From a stable isotope analysis of medieval Tomar in Portugal, did military orders affect the diet of the general population?
The study integrated stable isotope data (carbon, nitrogen and sulfur) on collagen from 33 adult human tibias (15 female, 18 male) and 13 animal remains from Tomar that belong to the realm of military orders (11th-17th centuries).
Historical documents indicate that the Templars consumed less meat than people of similar social status, and in the Middle Ages these military orders completely controlled towns and the right to fish and fish, but their impact on the diet of the general population remains unknown.
While no statistically significant differences were found between sex, social status, or collagen δ 13C and δ 34S (p > 0.05), between age groups, δ 15N did differ significantly with age, which may be related to tooth loss in older adults.
In addition, stable isotope differences in human samples compared to animal samples were higher than expected differences in the food web, specifically δ 13C. This enrichment of human bone collagen δ 13C may reflect a diet rich in aquatic protein intake, which is also supported by archived δ 34S in human and animal samples and the presence of oyster and cockle shells when excavated.
Religious dietary restrictions may lead to increased intake of aquatic protein in cases where meat consumption is not allowed.
The city of Tomar played a very important military role in the consolidation of the Portuguese kingdom by resisting the attack of Iacub ben Iuçuf Almanço, the last Moroccan king of Hispanic origin, and the construction of the Monastery of Christ, a Templar stronghold, began in 1160 and may have have been around that time the construction of the church of Santa Maria Olivar.
In 1317, Pope Clemente issued the Papal Bull Pastoralis Praeeminentiae, instructing all Christian monarchs in Europe to arrest all Templars and confiscate their assets, Portugal successfully lobbied the Pope, and instead of facing trial, the Knights Templar transferred the assets and personnel of the Order to the newly formed Knights of Christ, a continuation of the Knights Templar in Portugal.
Tomar then became the center of Portuguese overseas expansion, under the leadership of the navigator Henry, Master of the Order of Christ.
Trade in Europe began to grow in the 11th century, since Tomar was located on the main Portuguese road connecting the north of the country and the border with Reconquista, taking into account Tomar's location, with frequent movements of goods and people, one of its functions was to receive and protect refugees in the event of invasion.
According to historical data, the staple foods of Portugal in the Middle Ages were bread, wine, olives and olive oil, and a large part of agriculture was concentrated on cereals, but after paying homage to the lords and the church, the peasants were unable to obtain most of the harvest. Chestnuts and sweet acorns can sometimes replace bread, and when grains are lacking, some legumes can be turned into flour, and acorns are often used to feed livestock, especially pigs, which also feed on various roots and mushrooms.
Compared to sheep and goats, cattle are not abundant in numbers, only pigs are raised specifically for meat production, and other sources of meat include chicken, duck and goose meat and various game meats.
For farmers, hunting may be the only way to obtain meat, however, in Tomar the right to fish and fish farming was reserved for military orders. In the medieval Iberian fauna, domestic animals predominated, probably as a result of hunting restrictions.
Fish is an expensive food, with the exception of sardines, which are more abundant and easy to marinate or smoke, which were indispensable for the many fasting days established by the medieval religious calendar, but were consumed more along the coast despite the Portuguese rivers.
Mollus and crustaceans are also part of the diet of all social status, but are considered "food for the poor" due to their abundance.
Various studies have shown dietary differences between gender, age group, and social status during the Middle Ages, and since fish were expensive but necessary for religious fasting, and military orders had the right to fish and raise fish, Tomar's diet may also reflect social status.
Historical documents imply that the Templars consumed less meat than people of similar social status, while vegetables had a higher intake. In Tomar, merchants, artisans, and peasants actively participated in the local army along with the knights, raising their lands and potentially gaining access to food resources similar to those of the Templars.
Bibliography:
[1] Diet, society, and economy in late medieval Spain: stable isotopic evidence for Muslims and Christians from Valencia Gandía
[2] New Knighthood: History of the Knights Templar
[3] Identity, Gender, Religion, and Economics: New Isotope and Radiocarbon Evidence for Marine Resource Intensification in the Early Historic Orkney Islands in Scotland, UK
