example the droit de seigneur which designates the medieval right of a lord to dispose of the sexual favors of the women of his domain. In fact it was simply a fee paid by the peasant to his lord to marry”. Another misconception: the chastity belt, so often decried. A device then called body armor worn by women and whose key they hid to avoid rape during the absence of the lord. Finally, a time when people were clean. Each district then has an oven (bath) where people perform before going about their business. The will appear with the Black Death in the 14th century: it is thought that microbes attack the body via water.
Courtly love so often praised is then only a game of the mind
This co-organizer of the Medieval also makes his own medieval clothes. He thus created his bishop’s outfit: “I was inspired by a rare illumination dedicated to this monk. A garment made of silk and linen sewn by hand with linen thread. I tried the bone needle used then but it was too long. The opportunity to talk about marriage: “For women, the age of this moment is then between 12-13 years. A marriage often with an older man, consummated later with the aim of procreating and ensuring, among the nobles, descent and arms among the peasants. Love was not the but. »
And the courtly love so often praised? “Only a witty game between poetry and a tournament reserved for the nobility where a knight symbolically gives his heart and soul to his lady. It could end badly as in Germany, where the loser of a poetry tournament could be put to death. “. So many historical aspects to discover during three days at the Toulouse Medieval between fun and historical events.
The Medieval of Toulouse set up by the Federation of associations of traders of the hypercentre, distributed by Philippe Léon, take place on May 27, 28 and 29 Prairie des Filtres. Info: www.medievales-toulouse.fr
See you Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and finally Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.