The Dark Side of Medieval Love Potions

The term ‘Love Potion’ is very well known but did you know that it actually exists? They do and they are considered very potent. Love potions have roots in history as far back as the Biblical times (and possibly beyond). They were incredibly popular in medieval times. Witchcraft, especially the love potions, was a way of life in medieval times and their uses were reflected in romantic epics, folklore, and legal records. A love potion is said to be a magical potion that causes the person who drinks it to fall head over heels in love with the person who offered it to them. Though claimed to be magical, the ingredients used to make these love potions are absolutely gross and repulsive. If you have a weak stomach, please proceed with caution.

Body Parts of Corpses

Unlike the witchcraft done by Serial Killer Leonarda Cianciulli to create a protection spell by killing three people and using their body parts and blood to make soap and tea cakes respectively, this love potion doesn’t require killing people. Instead, certain parts were required from people who are already dead. There were a lot of grave-robbings done to obtain body parts of dead people. There was one love potion that required the spleen and bone marrow of a specific dead boy. Common ingredients of this love potion were powdered bone, pubic hair, and menstrual blood! From this information, it can be concluded that women made these love potions for men and not vice versa. In 1320, the Cathar noblewoman, Beatrice de Planisoles was charged with witchcraft. Among the objects she possessed to cast evil spells was a linen cloth soaked with her daughter’s first menstrual blood, which was intended to be drunk by her daughter’s husband.

Love Cake or Shall I Say ‘Sweat Cake’

Apparently, in medieval times, there was something called the ‘love cake’ that one would bake whilst naked. They would also rub the dough on their skin to absorb their sweat. The cake would then be served to their victim to make them fall in love with the spell-caster, well, in this case, the baker. This gave me strong vibes of Serial Killer Leonarda Cianciulli. She used witchcraft to make soap from dead bodies and tea cakes from their blood. You can read the article I wrote about her HERE. So, back to the ‘love cake’, in Medieval Europe, some of their recipes for love potions have been called ‘sweaty cakes’ made from menstrual blood, sweat, and sometimes bits of skin and hair. Not only do they bake whilst naked but they use the cakes as towels to wipe their sweat when it comes out of the oven. No love potion ingredients should go to waste.

Thank God Dinosaurs Went Extinct

Poaching was another prevalent crime because animal remains were also a high-demand ingredient for love potions. Among the most popular animal parts were:

• Sparrow’s head and brain (Not to be mistaken for Jack Sparrow)
• Deer’s heart
• Stork’s droppings
• Snake’s fat
• Donkey’s testicles
• Bones from the left side of a toad that has been devoured by ants (apparently the right side bone causes hatred)
• Pigeon’s heart and blood
• Bat’s blood

The bat’s blood was the idea of Pliny the Elder in ancient Rome. It seems the blood must be left to coagulate and put under the pillow of the person they want to be with.

Wings of Blister Beetle or Spanish Fly

During the times of Roman Emperor Augustus, the wings of the Blister Beetle (also known as the Spanish Fly) were used in love potions. The Latin chroniclers classified the wings as a powerful aphrodisiac. They were crushed into powder to be used in the love potion. This powder however is very dangerous. Too much of it, in fact, as little as 32 milligrams can cause the kidneys to completely shut down. There were times when women found the potion to be ineffective. They would then simply kill off their husbands to get remarried. This gave me strong vibes of Nannie Doss, the Giggling Granny Serial Killer. Out of the 11 people she killed, 4 of them were her husbands. She was on a kill-and-remarry spree. You can read the article I wrote about her HERE.

Lizards Were Not Hazards

The love potion in Nigeria was to be consumed while it was still boiling hot and it consists of:

• Lizard’s neck
• Viper’s blood
• Witch’s hair (who would even reveal they are a witch?)
• A piece of our own umbilical cord (so this love potion would take 9 months to make and also yields a baby)
• All our fingernail and toenail clippings since birth (this one is just impossible)

The love potion in the Philippines consists of a lizard drowned in urine. Native American tribes used dried lizard or lizard tails as an ingredient in their love potion.

Now He Can’t ‘WORM’ His Way Out of the Relationship

In the 16th century, crushed worms were mixed with powdered periwinkle and herbs to make a love potion. This mixture was then added to their spouse’s food. Worms were chosen for the love potion due to their link with the earth. It was believed that it was a potent sign of increased fertility, which happens to be a very much desired outcome of a love spell.

Mandrakes Actually Exist?

Who knew mandrakes existed outside the Harry Potter world? Mandrake (also known as mandragora) has been a popular ingredient during the Biblical times up until now in love potions. The mandrake resembles a human form, both male and female. It allegedly screams when pulled from the ground, causing madness or death to those who hear it. The root of the mandrake is used in love potions and is to be consumed. It can also be worn as a fertility amulet. __________________________________________

Sources: https://katdevitt.com/2022/01/31/10-insane-love-potion-recipes-from-across-history/ https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/mandrake-menstrual-blood-10-medieval-love-potion-recipes-and-ingredients/

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